7rgt is a very compelling case. We could do that less directly but it is pretty easy to understand. To see the campaigns in junior high school. So the political economy at its best is understanding the American People has specific diseases. But we have guessed out very well at talk about the importance. See you have been more involved than any of us. How do we square that circle of the congress that is imperative, results, and measurable now to build over time . That is the question in some ways has been haunting me for several years. I have had quite a bit of time to talk to the bilateral response as well as the global fund to fight those three diseases with considerable debate with the global fund to which they should be supported as opposed to deliver responses to find out why so much more politically attractive with those tax dollars to lead to a specific outcome. I dont think if the conversation will be about a direct Bilateral Program with the nebulous investment and to be persuaded over time. One of them is to change the conversation. The one thing this crisis is the opportunity to think as protection for the world as well as the problems. Because there is an argument people here in the United Statesa that we do want those Public Infrastructure but we want the cdc functioning. Pandemic people forget about the constant drum beat if they overshoots the demand for public action. Can we change that or at least make the argument were safer as the country . So when do we change the of conversation . Kin you make the diagonal argument . With the series of vertical programs competing against horizontal . Key and we invested in the systems as such when we come back it should treat people with hiv, malaria hiv, malaria, effectively. And with every of other fzveavor to ensure the basic policies. But also with another on the shelf. So with that broad based investments, not exactly but that threat but with that executivebranch with the changing of the conversation. That is much harder with the much more difficult case to make. We are near the end. I know this is your plan. [laughter] but i do want to offer anyone here of a chance for concluding thoughts. Anything . I have said plenty. I just urge everyone to follow closely. It is a really important event. Other things happening in the world that are extremely important and sometimes they get more coverage or more attention because theyre easier to understand. This is a very unusual event that is occurring and one of major importance for those who work for the living this is like the invasion for matter requires everyones attention and the maximum amount of cooperation as well. We have to rise to the occasion. Please thank our panel. [applause] i would like to8 f invite gene to come up with final remarks. I will open by saying that i observed from the International Affairs, we have come out of that period that is enhanced by the cold war and to think of international÷ipc affairs as the matter of relations between human beings. With those alliancesx5 between the state from International Affairs. We may be on the brink of the new definition of terrorism and with the relations between all human beings and the challenges that come from Global Climate change, a food and water shortages and infectious diseases. As our panelists observed today, the realities that change may be more honest than the recognition to respond, but i am pleased to say the community in a wider circle have come together today to deal with that issue is no way that the school of Foreign Service is is not equipped. But we appreciate those particular a dan and john to help us think about International Affairs in a way that may be more appropriate for the 21st century and thanks for being so appreciative as an audience. Here at georgetown and the longtime economic adviser i think we are ready to go. We have a connection. Afternoon madam president. Thank you very z for taking the time to be with us here this morning at georgetown. We have people here that are very appreciative of you to take the time to join us today. So first thanks for being with us this morning. Good afternoon. It is a pleasure to be here. We know your time is very short. I said good afternoon but then i corrected myself because we know it is morning. Your time is very sure we want to ask a couple of questions of the status of the Current Situation and where you see things going. Can you give us an update on the current status of your strategy of the weeks ahead to battle the epidemic . The epidemic continues. 13 out of 15 are now workers. 1200500 dead. With Health Care Workers we have four major ebola units serving to be able to move around. We still have a lot of people in the community that has the culture predict position better still in denial if they go to the church for the mosque or is some extraordinary magical way. We still have people that are not ready touche trend. To go local. We are starting to build and benefit in our Community Work to take ownership and expand among them. And we predicted very soon as carry through all of us but nothing is done at this time but the structure is in place to have a strategy. Lm and we have been successful. Over 300 persons have been treated. So we are very glad with the u. S. Responsek5hq to bake a major effort to make a major effort. The cdc using resources and awareness can decline as accelerated. It is the objective to get there. Mentioning theyre ramped up efforts as obama announced a new effort involving three it 3,000 u. S. Troops with beds and field hospitals supplies training so could you tell us about your response to that effort . Is it sufficient you can see that impact on the ground . But through president obama and the United States we already have received supplies. And he has been around it is doing an assessmentjj and participated in the structure we have brigadiergeneral rodriguez coming from germany on friday to discuss how to they can accelerate the efforts. That these being this take time. But they will take time to get that done. But people are dying by the hundreds every day. So when can we get ahead of the acceleration . But given another couple of weeks we should see the major effort to show results better president you also mentioned the difficulties communicating directly 5 to the citizens of liberia around the seriousness of the academic epidemic love of the claim of what it ebola is a and the difficulties of burial practices and other things. What about the communication out and what is necessary to better understand the epidemic . We have to be in the communities. People who can speak the dialect and know the culture it is mistrust so even with the best intentions they dont know. Set the Community Level said teachers and communities the it those are those in addition to the impact of people and affected by ebola itself what about the health care looking for treatment of malaria or tuberculosis or other Ongoing Health problems . We have a Health Care System that was not perfect anyway given the fact of rural areas getting people to foster movement with the clinics but now theyre now fearful their walk off the job and refuse to go back as a result. This means lots of people who dont have ebola are dying. There are those because of less access to the hospitals or schools are closed or non functional. So we have have had some reversals in the gains. Were doing well with malaria. The chance of getting ebola is very high but i must say this has received attention make sure we get the Health Care Facilities functioning again for regular health care and i do believe as a result that with the Liberian HealthCare Services and we look forward to that. Want to ask about the Economic Impact of the crisis. The world take care not what they report the world bank had done calculation is that they predicted how they would be cut in half. That was complete the optimistic in terms of growth and contracting. And know the chinese close their operations in restaurants and hotels are closing down. Activity is way down. What is your sense of the impact . Ha day you see that a ha day you see that a reboundn looking at the operations, a contract of infrastructure infrastructure, we know there is a price increase with the shipping cost with a loss of jobs. And hotels and Entertainment Centers because of general Economic Activity as a reid know what this meansais percapita income, will also fall. But but to address this decline the potential has not ben very high in production. Of the areas that we look at. But we get from the of world bank that many people come into the country that needs of restoration of power for Health Care Workers or even the u. S. Military. So i am glad the secretary is sending a team to work chairman and what measures we could take to stimulate those other sectors. So maybe that the state level but continuing to operate. To not get the vote is there is illness or they have to leave. In the medium and longerterm it is a question to work with us so we can expand production to get the potential. So that partnership that we need and are working together economic reconstruction and recovery. Very good. Last question read have a number of students and under graduates and faculty from around to georgetown speaking directly what could they do or what would you like us to do as a Small Community in washington d. C. . A good case study. Always the academic. [laughter] the you know, where we are today that measures we are taking . To monitor our progress with our assumptions and projections . And to give us a report where the projections were right or wrong. And whod to come up with so follow the case. Let me tell you i am optimistic. I know to be returned sharply. There is the other potential area to make up the gap. So to say to them we will overcome the economy to bounce back. Challenge me. Madam president i think all of us thank you for your optimism coming your tireless efforts in this time and your courageous leadership particularly for this present time is an inspiration to all of us. Thinks for taking the time to meet with us this morning once again. [applause] nebraska only had two democrats to congress in 30 years. The republican first elected in 1988. 2012 he won reelection by 2 . This year he is challenged by a Democratic State senator and here is a look at some of the campaign ads in that race. I am from omaha nebraska i work for Homeless Veterans and signed a contract with United States government we will battle and give our life if necessary. Talk about Homeless Veterans with the veterans secretary you dont hear any other senators name. Thank you to give us the opportunity to serve them. I approve this message. My dad flew a bomber over france on dday and taught me never forget those who serve the nation. My disagreements with our congressman and a personal but congressman terry should down the every and defended his own pay while soldiers from the battlefield and protecting progression when dash congressional perks. I promise to veterans is why i approve this message. Fighting to keep their neighborhoods safe and strong secured agreements to strengthen Community Policing fought for violence against women act. And against him in trafficking to pass the law to start a new fm Radio Station to give a voice to a community. Working hard to keep us safe i approve this message. I am not running for congress under a Political Party but want to make a difference for nebraska. Washington is not 18 easy step. I will work for dade number one to create coalition in congress to set aside partisanship to focus on solving problems. Just like to have done the last 16 years. I approve this message. Working together changing congress. Ive recently discovered sees p. M. Three i did not know that i have and ive loved and i cannot describe it in a few words. Si spee and tries to be non biased and use the republican and independent and democratic lines but the voices are limited i wish you would expanded to more thirdparty people because the desert democrats and republicans are the same and limit them8 m discussions with republican and democrat elected officials and use more independent voice is for discussion. Thank you. Would ever you do, i do not take sees p. M. Three off. It is educational. I listen to it mostly every day. I find out more and more about my government and also bookstand history please do not taken off the air. Why does cspan favor republicans over democrats . If a democrat Say Something about republicans they are cut off. Cspan is not fair. Welcome. They queue for joining us today with a discussion of the tax code an to a subject n the news today q dont know me i amn cq the director for at Economic Policy team here at the center for american progress. We feed there is widespread improvement also fair amount of agreement but to illustrate this we put together a report with their growing consensus to improve the tax code and it highlights possibles was good tax policy and which is substantial concerns that include simplifying talk tax rules and distortions this follows more than 20 years of tax measures reagin divide substantial agreements to cover individuals revision in earned income tax credit. And we list these impacts over the 10 year horizon. Of course, the major differences such as the correct lovell from the marginal incometax rate the territorial clerk and others that and not so obvious however it could be made it typically better if not made to resolve every issue. Were very fortunate to have three distinguished guest and a moderator who will discuss where they believe we can find a consensus. The first panelist is that president of the American Action for with the distinguished career in government and policy work. He served as chief economist president george bush council of economic advisers , the director of omb to sell some three. Chief Economic Policy advisor to senator mccain during his run in 2008 for the presidency. Thanks for joining us today. Nextel would like to welcome the a senior fellow budget policy and also a deputy chief economist and executive director president obama is White House Task force on middleclass and chief economist to joe biden thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. And our moderator who is that the air bridge is to it and current director of the tax policy center. With the Internal Revenue service and the expertise spate of is the tax code. So with that i will turn things over to the panel to let the discussion gets under way. Thanks for the introduction. I am pleased to be here to discuss a topic of tax reform. I was thinking on the way over republicans and democrats to agree on anything even of the things they agree upon. However with this group were not talking about politicians that highlevel politicians or distinguished economist. There are those of all sides of the fence to find the area of agreement with their philosophical disagreements. Slow to start off with the leading question we although the tax system very few people defend it but there is less agreement on what should be done to fix it or what constitutes tax reform. I will start with jerry if he could to define what he thinks is a major problem of the tax code and what are priorities for reform that i will ask douglas same question. I will take about five minutes. Let me start by saying banks for the invitation. I enjoy this piece very much it that it was useful compendium of the loopholes how their work and the cost of forgonyq revenue. However i guess having said that i have a number of concerns that frame my view of what tax reform should look like. First of all, to talk about the reality of tax reform that perhaps the table the growing consensus to improve the tax code is too optimistic. [laughter] a never agree on anything. I am not sure that exist and i hope dugin is right to. He is right. But it is certainly true among the people in general thats there is a growing consensus to clean up the code but it is also wrong of beneficiaries of the Current System and ask yourself this question. Are these beneficiaries to invest serious money are they more powerful or less powerful of . This is the optimistic framing of the question. It is what i am concerned about in answer to eric question i take a lot of what david put forth there are a lot of good ideas. As the report shows a lot of good ideas that are awfully close neighbors to the ideas and the president s budget. From my perspective in and terms of cutting through the garbage of the code is the ada to cap deductions for tax expenditures. That has been there for years and has gotten no the of the may 1 as far as i can tell. So three Percentage Points is nothing to negotiating a solution. Is administration is closer to 40 so certainly my first point there is a growing consensus of those to think intelligently about the problem that seemed to be more powerful than last. Than less. I do taken issue but i will quote from the report. Even as the antitax ideology has revenue the report says to put forth of plan of 1. 4 trillion over two years that is admirable due to constraints but congress could make limited actions to the tax code so they can raise revenue with the expansion of the of legislation but no net effect on revenue door choose satisfied the protection pledge. I disagree. I think even if we can close some loopholes even with those rates lower blocking higher revenue will scale to the needs of the higher revenues of budget sustainability down the road. There is a strong case to be made in order to achieve sustainability, i agree with paul . Man who writes lo