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This week we deal with Iran, China, and the world. Plus, a look at how to expand access to higher education.
- Not whether, but how. In a Carnegie Endowment policy brief, Karim Sadjadpour explores not whether, but how the next president should negotiate with Iran. He argue the next President should skirt currently unresolvable contentions, such as Iran's nuclear program and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while progress is made in the other areas. Sadjadpour's simplest recommendation, however, is that we should talk to the man who holds real power, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. -- SW
- Green Jobs in California. Monday, Cal Berkeley's Center for Energy, Resources, and Economic Sustainability released a study examining the long-term economic impacts of California's landmark energy efficiency policies. Adopted in 1978, these measures have since created 1.5 million jobs with a total payroll of $45 billion, and have saved households $56 billion by reducing their energy spending. Lawmakers in other states should keep these figures in mind when formulating their own energy policy, and understand that emissions regulation is not synonymous with unequivocal economic cost. -- DH
- Priorities, priorities. Brookings has gotten together a list of the top ten global economic challenges our next President will face, ranging from stabilizing financial markets and building a green economy to more specific challenges: how to engage with Russia, China and India. There are also suggestions for revitalizing our Latin America and Africa policy. One interesting specific: although the green economy report recognizes the costs of cap and trade, pointing out that helping poor households who will bear the brunt of the transition cost is necessary, the authors note that going green is not an issue of competitiveness with countries like China: most U.S. manufacturing industries won't be affected by the energy costs of cap and trade programs. -- TF
- Expanding higher ed access. The Center for American Progress has put out a report on how to find young high school drop-outs paths to higher education. There are at least 2.6 million and perhaps as many as 5.2 million young people who have left the education system, and current policy doesn't provide good opportunities for them to re-enter it once they're gone. The report suggests that better integrating GED programs, occupational training and higher education institutions, among other policy tools, will help these young people get and keep well-paying jobs. -- ZA
-- TAP Staff
