1. Can the Government Govern?
Renewing Democracy
Helping the Americans Left Behind
Living Longer
Economic Good times

2. Economic Inequality Good news Bad News unemployment is very low, 3.7%
per capita income grew 9.4% since 1992
Bad News
wages 8.4% below 1979 level
family income is up 9% since 1979, hours worked increased by 19%
31% of WI jobs pay $8.20 an hour, poverty wages

3. Rampant Inequality
99% of income gains from 1979 to 94 went to top 5% of income distribution
top .1% of Americans have 20% of national income
CEO compensation is now 326 times the average worker
in 1980, 20 times worker

4. Health Care Reform Clinton Health Care Reform Package
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
Patient Bill of Rights

5. Implications for Governance
Rise of symbolic politics
Faith in incremental solutions
limits of divided government
1997 balanced budget agreement
politics by other means
Declining turnout and faith in government

6. Solutions? Jefferson on Citizenship
"I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves, and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education."

7. Evaluations Power point presentations??
Web page and lecture postings??
Web assignments– history
Ideas for improvement
Parts you liked
Parts you hated