Last Tuesday Prof. Michael Doonan Ph.D. '02 (Heller) offered an analysis of the recent elections in a presentation titled "Election 2012: The President, Congress and Social Policy Implications" at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management.

The event was part of the Tuesday Talks series in which Heller faculty members and researchers offer presentations on select Tuesdays, as described on the Heller website.

Doonan began by asking the audience for types of public policy they saw in the presidential election race. Responses included tax equity, jobs, higher education, health care and immigration. Doonan then stated that though President Barack Obama had clearly stated that he would raise taxes for the rich, he did not have a specific mandate for these other public policy issues.

Because of the distribution of power between government branches and other factors such as "weak," almost "parliamentary" political parties and the effects of the Tea Party, "it's really hard to pass public policy; the bar's really high to get something passed," Doonan said. Parties today have less overlap where they can make deals than they have had in the past, he continued.

Doonan noted the importance of states in setting precedence for federal policymaking. He cited two examples: Massachusetts' health care reform law, which in turn shaped the federally-enacted Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and New York's requirement that fast food restaurants post nutritional information, which is influencing national regulations.

With respect to Gov. Mitt Romney's loss in the presidential race, Doonan pointed to Republican candidates such as Rep. Todd Akin of Missouri, whose remarks about "legitimate rape" helped contribute to a 20 percent gender gap in voting, with more women voting for Obama and more men for Romney. A tough primary race in which Republican presidential primary candidate Newt Gingrich had "already slandered" Romney, "kept [Romney] on the right wing" and opened the door for further criticism from the Democratic party, Doonan continued.

The election was also notable for its use of social media, said Doonan, which "might be an avenue to have people matter even more." However, despite the "need to have a sophisticated media policy," the people-to-people and door-to-door component of campaigning, demonstrated by Obama's campaign, is important for close races, he continued.

Doonan is the director of the Masters of Public Policy program, the executive director of the Massachusetts Health Policy Forum and director of the Council for Health Care Economics and Policy. He has also previously served as a member of President Bill Clinton's Health Care Task Force and as a legislative aide for Senator John Kerry.