Utilizing National Journal expertise to explore the issues of today.
Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein’s “nudge theory” defines a nudge as “any aspect of choice architecture that alters people’s behavior in a predictable way without forbidding any options or significantly changing their economic incentives.” Transportation agencies across the United States have applied nudge theory to
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The internet promises a world where users can instantly access information and services from anywhere, anytime. As policymakers work to address the access crisis in America’s rural health care system, the use of internet-enabled medicine is more appealing than ever. Despite the prospect of telehealth
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On June 23, 2016, UK citizens voted in favor of leaving the European Union in a now-infamous referendum. Immediately following the vote, Prime Minister David Cameron—who led the “remain” campaign—announced his resignation. His successor, Theresa May, triggered the EU withdrawal process nearly a year later
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As U.S. college student debt climbed at an alarming pace in the early to mid-2000s, more advocates began pushing for an overhaul of the student aid program to make higher education more accessible. In 2007, lawmakers joined the cause, and Congress and then-President George W.
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The first bill Democrats introduced after gaining control of the House in the 2018 midterms (H.R. 1, the For the People Act) is an expansive voting reform package clearly signaling that reforming the US electoral system is an important priority. The sweeping legislation proposes a
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In the highly partisan environment of the 116th Congress, the outlook for agreement on most issues appears bleak. Yet there is at least one proposal that has garnered approval from Republicans, Democrats, and the administration: federal paid family leave. In general, paid family leave proposals
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American healthcare has been called a paradox — and for good reason. On one hand, the U.S. spends big on health. In 2016, the United States spent almost 18 percent of its GDP on health care, a larger percentage than that of comparable high-income nations
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Will Congress take legislative action on consumer privacy this year? Some members of Congress say that it’s time, including Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ-6), the new chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. During an April 2018 committee hearing, Pallone stated that “the current
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During the Obama administration, the US’ drone and air strike program grew dramatically in response to an increasing number of global terror threats. While battling the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the Taliban in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and al-Qaeda affiliated groups across
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