April
April 30, 2009
Idea of the Day: Help Vulnerable Countries Adapt to Global Warming
As the world’s largest historic emitter of greenhouse gases—and with one of the highest levels of per capita emissions—the United States has a responsibility to help the least developed countries face the threats brought on by global warming.
April 29, 2009
Idea of the Day: Benefits of Comparative Effectiveness Research
Comparative effectiveness research is under attack as a new way to limit access to the best health care. Nothing could be further from the truth—in fact, it’s the exact opposite.
April 28, 2009
Idea of the Day: Responding to Swine Flu
Public health became a national security concern in the aftermath of the 2001 anthrax attacks. But this emerging swine flu epidemic poses a more significant and more likely threat to the United States and the region. It will be important to act aggressively and sensibly, deepen national and international relationships and trust, learn valuable lessons, and continue to make prudent investments to improve public health capabilities across the country and around the world.
April 27, 2009
Idea of the Day: Improving the Employer Market for Health Care
Health care reform means reducing the crushing burden of rising health care costs on America’s families, businesses, and governments at all levels, while ensuring that everyone has reliable, meaningful, affordable health coverage. Likewise, this kind of reform must assure access to affordable, meaningful coverage for all workers who obtain health coverage through their employer, which in some circumstances may be outside of the national insurance exchange.
April 24, 2009
Idea of the Day: Seize the Energy Opportunity or Slip Further Behind
There is no reason why the United States shouldn’t lead the world in renewable energy.
April 23, 2009
Idea of the Day: Rebuilding Household Wealth
During the financial and economic crisis of 2007 and 2008, families saw their wealth disappear faster than ever before. The sharp losses following the sharp declines in the housing and stock market require action.
April 22, 2009
Idea of the Day: Investing in Renewable Energy in Mexico
The United States needs to explore ways to make investing in alternative energy projects in Mexico more economically viable and profitable, including possible subsidies and tax breaks for companies looking to invest in alternative energy both within the United States and abroad.
April 21, 2009
Idea of the Day: Link Trade and Development in Mexico
There are a number of steps the United States, Canada, and Mexico can take to improve trade and promote development in Mexico.
April 20, 2009
Idea of the Day: Reduce Arms Trafficking to Mexico
The United States needs to define a comprehensive strategy aimed at disrupting the traffic of arms to Mexico.
April 17, 2009
Idea of the Day: Rule of Law and Judicial Reform in Mexico
The Obama administration should work toward reaching an agreement with its Mexican counterparts to establish an annual binational review panel to assess progress in meeting the objectives of both countries in areas of reducing organized crime violence, strengthening judicial and law enforcement cooperation, and reducing demand for illegal drugs in both countries.
April 16, 2009
Idea of the Day: Defining the Energy Partnership with the Americas
President Barack Obama wants to promote an “Energy Partnership for the Americas.” Establishing exactly what that means and how The Obama administration intends to pursue the partnership is something the president should avidly pursue at the upcoming summit.
April 15, 2009
Idea of the Day: Balance Evaluation and Innovation for the ACIF
The $2.5 billion Access and Completion Incentive Fund, or ACIF—proposed in President Barack Obama's fiscal year 2010 budget and intended to help working adults with education—needs to evaluate whether its grants are worth it to taxpayers, recognizing that its innovation will inevitably involve some failures.
April 14, 2009
Idea of the Day: An Open, Transparent Market in Toxic Assets
To make PPIP work at its best will require a fast-moving, highly efficient market that restores confidence in the valuation of toxic assets. This won’t happen if the private participants—the investors—are each acting independently without the benefit of an open, transparent market.
April 13, 2009
Idea of the Day: A Competitive Grant Process for the Access and Completion Incentive Fund
The Access and Completion Incentive Fund is intended to promote an environment of educational innovation on college campuses so that low-income working adults can get the education they need during the times they can attend classes.
April 10, 2009
Idea of the Day: Clean Up the Toxic Asset Mess
Principles for helping the Treasury Department's Public-Private Investment Program get the job done.
April 9, 2009
Idea of the Day: "Dig Once" for Smart Infrastructure
Common sense ideas can guide all agencies and programs to work together to build smart infrastructure. One of these ideas is to only “dig once," and the best time to build the smart infrastructure is when a construction crew is already on site.
April 8, 2009
Idea of the Day: Anchor Tenants for Broadband Networks
When developing a shopping mall, the key first step is to sign up “anchor tenants,” the large stores such as Macy’s or Sears that anchor a mall, with space for the smaller stores to fill in afterwards. The same principle applies to broadband networks and smart infrastructure projects.
April 7, 2009
Idea of the Day: A Regional Strategy for Drug Wars in the Americas
The U.S.-Mexico border security strategy—and even the wider Merida Initiative—is only a first step in making the U.S. counternarcotics strategy more effective in reducing devastating levels of drug-related violence and corruption in Latin America and the Caribbean.
April 6, 2009
Idea of the Day: Economic Commitment to Afghanistan
From 2002 through the first half of fiscal year 2009, which ends in September, the United States has committed a little over $170 billion dollars to the effort in Afghanistan. But only 7 percent of these funds were committed to foreign aid and diplomatic operations, with the remaining 93 percent allotted to Department of Defense operations. This imbalance must be corrected.
April 3, 2009
Idea of the Day: Smart Grid Physical Security and Cybersecurity
Fortifying the nation’s electricity grid against physical or cyberattacks should be factored into the design of any national clean-energy smart grid. Hardening the grid to attack by terrorist groups should be a top priority and prime justification for additional investments.
April 2, 2009
Idea of the Day: Assuring Low-Carbon Outcomes on a Clean-Energy Smart Grid
Without some provisions to ensure that clean-energy development will be the result of new power transmission, large new investment in transmission by relieving bottlenecks in traditional power generation could as a result actually increase carbon emissions.
April 1, 2009