reform news stories on Newser

Whine All You Want: Obama Gets It Done

Matt Cantor — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 13:50:25 CST

Frank Rich and Paul Krugman can rail all they want, fueled by their disappointment that President Obama is no “Michael Moore in chief.” These “brilliant men" are “profoundly resistant to the core rationale of the Obama presidency"—a strategy that’s working well as Obama manages consistently to “get shit done,...

Et tu, Barack? Teachers Lose Another Ally

Drew Nelles — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 17:35:42 CDT

Teachers union members are fuming over President Obama's desire to stay the course and evaluate educators based on student test scores, McClatchy reports. Obama is even threatening to withhold California stimulus money unless the state enshrines the student-teacher performance link into law. "It takes more than the ability to fill...

LA Mayor Wants Outsiders to Run 'Failing' Schools

Nick McMaster — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:10:57 CDT

The mayor of Los Angeles wants to allow outside groups to place bids for control of hundreds of the city’s schools, the LA Times reports. Antonia Villaraigosa’s education reforms would allow bidding by charter-school organizations and other education nonprofits to run 50 schools scheduled to open over the next four...

On Financial Reforms, Obama Is No FDR

Kevin Spak — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:02:01 CDT

President Obama is hardly living up to the hype on fiscal regulatory reform, and he's not matching Franklin Roosevelt, either. When FDR reformed financial regulation, he transformed the industry, cheerfully making enemies in the process. Obama has been timid by comparison, writes Joe Nocera of the New York Times : “The...

French Mock Sarkozy by Reading Book He Hates

Nick McMaster — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 14:03:52 CDT

France is in the grip of a nationwide strike, but dissatisfaction with Nicolas Sarkozy’s reforms is also taking a more cultured form: the reading of a classic 17th-century book the president has said he hates. The book has become an odd symbol of dissent. Sales are climbing as Sarko’s approval...

Judge's Restoration Is Cause for Joy, Hope in Pakistan

Harry Kimball — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:33:01 CDT

Pakistan’s chief justice has been reinstated, inspiring not only celebration but renewed hope among that country’s citizens, the New York Times reports. Happy lawyers—central to the popular effort—and others camped out on the lawn of Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry’s home today, but his victory is seen as just the...

Jeb Sees GOP as Reform Party

Harry Kimball — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 15:23:17 CST

Jeb Bush cringes at the idea of running for office again, but that doesn’t mean he lacks bold vision for the Republican Party, writes Fred Barnes in the Wall Street Journal . Bush thinks the GOP should morph into a reform party, starting with the states. “A real effort to play...

Iran's Former Prez Mulls Run Against Ahmadinejad

Nick McMaster — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 13:34:01 CST

Mohammad Khatami is considering a run to reclaim the Iranian presidency, the Economist reports. Frustrated with successor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s financial mismanagement and controversial rhetoric, moderate Iranians have swamped Khatami with entreaties to run. Although Khatami ultimately failed to deliver reform, his 1997-2005 tenure is remembered fondly for relaxed restrictions on...

Obama Must Forget Agenda, Fix Economy

Kevin Spak — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:55:01 CST

When Barack Obama takes office, he’ll have to decide whether he wants to revive the economy, or pursue his policy agenda. “The two approaches are at odds,” writes Robert Samuelson in the Washington Post . Yes, Obama could say energy and health reform will improve the economy, but these initiatives will...