In The News
Insight from Mike Firestone, Chief of Policy and Strategic Planning, office of Mayor Michelle Wu, City of Boston
In your opinion, what are one or two key elements of strong policy writing? My preference is for a succinct, two page (or so) memo that focuses on the key recommendations or decisions needed, including a very clear statement as to why the policy is needed...
Memo From: DNC To: JFK Campaign-coordinators, "Remain alert to public's various attitudes towards 'Religion Issues.'" Date: Oct. 1960
Memo reviewed by Eugenia Soiles, HKS MPA/MC This very short memo addresses a critical problem for Democrats in the 1960 campaign. James Wine, the author of the memo, begins with the bottom line upfront (BLUF) by describing that attitudes around religion...
Memos Show Roots of Trump's Focus on Jan. 6 and Alternate Electors, New York Times, 2/2/22
Memos Show Roots of Trump’s Focus on Jan. 6 and Alternate Electors By Alan Feuer, Maggie Haberman and Luke Broadwater Feb. 2, 2022 Just over two weeks after Election Day, lawyers working with the Trump campaign set out a rationale for creating alternate...
Insight from Dan Koh, Chief of Staff, U.S. Department of Labor
In your opinion, what are one or two key elements of strong policy writing? The ability to clearly distill (in one page or less) the question at hand and the current debate or consensus on the issue. Using concise bullets with bolded key passages allows a...
Hidden Pentagon Records Reveal Patterns of Failure in Deadly Airstrikes, New York Times
Hidden Pentagon Records Reveal Patterns of Failure in Deadly Airstrikes The promise was a war waged by all-seeing drones and precision bombs. The documents show flawed intelligence, faulty targeting, years of civilian deaths — and scant accountability.
The New York Times 10/2/21 "Whistle-Blower to Accuse Facebook of Contributing to Jan. 6 Riot, Memo Says
Whistle-Blower to Accuse Facebook of Contributing to Jan. 6 Riot, Memo Says In an internal memo meant to pre-empt a “60 Minutes” interview, Facebook defended itself and said that social media was not a primary cause of polarization. Nick Clegg, Facebook’s...
CNN 9/27/21 Memos from Milley Show Timeline of Communications Between Trump's Defense Department and Chinese Officials
(Sarahbeth Maney/The New York Times/Pool/AP) Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley submitted two unclassified memos to the Senate Armed Services Committee regarding phone calls he had with his Chinese counterpart during the final months...
CNN, 9/21/21 "Trump lawyer's memo on six-step plan for Pence to overturn the election"
(CNN) John Eastman, a conservative lawyer working with then-President Donald Trump's legal team, outlined in a two-page memo a scheme to try to persuade then-Vice President Mike Pence to subvert the Constitution and throw out the 2020 election results on...
"New York Times" Opinion Guest Essay: "Donald Rumsfeld's Fog of Memos" by Errol Morris
By Errol Morris Mr. Morris is the director of a 2013 film about Donald Rumsfeld, “The Unknown Known.” Trying to understand another human being is often a dismal task. And if not dismal, thankless. What am I supposed to do? Disapprove of Donald Rumsfeld...
"Removing Barriers to Mental Health Services in Ohio" a Memo from The Buckeye Institute
Memo reviewed by Daniel Estupiñan, HKS MPP, Amy Mahler, HKS MPA/MC, and Katie Wesdyk, HKS MPP The Buckeye Institute provided a memo recommending the removal of barriers to mental health services in Ohio. A case is made to recognize out-of-state...
1/16/21 Miami Herald - Trump adds Cuba back to list of states sponsoring terrorism in final move against island
Miami Herald Trump adds Cuba back to list of states sponsoring terrorism in final move against island BY NORA GÁMEZ TORRES AND MICHAEL WILNER In June 2017, President Trump signed a memorandum outlining his Cuba policy at the Manuel Artime Theater in Miami...
1/12/21 Bloomberg Law - Trump's Executive Orders on Immigration Could be Tough to Undo
1/20/2021 Trump’s Executive Orders on Immigration Could be Tough to Undo Advocates for immigrants with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, rally in front of the U.S. Supreme Court June 15, 2020.Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Daily...