November 2011

Economic Development

commentary
Research Funding and Economic Growth
Publicly funded R&D investment is a coherent policy to support long term economic growth. Our only note of caution is about how far and how fast that growth can be delivered because the evidence we have is out of date and skewed towards the experience of just one country, write Jonathan Grant and Jon Sussex.
Read More »
Nov 29, 2011
Research Fortnight
Jonathan Grant, Jon Sussex

Health Care Price Competition

commentary
Provider Consolidation Key Factor in Affordable Coverage
Hospitals operating with little competition are able to charge health plans much higher prices, which are passed on to consumers in the form of higher insurance premiums, writes Glenn Melnick.
Read More »
Nov 28, 2011
California Healthline
Glenn Melnick
Military Budgets and Defense Spending

commentary
History Shows Danger of Arbitrary Defense Cuts
As America embarks on a tough strategic journey in the aftermath of Iraq, and contends with an ailing economy, it is wise to be mindful of the difference between hope and fact, writes Paula G. Thornhill.
Read More »
Nov 23, 2011
CNN
Paula G. Thornhill
Law Enforcement

commentary
Save Money Hire Police
The high cost of crime to society suggests that adding police officers may give large cities a sizable return on their investments, write Greg Ridgeway and Paul Heaton.
Read More »
Nov 22, 2011
Los Angeles Times
Greg Ridgeway, Paul Heaton
Nuclear Disarmament

commentary
An Attack Would Only Strengthen Iran's Influence
Reaction to a strike against Iran among neighboring populations would be almost uniformly hostile. The sympathy thereby aroused for Iran would make containment of Iranian influence much more difficult for Israel, for the U.S., and for the Arab regimes currently allied with Washington, writes James Dobbins.
Read More »
Nov 16, 2011
U.S. News & World Report, Debate Club
James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins
Cost-Effectiveness in Health Care

commentary
Can the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute Become Relevant to Controlling Medical Costs and Improving Value?
A scientific and political case could be made to amend health care legislation to require that cost be included in the studies that the PCORI funds, writes Robert H. Brook.
Read More »
Nov 9, 2011
The Journal of the American Medical Association
Robert H. Brook
Economic Policy

commentary
Where Keynes Went Wrong
Failure to consider the potentially adverse effect of government spending on the preexisting level of aggregate demand was and remains a disabling flaw in Keynesian theory—then and now, writes Charles Wolf, Jr.
Read More »
Nov 7, 2011
CBSNews.com on October 31, 2011 and in The Weekly Standard
Charles Wolf, Jr.
Counterterrorism

commentary
Why the Haqqani Network Is the Wrong Target
In focusing on the Haqqani network—which enjoys little popular support in Afghanistan—the United States is neglecting the more important (and difficult) task of dealing with the Taliban sanctuary in Pakistan's Baluchistan Province, writes Seth G. Jones.
Read More »
Nov 6, 2011
Foreign Affairs
Seth G. Jones
Demographics

commentary
Seven Billion? No Need to Panic
We cannot wish away serious ecological issues, such as the steady increase in greenhouse gases or the steady decrease in critical resources (e.g., phosphates). But population growth per se need not portend ecological catastrophe, writes Martin Libicki.
Read More »
Nov 4, 2011
CNN
Martin C. Libicki