Archive for November, 2016

The next president’s White House is more like a house of cards

November 11, 2016 / Comments Off on The next president’s White House is more like a house of cards / Posted in: In the Media, U.S. Politics
Photo credit: Philippa Willitts/Flickr

Photo credit: Philippa Willitts/Flickr

Edward R. Jenkins, and instructor of accounting at Penn State, recently wrote an article for the Central Penn Business Journal about the U.S. Government Accountability Office and the country’s balance sheet. Here’s an excerpt:

Edward R. Jenkins

Edward R. Jenkins

“Regardless of whether it was Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, the next president will have the same hand of cards to play when it comes to the balance sheet of the U.S. government. And this hand of cards may feel more like handcuffs — or a precarious house of cards.

“That our country is running a deficit is not news, but of particular concern is that the government doesn’t have a clear idea of its current spending — nor how much a bill it continues to rack up.

“Each year the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is required to audit the financial statements of the U.S. government. However, the best the GAO has been able to do is issue a “disclaimed opinion’’ — which is accountant-speak for warning that the system is so out of control that the agency can’t render an opinion about the accuracy of the government’s financial statement.”

Read more at CPBJ.com.

McCourtney Institute for Democracy researchers discuss election aftermath

November 11, 2016 / Comments Off on McCourtney Institute for Democracy researchers discuss election aftermath / Posted in: 2016 Presidential Election, U.S. Politics

Michael Berkman, director of the McCourtney Institute for Democracy at Penn State, and Christopher Beem, managing director of the McCourtney Institute, sat down recently to discuss the aftermath of Election Day and things they’ll be watching as the presidency transitions to President-elect Trump.

Election 216: What happened?

 

The GOP is now in control: What do Democrats do?

 

Looking ahead to the next presidency: What are we watching?

Climate and energy experts speak out on Trump’s views

November 10, 2016 / Comments Off on Climate and energy experts speak out on Trump’s views / Posted in: 2016 Presidential Election, Hot Button Issues, In the Media, U.S. Politics
The record-hot months of 2016 compared to the past 137 years. Credit: ClimateCentral.org

The record-hot months of 2016 compared to the past 137 years. Credit: ClimateCentral.org

David Titley, a professor of meteorology and director of the Center for Solutions to Weather and Climate Risk, and Michael Mann, a distinguished professor of atmospheric science and director of the Earth System Science Center, were quoted in a recent Scientific American article about President-elect Donald Trump’s potential impact on future climate and energy research. Here’s an excerpt:

“Michael Mann, paleoclimate researcher at Penn State: A Trump presidency might be game over for the climate. In other words, it might make it impossible to stabilize planetary warming below dangerous (i.e. greater than 2°C) levels. If Trump makes good on his campaign promises and pulls out of the Paris Treaty, it is difficult to see a path forward to keeping warming below dangerous levels.

“It is time for introspection and contemplation. I’m still in the process of letting this sink in. …

“David Titley, climate and weather risk researcher at Penn State: Many black swans have taken flight this year. One thing science teaches you is that systems frequently revert to the mean. So, as dark as everything looks at this moment for fixing our climate, we need to have hope that we won’t realize the worst case. If there is a silver lining it’s that Trump does not seem bound by whatever he has said previously. So perhaps he will see the wisdom or at least self-interest, in investing in non-carbon, U.S.-produced, energy.

“The climate community has a huge challenge ahead, to frame this issue in a way that will resonate with the likely president-elect. It may not be possible but it would be negligent to not even try.”

Read more at ScientificAmerican.com.

 

Other related articles quoting Penn State researchers today include:
— Under President Trump, what will happen to climate policy? – BuzzFeed.com
— Donald Trumps’s climate policies could mean ‘game over’ for the planet: scientists – NYDailyNews.com

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