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The Round-Up returns with background info on Georgia and a deep love for the reality-based community.
- Past is prologue. Georgia and its neighbor Azerbaijan have a history of supplying the world with oil, the Center for Strategic and International Studies' David C. Chow notes. These same oil reserves are both Russia's target and the key to Georgia and Azerbaijan obtaining and retaining full independence, and Chow analyzes the various options policymakers have to encourage a diversity of supply routes -- including potential cooperation with China and Iran. - DS
- Shadow army. This report got some play last week, but the CBO's research into contractors in Iraq is worth a second look. For one, there are more contractors -- 190,000, 20 percent U.S. citizens -- than soldiers, a ratio 2.5 times higher than in any other conflict in U.S. history (though the Balkans were close). Interestingly, the cost of private security contractors is about the same as the cost of a similar military unit ... until the contract is up, since military units continue to contribute to the force structure -- i.e. train, perform non-combat duties, etc. -- after their deployment. -- TF
- Just the facts. Public policy needs to be based more on evidence, according to a group of authors at the Urban Institute. In the United Kingdom and other countries, evidence-based policy is growing in popularity, but in the U.S. ideological considerations cloud the process and make government ineffective. What to do? Adopt a laser focus on three questions: "What exactly is the problem? What are the possible ways to address the problem? And what are the probable impacts of each?" - DS
- Personal Worst. Productivity's up, GDP's up, but are your wages? Didn't think so. The Economic Policy Institute's 11th State of Working America (2008/2009) elucidates the thankless hard work of our middle class. They've grown the U.S. economy over the last seven years, but are left with nothing to show for it in their wallets. A snippet of the report has been posted; check back for more by Labor Day and for the complete report by January 2009. - CP
--TAP STAFF
