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2. International Volunteering: Smart Power
- Author:
- Lex Rieffel and Sarah Zalud
- Publication Date:
- 06-2006
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- The face of America that has been welcomed most enthusiastically in the rest of the world for decades has been the face of a volunteer: assisting with disaster relief, building houses for poor families, teaching English to university students, and so much more.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Education, and Humanitarian Aid
- Political Geography:
- United States
3. Pragmatic Reform of Global Governance: Creating an L20 Summit Forum
- Author:
- Johannes F. Linn and Colin I. Bradford Jr.
- Publication Date:
- 04-2006
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- The global challenges confronting political leaders today—whether the stalemate of global trade negotiations, the threat of Avian flu, the struggle over Iran going nuclear, or the fight against global poverty—cannot be solved by yesterday's institutions. They demand new approaches to global governance that are more inclusive, more representative, and thus more effective. The G8 summit, in particular, is a forum of the eight industrialized countries that were the dominant powers of the mid-twentieth century. By excluding the emerging powers of the twenty-first century, it has become increasingly ineffective, unrepresentative and illegitimate. U.S. global interests are best served by increasing the inclusiveness and effectiveness of the global steering process rather than sticking with the obsolete, overly formalized and unrepresentative G8.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Development, Politics, and Treaties and Agreements
- Political Geography:
- United States
4. Building Automatic Solvency into U.S. Social Security: Insights from Sweden and Germany
- Author:
- James C. Capretta
- Publication Date:
- 03-2006
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- Although Social Security reform appears to be off of the national agenda for now, real funding problems remain for America's popular retirement program that policymakers need to address. The payroll taxes that support Social Security's “pay–as-you-go” system will begin to fall short of outlays in 2017 and will be sufficient to finance only 74 percent of scheduled annual benefits by 2041, when the Social Security trust fund is projected to be exhausted.
- Topic:
- International Relations and Economics
- Political Geography:
- United States, Europe, Germany, and Sweden
5. Can the U.S. Government Live Within Its Means? Lessons from Abroad
- Author:
- Allen Schick
- Publication Date:
- 06-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- When George W. Bush leaves office in 2009, the federal government will owe at least $15,000 more for every American than it did when he became president eight years earlier. This unprecedented build-up of public debt will result from budget deficits projected to average more than $250 billion a year during the Bush presidency, plus more than one trillion dollars borrowed from social security trust funds. Although this budget projection may be high, there is far greater risk that actual deficits will exceed current estimates than that they will be lower.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Economics, and Government
- Political Geography:
- United States
6. Encouraging Job Advancement Among Low-Wage Workers: A New Approach
- Author:
- Harry J. Holzer
- Publication Date:
- 05-2004
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- While their employment rates have risen considerably, most former welfare recipients continue to earn very low wages. Similarly, the earnings of less-educated U.S. workers more broadly have also stagnated or fallen in recent years. Using a new dataset from the Census Bureau, some recent research suggests that low earners' advancement prospects are closely tied to the characteristics of the employers for whom they work. Employment in certain high-wage sectors and especially at firms that pay wage premiums and offer career ladders is strongly correlated with earnings gains over time for initially low earners. Job mobility often results in higher earnings gains than does staying in the same job. "Work first" approaches—such as immediate job placement for those on welfare—produce modest gains over time, while early work at a higher-wage employer or with a temp agency generates larger gains. Policymakers should therefore encourage better job placements for low earners as well as targeted training that is integrated with these placements. Policies to support the creation of more higher-wage jobs for the unskilled should be considered as well. Private labor market intermediaries can play important roles in both processes.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, Government, and Political Economy
- Political Geography:
- United States
7. Global Economic Governance at a Crossroads: Replacing the G-7 with the G-20
- Author:
- Johannes F. Linn and Colin I. Jr. Bradford
- Publication Date:
- 04-2004
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- Finance ministers representing the Group of 7 (G-7) industrialized countries met in Boca Raton, Florida, in early February amid concerns about the weakening of the U.S. dollar. One factor in the dollar's decline is the U.S. trade deficit, which is partly due to the undervalued Chinese yuan. The involvement of China, which is not a G-7 member, illustrates both the glaring gap in global governance and the increasing economic and policy interdependence between industrial countries and major emerging market economies (EMEs). As one observer, referring to the Boca Raton meeting, put it, "China is the 800-pound gorilla and it isn't even part of the negotiations."
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, Government, and Political Economy
- Political Geography:
- United States and China
8. The Uncertain Future of the Telecommunications Industry
- Author:
- Robert E. Litan and Roger G. Noll
- Publication Date:
- 01-2004
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- The U.S. telecommunications industry is riding a roller coaster. For most of the 1990s, the industry's future looked promising. The growth of Internet use, the promise of a broadband network, and a less restrictive regulatory environment that was expected following passage of the 1996 Telecommunications Act led industry experts to forecast rapidly growing demand for core network services along with high-margin business opportunities in an expanding array of new information services. The industry backed these expectations with massive investments to expand the capacity of both wireless and wire line networks as well as to facilitate the expected boom in high-speed data transmission.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, Government, and Political Economy
- Political Geography:
- United States
9. Building Intelligence to Fight Terrorism
- Author:
- James B. Steinberg, Mary Graham, and Andrew Eggers
- Publication Date:
- 09-2003
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- The Bush administration has begun to revise cold war rules governing national security information in order to counter terrorist threats to the United States. The president's homeland security plan calls for new intelligence efforts to protect the nation's borders, defend against threats within the United States, minimize infrastructure vulnerabilities, and improve emergency responses. Congress has given the new Department of Homeland Security responsibility for coordinating these strategies and assuring that accurate and complete information gets to those who need it.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, and Government
- Political Geography:
- United States
10. Permanent Normal Trade Relations for China
- Author:
- Nicholas R. Lardy
- Publication Date:
- 05-2000
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Brookings Institution
- Abstract:
- In what has been described as its most important vote this year, the U.S. Congress will soon decide whether to provide permanent normal trade relations to China. A vote is required because, after 14 years of negotiations, China is poised to enter the World Trade Organization (WTO). Assuming China concludes its bilateral negotiations with the European Union by June or July, entry is likely before the end of the year. The cornerstone principle of the World Trade Organization is that members provide each other unconditional Most Favored Nation trade status, now called Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) in U.S. trade law. Current U.S. law precludes granting PNTR to China; as a result President Clinton has asked Congress to amend the law. A negative vote would have no bearing on China's entry into the World Trade Organization, but it would mean that U.S. companies would not benefit from the most important commitments China has made to become a member. Gaining the full range of benefits is particularly important in light of the large and growing deficit the United States faces in its trade with China (Figure 1). A positive vote would give U.S. companies the same advantages that would accrue to companies from Europe, Japan, and all other WTO member states when China enters the World Trade Organization. It would also provide an important boost to China's leadership, that is taking significant economic and political risks in order to meet the demands of the international community for substantial additional economic reforms as a condition for its WTO membership. A positive vote would strengthen bilateral economic relations more generally. That may help place a floor on the broader bilateral relationship, which continues to face critical challenges on security issues, stemming largely from tensions between China and Taiwan, and on human rights issues.
- Topic:
- International Relations and International Trade and Finance
- Political Geography:
- United States, China, Europe, and Asia