12 Dec
2016
Finally, A Rate Hike! Plus Trump, Politics, Cybersecurity and Hope for Progressives: Sphere Consulting’s TenCount for Dec. 12, 2016
- Time for a rate hike! The Federal Open Market Committee, which meets Tuesday and Wednesday, has given every indication that it will raise interest rates for the first time in a year – and only the second time in the last 10 years. It should come as no surprise, but of particular interest will be whether a rate hike will slow down the stock market, which has gained more than 7 percent since Election Day. The Fed announces its verdict at 2 pm Wednesday and Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen conducts a press conference a half hour later.
- Trump Trump Trump. This week brings more inquiries into the nature of a Trump Administration, beginning Monday with the Brookings Institution’s “Presidential Leadership in the First Year,” followed Tuesday by a Heritage Foundation discussion with Newt Gingrich on “The Principles of Trumpism.” Also Tuesday, the Family Research Council discusses “The Conservative Playbook for the First 100 Days of the Trump Administration.”
- Technology get the Trump treatment in the second half of the week: On Wednesday it’s back over to the Brookings Institution for “Technology Policy and the Trump Administration,” while Thursday brings “Innovation Priorities for the New Administration” by the Technology Policy Institute and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation.
- Political types continue to dissect the election results. Tuesday morning brings a briefing by The Atlantic on “The Politics of Gender: Women, Men and the 2016 Campaign,” while in the afternoon Brookings discusses “Covering Politics in a ‘Post-Truth’ America.” Tuesday evening, the National Archives hosts its 10th annual McGowan Forum on “Women in Leadership: Political Campaigns,” while on Wednesday Politico dissects “Cornerstones of Democracy: The Future of the Parties and the Press.” Thursday it’s the Ripon Society and the Pew Research Center discussing “37 Days Later,” or the American political environment since the election.
- As long as terrorism remains a threat, think tanks will discuss it. On Monday the United States Institute of Peace hosts “Getting Ahead of the Curve: The Evolving Threat of Violent Extremism.” And on Wednesday, the Jamestown Foundation sponsors its 10th annual Terrorism Conference, titled “New Administration, New Challenges, New Threats,” with a keynote by former C.I.A. Director Michael Hayden.
- Cybersecurity is one of the country’s most crucial challenges. Bloomberg Government kicks off the week on Monday with a webinar, “Enabling the Federal Cybersecurity Advantage,” while on Wednesday the Atlantic Council discusses the findings of the Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity and the Future of U.S. Cyber Policy. And on Friday, the American Council for Technology – Industry Advisory Council hosts a “Community of Interest” meeting on cybersecurity.
- Trump has Obamacare in his sights, ready to fire on his first day in office. On Monday, the American Enterprise Institute takes a look at how the incoming administration can reverse the executive actions implementing the Affordable Care Act, and the Washington Post Live discusses “A Look Ahead: Health Care.” On Friday, it’s back to AEI for “What’s Next for Health Care.”
- Beyond bootstraps: A conservative look at economic mobility is the focus of a full-day conference on Thursday, featuring House Speaker Paul Ryan and J.D. Vance, author of “Hillbilly Elegy.” Sponsored by the American Enterprise Institute, the confab is titled “This way up: Economic mobility for poor and middle-class Americans.”
- Who’s watching?: Surveillance has become more firmly entrenched during the Obama Administration, and there’s little reason to believe that will change soon. On Monday, the Center for a New American Security discusses “Surveillance Policy: A Pragmatic Agenda for 2017 and Beyond,” while on Wednesday, the Cato Institute hosts its 2016 Surveillance Conference.
- Loyal opposition: Progressives might be expecting a tough four years, but they aren’t without hope. On Monday the Center for American Progress discusses “How Progressives Can Defend the Working Class in the Trump Era,” while on Tuesday the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy hosts “What’s Next: Progressive Lawyering During the Trump Administration.”