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Archive for the ‘think tanks’ Category

U.S. Overseas Military Presence: What Are the Strategic Choices?

September 17, 2012 Comments off

U.S. Overseas Military Presence: What Are the Strategic Choices?

Source: RAND Corporation

Since World War II, the United States has relied on a global network of military bases and forces to protect its interests and those of its allies. But the international environment has changed greatly over the decades, and economic concerns have risen, leading some to debate just what America’s role should now be in the world. This monograph addresses one aspect of this debate by introducing a new analytical approach to defining future U.S. military presence overseas. It does so by first considering U.S. global security interests, then focusing on specific threats to them in East Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. With that, the researchers designed a menu of global postures based on different strategic perspectives. They evaluated the global postures in terms of their operational performance and then compared them in terms of their associated U.S. Air Force bases, combat forces, active-duty personnel, and base operating costs. These analyses offer insights on the critical strategic choices that policymakers need to address and that the public needs to debate as they consider future overseas U.S. military presence. Among these choices are for the United States to depend more on its allies, rely more on U.S. based military forces, focus its presence more on East Asia or on the Middle East, or retain its current overseas presence in the face of expanding threats. Those involved in debates on the future global U.S. posture will need to make explicit their implicit underlying perspectives on what role overseas military presence can play in achieving U.S. global security interests.

Africa Learning Barometer

September 17, 2012 Comments off

Africa Learning Barometer

Source: Brookings Institution

The Africa Learning Barometer is an interactive feature that analyzes the state of education and learning in sub-Saharan Africa through four indicators: school enrollment, school completion, quality of education and education inequality. The Barometer is a collaboration between the Brookings Center for Universal Education and This Is Africa, a publication of the Financial Times.

Measuring the Costs of the Canada-US Border

September 14, 2012 Comments off

Measuring the Costs of the Canada-US Border

Source: Fraser Institute

Key findings

+ After ten years of post-9/11 border innovations, the costs associated with border crossing have not significantly decreased while government spending on border security has markedly increased. In order to develop performance-based and cost-effective border management policies, an outline of costs associated with the border is required.

+ After adding up the lowest values from the estimated ranges for all three types of costs (trade, tourism/travel, and government programs), we find an annual cost of C$19.1 billion in 2010 or nearly 1.5% of Canada’s GDP.

+ Canadian and American governments should provide detailed descriptions of costs and expenditures for specific border programs and new security measures. Furthermore, these costs/expenditures must be linked to expected outcomes and timelines. "Costs and Results" based evaluations should be undertaken on a year-to-year basis, and subsequently made public.

+ In December 2011, the governments of Canada and the United States issued a joint declaration called Beyond the Border: A Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness. While the vision provides specific benchmarks and timelines for measuring progress, it does not tie these guidelines to government expenditures, or reductions in border crossing costs. Either we will continue with incremental and uncoordinated programs, creating some improvements but not lowering the overall cost of the border, or we will begin to create a new border regime.

Measuring Labour Markets in Canada and the United States: 2012 Edition

September 13, 2012 Comments off

Measuring Labour Markets in Canada and the United States: 2012 Edition

Source: Fraser Institute

This study measures the labour market performance of Canadian provinces and US states from 2007 to 2011 based on five equally weighted indicators: average total employment growth, average private-sector employment growth, average unemployment rates, average duration of unemployment, and average labour productivity.

When Patients Don’t Take Their Medicine: What Role Do Doctors Play in Promoting Prescription Adherence?

September 12, 2012 Comments off

When Patients Don’t Take Their Medicine: What Role Do Doctors Play in Promoting Prescription Adherence?

Source: RAND Corporation

Analyses indicated that although physicians uniformly felt responsible for assessing and promoting adherence to prescriptions, only a minority of them asked detailed questions about adherence.

Plan Participation in Health Insurance Exchanges: Implications for Competition and Choice

September 11, 2012 Comments off

Plan Participation in Health Insurance Exchanges: Implications for Competition and Choice

Source: Urban Institute

This brief examines the conditions under which competition in health insurance exchanges is likely to be effective in placing downward pressure on insurance premiums. We conclude that areas with a single dominant insurer or a dominant hospital system are less likely to experience effective competition. In markets in which there are several insurers with significant market share and no dominant hospital system, the result could be limited or tiered network products that could successfully constrain the cost of premiums. Participation of existing Medicaid plans may also increase effective competition in health insurance exchanges.

Latino Immigrant Entrepreneurs: How to Capitalize on Their Economic Potential

September 11, 2012 Comments off

Latino Immigrant Entrepreneurs: How to Capitalize on Their Economic Potential

Source: Council on Foreign Relations

Latino immigrant entrepreneurs are making important yet largely overlooked contributions to the U.S. economy. With expanding Latino markets at home and abroad, their economic impact is set to grow. But roadblocks stand in the way. Policy changes–including visa reform, improving access to credit, and a more ambitious trade agenda with Latin American countries–would help the United States unlock the full potential of its Latino immigrant entrepreneurs.

The U.S. Drug Policy Landscape; Insights and Opportunities for Improving the View

September 6, 2012 Comments off

The U.S. Drug Policy Landscape; Insights and Opportunities for Improving the View

Source: RAND Corporation

Discussions about reducing the harms associated with drug use and antidrug policies are often politicized, infused with questionable data, and unproductive. This paper provides a nonpartisan primer that should be of interest to those who are new to the field of drug policy, as well as those who have been working in the trenches. It begins with an overview of problems and policies related to illegal drugs in the United States, including the nonmedical use of prescription drugs. It then discusses the efficacy of U.S. drug policies and programs, including long-standing issues that deserve additional attention. Next, the paper lists the major funders of research and analysis in the area and describes their priorities. By highlighting the issues that receive most of the funding, this discussion identifies where gaps remain. Comparing these needs, old and new, to the current funding patterns suggests eight opportunities to improve understanding of drug problems and drug policies in the United States: (1) sponsor young scholars and strengthen the infrastructure of the field, (2) accelerate the diffusion of good ideas and reliable information to decisionmakers, (3) replicate and evaluate cutting-edge programs in an expedited fashion, (4) support nonpartisan research on marijuana policy, (5) investigate ways to reduce drug-related violence in Mexico and Central America, (6) improve understanding of the markets for diverted pharmaceuticals, (7) help build and sustain comprehensive community prevention efforts, and (8) develop more sensible sentencing policies that reduce the excessive levels of incarceration for drug offenses and address the extreme racial disparities. The document offers some specific suggestions for researchers and potential research funders in each of the eight areas.

Big Data for Education: Data Mining, Data Analytics, and Web Dashboards

September 4, 2012 Comments off

Big Data for Education: Data Mining, Data Analytics, and Web Dashboards

Source: Brookings Institution

In this report, I examine the potential for improved research, evaluation, and accountability through data mining, data analytics, and web dashboards. So-called “big data” make it possible to mine learning information for insights regarding student performance and learning approaches. Rather than rely on periodic test performance, instructors can analyze what students know and what techniques are most effective for each pupil. By focusing on data analytics, teachers can study learning in far more nuanced ways. Online tools enable evaluation of a much wider range of student actions, such as how long they devote to readings, where they get electronic resources, and how quickly they master key concepts.

Education, Job Openings, and Unemployment in Metropolitan America

September 4, 2012 Comments off

Education, Job Openings, and Unemployment in Metropolitan America

Source: Brookings Institution

This paper aims to provide metro, state, and national policy makers with a better sense of the specific problems facing metropolitan labor markets. First, the analysis examines trends in the demand for educated labor and how a gap between education supply and demand is related to unemployment. Next, it attempts to distinguish between cyclical and structural effects before turning to an explanation of how an education gap might affect both by limiting job creation. It concludes with a discussion of the implications of these findings for public policy.

Identifying Barriers to Diversity in Law Enforcement Agencies

September 2, 2012 Comments off

Identifying Barriers to Diversity in Law Enforcement Agencies

Source:  RAND Corporation
The authors describe how law enforcement agencies can use barrier analysis, a method of assessment aimed at identifying potential obstacles to obtaining resources or participating in a program, to better understand and address the challenge of creating diversity among their personnel. They examine key points in the career lifecycle, such as recruitment, hiring, promotion, and retention practices, to determine where women and racial/ethnic minorities face obstacles that might account for less-than-proportionate representation among applicants, hires, and senior leadership. They describe the barrier analysis process, illustrate how it can help law enforcement agencies increase the diversity of their workforce, and present case studies featuring police departments that have used barrier analysis.

On the Distributional Effects of Base-Broadening Income Tax Reform

September 1, 2012 Comments off

On the Distributional Effects of Base-Broadening Income Tax Reform
Source: Urban Institute

This paper examines the tradeoffs among three competing goals that are inherent in a revenue-neutral income tax reform — maintaining tax revenues, ensuring a progressive tax system, and lowering marginal tax ratesâ??drawing on the example of the tax policies advanced in presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s tax plan. Our major conclusion is that any revenue-neutral individual income tax change that incorporates the features Governor Romney has proposed would provide large tax cuts to high-income households, and increase the tax burdens on middle- and/or lower-income taxpayers.

Health and wellbeing at work in the United Kingdom

August 31, 2012 Comments off

Health and wellbeing at work in the United Kingdom

Source:  RAND Corporation

In 2009, the Work Foundation led a partnership with RAND Europe and Aston Business School undertaking the research and analysis to support the Boorman review. RAND Europe led the study on whether health workplace interventions could be useful to mitigate health risk factors and to reduce the work-related costs associated with poor health and wellbeing in British workplaces and the NHS in England. This report, prepared for the Department of Health, presents the main findings of the research.

Tax Proposals by 2012 Presidential Candidates

August 30, 2012 Comments off

Tax Proposals by 2012 Presidential Candidates
Source: Tax Policy Center (Urban Institute and Brookings Institution)

TPC has analyzed the distributional effects of tax proposals from President Obama, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, and Republican vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan. The following pages provide links to TPC research related to the 2012 candidates.

Education, Job Openings, and Unemployment in Metropolitan America

August 29, 2012 Comments off

Education, Job Openings, and Unemployment in Metropolitan America

Source: Brookings Institution

This paper aims to provide metro, state, and national policy makers with a better sense of the specific problems facing metropolitan labor markets. First, the analysis examines trends in the demand for educated labor and how a gap between education supply and demand is related to unemployment. Next, it attempts to distinguish between cyclical and structural effects before turning to an explanation of how an education gap might affect both by limiting job creation. It concludes with a discussion of the implications of these findings for public policy.

Trends in U.S. Military Spending

August 27, 2012 Comments off

Trends in U.S. Military Spending
Source: Council on Foreign Relations

Military budgets are only one gauge of military power. A given financial commitment may be adequate or inadequate depending on the number and capability of a nation’s adversaries, how well it spends its investment, and what it seeks to accomplish, among other factors. Nevertheless, trends in military spending do reveal something about a country’s capacity for coercion. The following charts present historical trends in U.S. military spending and analyze the forces that may drive it lower.

These charts draw on data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) and from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Both data sets include spending on overseas contingency operations as well as defense. This distinguishes them from data used in the U.S. budget, which separate defense spending from spending on overseas operations.

Should the Increase in Military Pay Be Slowed?

August 24, 2012 Comments off

Should the Increase in Military Pay Be Slowed?
Source: RAND Corporation

Conditions are favorable for slowing the increase in military pay. Recruiting and retention are in excellent shape, and manpower requirements are planned to decrease. Basic pay grew 45 percent from 2000 to 2011, more than the Employment Cost Index (ECI) (up 33 percent) and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) (up 31 percent). Regular military compensation (RMC) grew even more. After adjusting for inflation, RMC grew an average of 40 percent for enlisted members and 25 percent for officers. RMC growth was higher because of increases in the basic allowance for housing. RMC is above the benchmark of 70th percentile of civilian pay and stands at the 80th percentile or higher for enlisted personnel and officers with a bachelor’s degree and the 75th percentile for officers with more than a bachelor’s. The authors discuss several approaches to slowing the rate of increase in military pay: (1) A one-time increase in basic pay set at half a percentage point below the ECI, (2) a one-year freeze in basic pay, and (3) a series of below-ECI increases, such as ECI minus half a percentage point for four years. The first option has lower cost savings, leaves open possible further action, yet may create more uncertainty about future pay changes. The second and third options provide several times more cost savings but may be politically more costly.

Implications of Governor Romney’s Tax Proposals: FAQs and Responses

August 23, 2012 Comments off

Implications of Governor Romney’s Tax Proposals: FAQs and Responses
Source: Brookings Institution

Our recent paper examined the tradeoffs among competing goals in tax reform – including maintaining tax revenues, maintaining progressivity, and lowering marginal tax rates. As a motivating example, we estimated the degree to which individual income tax expenditures would have to be limited to achieve revenue neutrality under the individual income tax rates and other features advanced in presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s tax proposals, and how the required reductions in tax breaks could change the distribution of the tax burden across households.

In this note, we summarize our earlier results and answer a number of substantive questions we have received about the study. We also discuss new estimates that incorporate into our analysis the taxation of interest income from municipal bonds and the taxation of inside buildup in life insurance vehicles.

New FSG report: Keeping the Promise of Opportunity

August 22, 2012 Comments off

New FSG report: Keeping the Promise of Opportunity
Source: FSG (Foundation Strategy Group)

Financial aid and the ability to use it effectively plays a critical role in college enrollment and completion. As the cost of attending college has skyrocketed past family incomes in recent decades, access to financial aid is critical to ensure access to post-secondary education for low-income young adults. Yet, the current U.S. financial aid system presents a number of significant barriers for these students, and trends in aid are exacerbating the inequality that already exists in post-secondary education today.

Keeping the Promise of Opportunity, a new report from FSG, supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, reflects interviews with national and state experts on financial aid—including policymakers, college leaders, financial aid officers, service providers, funders, and researchers—to explore the challenges low-income young adults face in accessing and using financial aid. The report also explores related trends contributing to inequality in post-secondary education today, as well as potential approaches to helping students overcome these barriers.

This report provides funders with recommendations from the field as to where support is most urgently needed to redesign financial aid to support post-secondary access and completion amongst low-income young adults.

Executive compensation tax deductions cost Treasury $30.4 billion over 2007-10

August 21, 2012 Comments off

Executive compensation tax deductions cost Treasury $30.4 billion over 2007-10
Source: Economic Policy Institute

A new EPI report, Taxes and executive compensation, by Temple University accounting professor Steven Balsam, provides estimates of the tax deductions and lost tax revenue associated with the executive compensation of publicly-held companies. The graph shows that tax-deductible executive compensation cost the federal treasury $30.4 billion over the years 2007–2010; $16.6 billion from performance-based compensation and $13.8 billion from other forms of compensation such as bonuses and salary.

Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code, adopted in 1993 to discourage excessive executive pay, limits the deduction for executive compensation at publicly-traded corporations to $1 million in compensation per covered executive. An exception to the provision, however, allows corporations to deduct qualified performance-based compensation. This exception has a major weakness: While it requires that shareholders approve the performance-based compensation to preserve deductibility, corporations are only required to provide shareholders with general information. Thus, shareholders are asked to, and usually do, approve compensation plans without knowing the potential payouts from the plans or whether the performance conditions are challenging.

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