The article argues that the Federal Reserve's recent rate hike decision, while justifiable on inflation grounds, highlights a critical lack of an underlying, transparent policy framework. The core problem is that the Fed's decisions appear discretionary, leading to market uncertainty because the committee's judgment, rather than clear data, dictates policy shifts. The author proposes that the Fed adopt a formal monetary policy rule—an algebraic formula linking the target rate to indicators like inflation and unemployment—to replace subjective guidance. Implementing such a rule would provide market predictability, enhance transparency, and shield the Fed from political attacks by making deviations from the standard easily quantifiable.
U.S. Veterans and Psychedelics: Prevalence of Use and Policy Preferences
English Summary
The RAND report analyzes the growing interest in psychedelics among U.S. veterans, finding that nearly one in four support legal psilocybin use for mental health treatment. This increased acceptance is driven by the high prevalence of conditions like PTSD among service members and a general desire for advanced therapeutic options. Veterans show strong policy support for the VA to provide or pay for psychedelics-assisted therapy (e.g., 54% for psilocybin), contingent on FDA approval. Policymakers must address veteran concerns regarding potential loss of VA benefits while navigating accelerating federal and state efforts to legalize and research these substances.
中文摘要
這份 RAND 報告分析了美國退伍軍人對致幻劑日益增長的興趣,發現近四分之一的退伍軍人支持將黃色真菌(psilocybin)用於心理健康治療。這種接受度的提高,源於服務成員中創傷後壓力症候群(PTSD)等疾病的高盛行率,以及人們對先進治療方案的普遍需求。退伍軍人強烈支持退伍軍人事務部(VA)提供或支付致幻劑輔助療法(例如:54% 支持黃色真菌),但前提是必須獲得 FDA 批准。政策制定者必須在應對退伍軍人對於潛在失去 VA 福利的擔憂的同時,處理聯邦和州層面加速合法化及研究這些物質的努力。
Related Entries
-
1.
-
2.
The ongoing Ebola outbreak in the DRC serves as a critical warning that the global health security system is fundamentally unprepared for future biological threats. The difficulty in containing this outbreak is compounded by the rising risk of emerging pathogens and the growing potential for AI misuse in bioweapon development. Policy must therefore shift from reactive, crisis-driven funding to sustained, proactive investment in resilient public health infrastructure, particularly in conflict zones. Addressing this requires strengthening global surveillance, ensuring consistent international cooperation, and mitigating the intersection of conflict, climate change, and disease spread.
-
3.A Design Lab Pilot to Inform Strategies for Expanding Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in Community Mental Health Centers (RAND)
Despite MOUD being the standard of care for opioid use disorder, access remains severely limited in Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs), which serve the primary population with co-occurring disorders. A Design Lab pilot identified payment limitations and regulatory complexity as the chief barriers to implementation. The most feasible and high-impact strategy identified was establishing a structured learning exchange between CMHC leaders and insurers to improve reimbursement understanding. Policymakers and payers are therefore advised to pilot this learning exchange model to initiate broader payment reform and expand evidence-based care for this vulnerable population.
-
4.
The article argues that modern conflicts are increasingly defined by attrition, driven by three strategic gaps: the difference between nominal military power and usable capacity; the difficulty of achieving breakthroughs in a technologically advanced battlefield; and the detachment of military means from clear political objectives. Evidence from Ukraine and the Middle East demonstrates that sustained logistics, rapid technological adaptation, and proxy networks are now more decisive than sheer military size. For policymakers, this implies a strategic shift away from seeking short, decisive victories toward preparing for prolonged, high-cost engagements, requiring a focus on sustainable supply chains and defining concrete, attainable political end-states.
-
5.
Congress has significantly expanded presidential tariff authority by passing the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, allowing the executive to impose up to 100% tariffs on key buyers of Russian energy and sanctions enablers. The article argues that this legislation represents a dangerous abdication of Congress's Article I authority, as it grants the executive vast, discretionary power without specifying criteria for enforcement. Historically, the executive could claim tariffs were its own doing; however, by writing and passing this new authority, Congress now owns the resulting trade policy and its economic consequences. This shift implies that future tariffs will be viewed by the public as a direct legislative action, potentially undermining the administration's credibility and creating political vulnerability.