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TTR is a whole lot more than a simple affair; it is a love story. A forbidden one, a tragic one, but a love story at the end of the day. We've crossed lines with several exciting new reports, including a look at the U.S.' green deficit, an analysis of instability in Pakistan, a new plan for green jobs, and worries about state budget deficits. Have at it!
- Lagging Behind in Green. Ahead of the House’s passage of the Waxman-Markey bill last week, the New America Foundation released a paper on America’s “Green Trade Balance,” or lack thereof. The report asserts that America’s dependence on foreign countries for the majority of our green goods undermines President Obama’s plan to use green investment as a key part of the economic recovery. The U.S. ran an overall “green trade deficit” of $8.9 billion in 2008, down from a surplus of $14.4 billion less than 10 years ago. Huge deficits in two major categories -- pollution management and renewable energy, a cornerstone of Obama’s green agenda -- are mainly responsible for the deteriorating trade balance. If the U.S. cannot find a way for domestic production of green technology to meet increasing demand, the report predicts that the U.S. will sacrifice the opportunity to create millions of high-paying green manufacturing jobs. Equally important, a trade imbalance this early on compromises the country’s potential to be a leading global producer, not just consumer, of green technology. -- MD
- Counterinsurgency: Pakistan. A recent Council on Foreign Relations policy paper outlines the quickly growing threat of extremist insurgency and militant operations conducted within Pakistan’s cities, and the Pakistani military’s inertia and their potentially fatal aversion to becoming a "counterinsurgency force." The report emphasizes the complicated relationship between the United States and Pakistan, as they see the U.S. as an "unreliable partner," one that will pull foreign aid as soon as security interests shift. The memo’s corresponding recommendation is the continued assistance to the Pakistani military, including a controversial F-16 program, as a way to win the trust of Pakistani elites. -- AS
- Saving the Job Market…and the Planet. Create 1.7 million new jobs. Sounds like a lofty goal, right? According to a new report by the Center for American Progress, putting $150 billion into clean energy could do just that. Modeled off of two government initiatives, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the proposed American Clean Energy and Security Act, the report argues that a yearly budget of $150 billion could add 1.7 million net jobs to the country, with an even higher number if funding was increased. The passing of ACESA would create jobs in every state of the union, as demonstrated by state-to-state fact sheets and an interactive map, and unemployment would drop about 1%, from 9.4% to 8.4%. Both acts provide incentives for private investors to invest in clean energy as opposed to fossil fuels, such as tax incentives, loan guarantees, and bonds. The overall program aims to increase energy efficiency, lower the cost of supplying renewable energy, and mandating limits for pollution. Now we just have to pass ACESA. -- CIA
- 48 Budget Crises. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reports that the fiscal situation for most of America's states has continued to worsen over the past few months. With most states starting their new 2010 fiscal year on July 1, the Center reports that 48 states (North Dakota and Montana are in the clear) project budget shortfalls in 2010 due to decreasing tax receipts, despite federal stimulus funding. Nationally, state budget gaps may amount to more than $350 billion through 2011, leading to inevitable cuts in state jobs and services. Don't pack your bags for Bismarck just yet, though -- the Center also finds that federal stimulus funding is closing 30 to 40 percent of state budget shortfalls, thanks to its timing and flexibility. With 48 states still in the red, though, these findings make a compelling case for considering another stimulus. -- CKS
-- TAP Staff
