federalism

Autopsy of a Failed Health Insurance Experiment: Did It Die of Natural Causes, or Was It Murdered?

by Bedrosian Center

It was just another week for the Trump administration. A senior official resigned after admitting to major ethics violations, the President insulted millions of innocent brown-skinned Americans on Twitter, and quietly—so quietly that almost no one noticed—the Department of Health and Human Services pulled another Jenga block out of the teetering tower that is the Affordable Care Act. Fortunately, it did not fall.

But it did become more expensive. And in that understated tragedy, we find our mystery: Was that HHS’s intent all along?

This essay was originally published on the “Bill of Health” blog at Harvard Law School.

The Originalist

by Bedrosian Center

John Strand’s The Originalist shines a light onto a polarizing Supreme Court Justice; Antonin Scalia. When a bright, liberal law school graduate embarks on a nerve-wracking clerkship with Justice Scalia, she discovers him to be both an infuriating sparring partner and an unexpected mentor.

Listen as Jody David Armour, Oliver Mayer, Jon Sonego, and Jade Wheeler delve into the politics of individual court members, Originalism, civil rights, civic duty, and what it means to be an American.

To listen to the Price Projection Room discussion of The Originalist, click the arrow in the Soundcloud player at the top of this post. Or download and subscribe through Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, or Google Play.

Federalism and the Battle for Partisan Power

by Bedrosian Center

We think we know how federalism works. Republicans believe in states’ rights, and Democrats want a strong federal government, right? Not so fast. New research reveals a whole different tug of war playing out on Capitol Hill. Our legislators don’t always do what they say, but they do have a strategy to design and implement our laws. It turns out that federalism is ground zero in their battle for partisan power—and now we finally know how the game is being played.

In this episode, we go behind-the-scenes with the researcher who uncovered these terms of engagement, Pamela Clouser McCann.