Over the past two years, a narrow Democratic majority in
Washington has accomplished more than many thought possible. The Democrats made a serious commitment to fighting climate change, restored industrial manufacturing policy, invested in physical infrastructure and the infrastructure of government, began to take on concentrated corporate power, and a whole lot more.
For a lot of media outlets the story ends there. Legislation gets passed, presidential directives get announced, and that’s the end of it.
But at the Prospect, we know this is when the real work begins.
That's why we devoted our latest print magazine to reporting on how the Biden administration is implementing its agenda and when policy is made concrete. Lobbyists often call implementation halftime; once laws are signed and everyone looks away, they spend their time watering down rules and hobbling the impact. We’re paying attention to the second half.
We’re publishing our first story in this series today from staff writer Lee Harris, a fascinating piece about a core problem with the administration’s
energy investments: many still require up-front financing that small cities or individual homeowners simply don’t have. In Ithaca, New York, city leaders turned to a green private equity fund that calls itself an “energy-as-a-service” provider, and a Wall Street entrepreneur backed by a philanthropic foundation and Goldman Sachs.
What they’re pitching is complicated, but the bottom line is the same: instead of government funding the green transition, for-profit private firms will do so in untested deals that could put cities and residents at a disadvantage.
It’s the perfect kickoff to this series, which
goes beyond the celebrations and press releases and explores how laws are shaped, and who wields power to shape them. By illuminating this undercovered subject, we hope to upend the one-sided dynamic where the only people watching the implementation game are industry insiders.
It’s thanks to
readers like you that our newsroom has the resources to do this. You can help support this work by becoming a member today. All of the reader support we receive funds our editorial mission: illuminating stories about ideas, politics and power.
If you’re already a member, THANK YOU!
We can’t undertake reporting like this without you. And if we don’t do it, there aren’t many other places that will. Become a member today >>
The American Prospect, Inc.
1225 I Street NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC xxxxxx
United States Copyright (c) 2022 The American Prospect. All rights reserved.
To opt out of American Prospect membership messaging, click here.
To manage your newsletter preferences, click here.
To unsubscribe from all American Prospect emails, including newsletters, click here.
