Mr. Frederick J. Gellert, Professor John F. Troxell, and Dr. David Lai
Publication Date:
02-2018
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
The Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College
Abstract:
The challenge for the U.S. administration, and for policy experts writ large, is to build an effective strategy for a whole-of-government action in moving forward from the “Rebalance” in the direction of a free and open Indo-Pacific while avoiding the Thucydides Trap. This U.S. Army War College report provides analysis and policy recommendations on topics regarding the instruments of national power, regional affairs, and key Asia-Pacific countries. The key findings are rooted in the following overarching concepts:
Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University
Abstract:
This report provides estimates for how the United States government has paid for
its wars, from the War of 1812 through the current post-9/11 “Global War on Terror” (Iraq,
Afghanistan, and Other Operations), and addresses the relationship between war finance
and inequality.
The findings suggest that government borrowing to pay for wars leads to greater
social inequality in the aftermath of the war. This happens when wars are paid for via
general public debt versus a war bond campaign, particularly when combined with indirect
taxes (such as sales, value-added, excise, and customs taxes) or a tax cut. Conversely, wars
financed via bond campaigns targeted to low- and middle-income populations and direct
taxes (such as income, property, and corporate taxes) result in greater social equality.
Presidential impeachments are vanishingly rare in American constitutional
history: in the 230 years since ratification, only three presidents
have faced serious attempts to remove them from office. And yet, as
President Donald J. Trump’s tumultuous tenure continues, it seems
increasingly plausible that we’ll see a fourth.
Topic:
International Affairs, Democracy, and Constitution
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 was the largest overhaul of the federal income tax in
decades. The law changed deductions, exemptions, and tax rates for individuals, while
reducing taxes on businesses.
Federal, state, and local governments seek to assist poor households financially using
transfers, minimum wage laws, and subsidies for important goods and services. This
“income-based” approach to alleviating poverty aims both to raise household incomes directly and to shift the cost of items, such as food, housing, or health care, to taxpayers. Most contemporary ideas to help the poor sit firmly within this paradigm
The developments underway in Europe’s natural gas sector are some of the most influential and closely watched in the global gas market. In the past decade, Europe has seen significant demand swings, falling domestic production, growing concerns about dependence on Russian gas, and the advent of US liquefied natural gas exports to the world. Just as important has been the emerging competition from renewable fuels. Indeed, questions are now arising about whether Europe needs new investments in natural gas infrastructure or if those investments would become stranded assets. However, suggesting that the EU does not need new investments risks underestimating the role—or the potential role—natural gas plays in various sectors of Europe’s energy economy, including industry, transportation, and commercial and residential usage.
In July 2018 Representative Carlos Curbelo proposed legislation that would put a price on US carbon dioxide emissions (“Curbelo proposal”). A carbon price is widely viewed as a necessary part of a cost-effective national strategy to address the risks of climate change. This proposal is especially notable because Republicans, who currently control the US Senate, House of Representatives, and presidency, have not proposed national carbon pricing legislation in nearly a decade.
Topic:
Energy Policy, International Political Economy, and International Affairs
In 2017, China was the world’s leading emitter of heat-trapping gases by a wide margin. Its policies for limiting emissions will have a significant impact on the global climate for decades to come.
From a historical perspective, China’s status as the world’s leading emitter is relatively recent. During most of the 19th and 20th centuries, Chinese emissions were modest. Then, in the early part of this century, as the Chinese economy boomed, Chinese emissions began to skyrocket, overtaking those from the United States around 2006. China’s cumulative emissions of carbon dioxide since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution are less than half those from the United States or Europe. (Carbon dioxide, the leading heat-trapping gas, stays in the atmosphere for many years once emitted.)
Climate change is a serious threat to global progress and stability. Actions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and stabilize global temperatures can avoid impacts of climate change on human health, the economy, national security, and the environment. But without a strong federal-level climate policy response from the United States, chances of serious global climate action are slim.