Research Library

As U.S. democratic principles are being challenged, The Carter Center and Baker Institute for Public Policy have proposed guiding principles to ensure elections are conducted in ways that give Americans greater confidence in their outcomes. This episode explores American elections and how a set of commonsense principles can promote access, security, and confidence.

Health care costs in the U.S. have climbed dramatically in recent decades. Elevated prescription and premium prices have left more Americans at risk of being unable to afford basic health care services. Our experts discuss key factors leading to medical unaffordability and steps policymakers must take to address the issue.

Global leaders met in Dubai this month for the 28th annual United Nations Conference of the Parties on climate change — known as COP28. In the lead-up to the conference, our expert panel broke down the key political and policy issues at play. 

In July, the Chinese government announced that its foreign minister, Qin Gang, had been removed from office and replaced by his predecessor, Wang Yi. Fellows Joe Barnes and Steven W. Lewis discuss what the move reveals — and what it could mean for U.S.-China relations — on this episode of Baker Briefing.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is facing a historic impeachment trial in the state Senate. Fellows Mark Jones and Ed Emmett unpack the issues and make predictions regarding the trial in this episode of Baker Briefing.

This week, the White House announced a new initiative to tackle the growing use of fentanyl laced with xylazine — known to many as "tranq." This combination of drugs poses an alarming and significant threat to public health.

Latin America represents the largest energy resource base outside of the Middle East. The region’s vast energy resources — including significant crude oil and natural gas resources — and its unique political landscape make Latin America a significant player that could shift the geopolitical weight from the East to the West.  

On February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his war against Ukraine, leaving in its wake 18,000 civilian casualties and eight million people who fled the country. Ambassador John F. Tefft, former Ambassador to Russia (2014-2017) and Ambassador David M. Satterfield, director of the Baker Institute, reflect on the events that have transpired in the past year and what the future might hold for the Russia-Ukraine war.

March 10 marked the deadline for filing bills in the 2023 Texas legislative session. Now, Texas state lawmakers are gearing up to discuss property taxes, school safety and other issues that have emerged as high-priorities for the House and Senate. Here, we discuss what bills are expected to cause friction and what else to look for in the current session.

In March 2023, four U.S. citizens were kidnapped at gunpoint in northern Mexico; two were found dead and two others were rescued following a manhunt. The incident quickly became an international crisis and renewed U.S. focus on violence south of the border. This conversation explores the binational relationship between the U.S. and Mexico and growing tensions regarding Mexico’s approach to clamping down on violence and crime.