Opportunity 08: Independent Ideas for America's Next President

Table of Contents

Contents Foreword ix STROBE TALBOTT 1 Big Ideas for the 2008 Race 1 MICHAEL E. O'HANLON PART I Our World 2 Countering Iran’s Revolutionary Challenge: A Strategy for the Next Phase 7 PETER W. RODMAN 3 Engaging the Muslim World: A Communication Strategy to Win the War of Ideas 21 HADY AMR and P. W. SINGER 4 Contending with the Rise of China: Build on Three Decades of Progress 38 JEFFREY A. BADER and RICHARD C. BUSH III v 5 Constructing a Successful China Strategy: Promote Balance and Democratic Ideals in Asia 51 MICHAEL GREEN 6 Tackling Trade and Climate Change: Leadership on the Home Front of Foreign Policy 63 WILLIAM ANTHOLIS and STROBE TALBOTT 7 Ending Oil Dependence: Protecting National Security, the Environment, and the Economy 80 DAVID SANDALOW 8 Waning Chances for Stability: Navigating Bad Options in Iraq 96 CARLOS PASCUAL and KENNETH M. POLLACK 9 Back to Balancing in the Middle East: A New Strategy for Constructive Engagement 114 MARTIN S. INDYK and TAMARA COFMAN WITTES 10 Bent but Not Broken: How the Next Commander in Chief Can Prevent the Breaking of the U.S. Military 133 P. W. SINGER PART II Our Society 11 Empowering Moderate Voters: Implement an Instant Runoff Strategy 165 JOHN EDWARD PORTER 12 Rethinking U.S. Rental Housing Policy: Build on State and Local Innovations 171 BRUCE KATZ and MARGERY AUSTIN TURNER vi Contents 13 Attacking Poverty and Inequality: Reinvigorate the Fight for Greater Opportunity 185 RON HASKINS and ISABEL V. SAWHILL 14 Pathways to the Middle Class: Ensuring Greater Upward Mobility for All Americans 199 HUGH B. PRICE, AMY LIU, and REBECCA SOHMER PART III Our Prosperity 15 Taming the Deficit: Forge a Grand Compromise for a Sustainable Future 217 WILLIAM FRENZEL, CHARLES W. STENHOLM, G. WILLIAM HOAGLAND, and ISABEL V. SAWHILL 16 Realistic Approaches to Head Off a U.S. Economic Crisis 233 WARREN B. RUDMAN, J. ROBERT KERREY, PETER G. PETERSON, and ROBERT BIXBY 17 Extending Deregulation: Make the U.S. Economy More Efficient 249 ROBERT W. CRANDALL 18 Strengthening Higher Education: Simplify Student Aid and Emphasize Vital Science, Math, and Language Skills 262 PETER BERKOWITZ 19 Meeting the Dilemma of Health Care Access: Extending Insurance Coverage while Controlling Costs 276 HENRY J. AARON and JOSEPH P. NEWHOUSE Contents vii 20 Meeting the Challenge of Health Care Quality: Achieve Reforms in Medicare, Quality, and Malpractice 288 HENRY J. AARON and JOSEPH P. NEWHOUSE 21 Slowing the Growth of Health Spending: We Need Mixed Strategies, and We Need to Start Now 303 JOSEPH R. ANTOS and ALICE M. RIVLIN 22 Promoting Retirement Security: Make Saving Easier and More Rewarding 321 WILLIAM G. GALE 23 Fixing the Tax System: Support Fairer, Simpler, and More Adequate Taxation 331 WILLIAM G. GALE 24 Strengthening U.S. Information Technology: Keep America No. 1 on the Net 342 SEAN MALONEY and CHRISTOPHER THOMAS Contributors 361 Index 363 viii Contents ...