Welcome to the second installment of the Center for American Progress Daily Digest -- a daily roundup of all the great articles, reports, proposals, and other content that CAP produces. For those of you unfamiliar with CAP,
The Center for American Progress is a progressive think-tank dedicated to improving the lives of Americans through ideas and action.
We are creating a long-term, progressive vision for America—a vision that policy makers, thought-leaders and activists can use to shape the national debate and pass laws that make a difference.
Here's what happened today at CAP:
Killing the Patient: Iraq’s Security Forces are Part of the Problem:
When U.S. Army Lieutenant General Martin Dempsey testifies this week before the House Armed Services Committee, members of Congress should ask tough questions about Iraq’s security forces, particularly their allegiance and motivation.
The reason: Increasingly it appears the United States is training and arming different sides of Iraq’s multiple civil wars rather than creating a national army and police force willing and able to protect the nation’s fragmented political leadership.
Eric Alterman, writer and Fellow at CAP, has written a new installment of his Think Again column. This week he uses the Bible to present the wisdom of progressive ideas: The Israelites of the Bible offer an interesting lesson to Americans about rejecting the Bush administration’s fear tactics when it comes to present-day Iraq.
There were two events here at CAP today. One was a forum of the Progressive States Network. They say that the states are the laboratory for progressive policy, and state legislators had plenty of accomplishments to share. For example:
Delegate Heather Mizeur (D-20) of the Maryland House began the discussion by listing Maryland’s new progressive legislation. Mizeur has helped Maryland take steps to ensure adequate health care for all citizens with specific attention on children. "A tidal wave of progressive action," she remarked, will continue for years to come, hopefully pushing the more conservative State Senate into action. Setting a personal goal, Mizeur hopes to champion a mandate for health coverage for all children, ensuring another 90,000 kids had health insurance.
The other event, co-sponsored by the Office of Science and Technology of the Embassy of France and hosted at the embassy, concerned international exchanges in stem cell research. It featured a workshop with worldwide leaders in research and policy and
brought together scientists, ethicists, and policymakers from Europe and the U.S. to exchange information, discuss policies and practices, and promote transatlantic cooperation within the field.