RAND Review

Several domestic and foreign policy issues will play a prominent role in this year’s presidential debates. This RAND Review offers recommendations regarding many of these issues. In domestic policy, the review highlights RAND research on education and health care. The education section offers advice on improving public schools, reforming public schools, reducing class sizes, developing alternative national tests, and closing the ethnic gap in higher education. The health care section diagnoses the chances for expanded health insurance coverage, for targeted coverage to vulnerable populations, for prescription drug coverage under Medicare, for improved treatment for depression, and for improved quality of care for all. Recommendations appear for other domestic issues as well, including abortion, early childhood investments, income inequality, drugs, crime, and air safety. In foreign policy, this review offers several recommendations specific to the geographic regions of Europe and its perimeter, Russia, the Persian Gulf, Central Asia, China, South Asia, East Asia, and Cuba. Additional recommendations appear pertaining to the global environment and foreign aid.