To begin the third day of Honors College, we visited the Eisenhower Executive Office Building to meet with the National Security Council (NSC). Described by our de-facto tour guide and CDDRL alumna Ali Cohen, ‘23, as “the most powerful floor in the world,” the NSC serves as the President’s primary forum for coordinating national security and foreign policy with senior advisors and cabinet members. What makes the NSC unique is its cross-agency role, collaborating with departments like Defense, Commerce, and intelligence agencies to address global challenges and crises.

During our visit, we met with key staff, including Tarun Chhabra, ‘02, Senior Director for Technology and National Security; Ben Buchanan, Special Advisor to the President on AI; and Kelly Razzouk, Senior Director for Democracy and Human Rights. Our discussions focused heavily on emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, and their growing influence on U.S. national security. Specifically, we explored the NSC’s role in balancing the risks of unchecked AI development with the dangers of falling behind global competitors like China.

I found it very interesting to hear about how the NSC’s structure, designed to address immediate security concerns through interagency coordination, both facilitates and limits its ability to tackle long-term threats like AI risk. On the one hand, its capacity for rapid crisis response ensures that urgent technological developments are addressed swiftly, but on the other hand, the short-term focus and bureaucratic complexity also hinder the strategic foresight needed to fully mitigate the slow-burning risks associated with AI. Overall, the visit deepened my appreciation for the U.S. government’s role in both developing transformative technologies and collaborating with private firms to navigate regulatory challenges.

As we left the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, we all felt grateful for the opportunity to meet with such extraordinary individuals who are dedicated to making the world a freer and safer place. On our way out, we spotted Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre enjoying a cup of coffee by the West Wing. It was a powerful reminder that the figures shaping the nation were just steps away.

~ Charlie Sheiner
 

Our group next had the privilege of engaging with a team of three brilliant and witty women at the Brookings Institution. Molly Reynolds (Senior Fellow, Governance Studies), Vanessa Williamson (Senior Fellow, Governance Studies; Senior Fellow, Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center), and Elaine Kamarck (Founding Director, Center for Effective Public Management; Senior Fellow, Governance Studies) brought expertise on the mechanics of Congress, tax policy, and elections. Molly, for instance, focuses on efforts within the House to improve its functionality, ranging from increasing staff pay to enhancing technological infrastructure. She also provided a glimpse into the book writing process and managing one’s professional voice. Vanessa, who specializes in tax policy, uses this expertise to advocate ideas like registering voters during tax filings. Her work will also be instrumental in upcoming Congressional debates around tax cuts. Elaine, who transitioned to Brookings after teaching at Harvard, now delves into election dynamics, with a particular focus on primaries. She also provided valuable insights into the regulatory landscape, explaining the significance of distinctions between federal and self-imposed agency regulations, offering a clear picture of the challenges governing bodies face. Additionally, Elaine plays a key role as an editor for Brookings’ FixGov blog, which you could check out for sensible solutions to pressing political challenges.

What stood out most during these conversations was the way Brookings maintains its scholarly independence while still contributing meaningfully to legislative debates. These women helped us understand the rigorous research process behind the policies they analyze, highlighting the integrity required to navigate complex political environments. Despite their institutional independence, they maintain a strong commitment to nonpartisanship and objective analysis. This includes safeguards like refraining from directly supporting specific policies on the House floor. This approach allows them to effectively balance representing themselves as individuals with their roles at Brookings, ensuring that their research desk remains unbiased.

Reflecting on the experience, I was reminded of the broader significance of institutions like Brookings. They are not merely research hubs; they directly shape policies and the way we understand them. Our discussions extended beyond policy mechanics into broader themes, including the partisan divide. We explored why extremism is often indulged in legislative activities and why there are unequal incentives to compromise. With these intersectional issues in mind, Brookings stands as a bridge between policymakers and scholars, fostering dialogue across political divisions and prioritizing long-term, data-driven solutions over short-term political victories. I left with a deepened appreciation for the power of research in policy development and the necessity of fostering spaces that encourage meaningful, informed discussion.

One of the most rewarding aspects of the visit was the sense of community I felt with my cohort. Half the joy of our time at Brookings came from witnessing the excitement and inspiration sparked within my peers during our conversations with these remarkable scholars. Their clear passion for their work brought an energy of openness and support, and their astute and dynamic observations led many of us to the Brookings internships page as we walked out the door.

~ Grace Geier

We rounded out Day 3 with a visit to the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES). There, we met with Chelsea Dreher, a Senior Researcher and Anti-Corruption Officer; Will Hensely, the Government Affairs and Advocacy Advisor; Katherine Ellena, the Vice President for Programs; and Jean Schindler, the Chief of Staff. IFES is appropriately located across the river in Arlington, where the buildings are taller, and the endless political drama of D.C. is just a little more distant. Their mission is simple: democracies require free and fair elections. Running free and fair elections is hard. IFES exists to help.

Living in a place like the U.S., with a long history of free elections and a well-established electoral apparatus, it can be easy to underestimate the scope and scale of the effort required to make democracy work. There are the tangibles: tens to hundreds of thousands of poll workers, the distribution and collection of ballots, and the necessary infrastructure to make said ballots accessible to all. There are also the intangibles: a culture of civic engagement, a legal system able to fairly litigate election outcomes, and so on. IFES, we learned, tackles these problems around the world, from workshops and resources to help get young people engaged in civic life to research on the abuse of state resources in elections.

Our conversation was at once sobering and inspiring. On the one hand, the reality of our present democratic recession hung over the conversation: the support of democratic elections requires, ultimately, the presence of democracy. Venezuela and Afghanistan both came up in our conversation: IFES has past programming in both countries but currently operates in neither.

Even so, it was heartening to meet hardworking people dedicated to supporting democracy across the globe and to hear about their operations in the many places still moving towards greater fulfillment of the democratic ideal. IFES receives most of its funding from the U.S. Government through USAID. I’ll pay my taxes a little less wearily this year, knowing that some of those dollars are going to ensure that when someone around the world wants to make their democratic elections fairer, more secure, or more inclusive, IFES is there to help.

~ Seamus Allen