Turnout Spikes Among Democrats and Republicans, Designing a Public Option, and More

Germany's future and foreign policy concerns, how to formulate a publicly operated health insurance plan, and trends from the 2020 election.

View in browser May 10, 2021 Looking at turnout spikes among both Democratic and Republican voting groups   Nearly 67% of eligible voters cast ballots in the 2020 U.S. election, the biggest turnout in a presidential election since 1992 and more than five points higher than the 2016 election. Using new census data, William Frey digs into key voting trends from last fall and explains what they could reveal about future elections in America.   Read more Designing a public option that would reduce health care provider prices   As Congress considers policy changes aimed at expanding coverage and reducing overall health care spending, that debate may include proposals to create a public option. Matthew Fiedler considers how a publicly operated health insurance plan would need to be designed to pay providers substantially less than private plans while still eliciting provider participation.   Read more Hello, Berlin? Germany's future raises foreign policy concerns for allies   "Elections are generally not fought, or won, on foreign policy. But German voters would do well to remember that their country's wealth and power depends on the stability and security of its neighborhood. Maybe it is time to pay attention, and get a little worried," warns Constanze Stelzenmüller.   Read more Help support Brookings with a donation   Brookings is committed to making its high-quality, independent policy research free to the public. Please consider making a contribution today to our Annual Fund to support our experts' work. The conclusions and recommendations of any Brookings publication are solely those of its author(s), and do not reflect the views of the Institution, its management, or its other scholars. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Brookings Institution campus in Washington, D.C. is currently closed and all events are virtual only. For more information on the Institution's response, read our full guidance here. The Brookings Institution, 1775 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036 Unsubscribe Manage your newsletter preferences | Receive the Brookings Brief less often