Cover Story
Is the GOP's Tea Party Over?
BY Alan Greenblatt
Arizona was the poster child for Tea Party politics. Now the state's Republican leaders are focusing instead on core establishment issues. The shift there could signal what's to come across the country.
FEATURES
Finance
The Myth vs. the Truth About Regulating Payday Lenders
When state laws drive so-called "debt traps" to shut down, the industry moves its business online. Do their low-income customers follow?
BY Liz Farmer
Education
College Savings Accounts Are Popular But Missing Their Marks
Few families use them -- and even fewer put enough money away to matter. Advocates, however, say the programs are too young to judge.
BY J.B. Wogan
Health & Human Services
The Future of Health Care Is Outside the Doctor's Office
States are increasingly investing in community health workers to improve their residents' health.
BY Mattie Quinn
Public Safety & Justice
In Unconventional Courtroom, a Little Respect Goes a Long Way
Brooklyn, N.Y., has one of the most innovative courts in the country -- not just for its approach toward defendants but also for its success in reducing recidivism.
BY Daniel C. Vock
OBSERVER
Urban
The Story Behind George Lucas' Museum Wars With Cities
After fighting his own battle over where to house his Star Wars stuff, he let the cities duke it out.
BY Alan Greenblatt
Public Safety & Justice
Should Lawyers Police Themselves? In Most States, They Do.
But the days of having lawyers regulate their own conduct are numbered in California. The question now is whether that will prompt others to end the controversial practice.
BY Alan Greenblatt
Management & Labor
Different Party, Same People: The Virtue of Political Holdovers
Two new governors have surprised their states by keeping many of the previous administrations' cabinet members.
BY Alan Greenblatt
Politics & Elections
Are South Carolina Voters Too Tolerant of Corruption?
The state’s lawmakers have a history of ethics and legal problems -- yet their constituents don’t seem to care.
BY Alan Greenblatt
POLITICS + POLICY
Assessments
The Limits of Café Urbanism
Hip restaurants have helped revive cities. But is the boom fizzling out?
BY Alan Ehrenhalt
Washington Watch
Outposts of Rationality in Our Great Partisan Divide
U.S. politics isn't all poisonous. You just have to leave Washington to realize that.
BY Peter Harkness
Politics & Elections
Why Cooperation May Be to Blame for America's Polarized Politics
It’s time for a history lesson.
BY Alan Greenblatt
Health & Human Services
Why Feds Withhold Money From the Most Vulnerable Hospitals
The places that treat the poorest and sickest often fail to meet safety standards. Some say the penalties need to be adjusted.
BY Mattie Quinn
Infrastructure & Environment
A Plan That Tackles Climate Change and Racial Discrimination
Portland, Ore., is one of the nation's first cities to fully consider how environmental policies impact minority communities.
BY Elizabeth Daigneau
Transportation & Infrastructure
Can a Small College Save Its Small Town?
In many places, they're trying to like never before.
BY Aaron M. Renn
Urban Notebook
Build, Baby, Build: A New Housing Movement’s Unofficial Motto
It's a counter to the "not in my backyard" mentality that has led to housing shortages in some cities.
BY Scott Beyer
PROBLEM SOLVER
Management & Labor
How Many Jobs Can Governors Take Credit for Creating?
Governors can affect their states’ employment picture, but not in the way -- or with the speed -- that most people think.
BY Mike Maciag
Smart Management
The Rise of the COO in State Government
Governors are slowly realizing that they need someone to take on the things they don’t have time for.
BY Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene
On Leadership
The Complexity of Simplicity in Government
It isn’t easy to achieve, but simplicity should be a vital goal when serving the public.
BY Mark Funkhouser
Tech Talk
Letting the Little Guy In: How Ohio Expanded Its IT Expertise
The state revamped its procurement system so that it's not missing out on smaller, innovative firms anymore. The new process is already catching fire in other states.
BY Tod Newcombe
Public Money
States and Cities May Need Shelter From the Storm Brewing in U.S. Housing Policy
Changes are likely on the way, and they could damage budgets.
BY Frank Shafroth
Infrastructure & Environment
Going Backwards to the Days of Dirt Roads
In an effort to save money, some governments are unpaving roads.
BY David Kidd
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