Running down the list of the U.S. State Department's Latin America policy objectives in El País in September 2010, the economist Moisés Naím noted that they focused almost exclusively on domestic concerns.

Washington claims that the country's borders are more secure than ever, but the truth is that no one knows for sure.

The United States' fiscal future depends on whether the country can limit health-care costs.

Clean energy was supposed to create jobs while reducing energy insecurity, global warming, and the U.S. trade deficit.

Thanks to technological advances, in the past few years, vast amounts of natural gas -- particularly shale gas -- have become economically viable.

Clean-energy technology is expensive and the United States is spending far too little on developing it.

Ailing U.S. infrastructure is seen as threatening U.S. competitiveness, but spending to fix it is a growing topic of debate between Republicans and Democrats as President Obama presses a new jobs program.

President Obama's State of the Union stressed an agenda to boost competitiveness, bipartisanship, and sacrifice, but critics say he failed to lay out a convincing plan to tackle the country's mounting debt.

Jagdish Bhagwati argues that growth can reduce poverty and that slow economic growth will hurt social development, which he also argues in his new book with Arvind Panagariya, "India's Tryst with Destiny: Debunking Myths that Undermine Progress and Addressing New Challenges."

Max Boot says preparedness of the U.S. military cannot be sacrificed for a federal budget deal.

Leslie H. Gelb discusses "nine things that make you want to scream" in U.S. politics and foreign policy.

Morgan Bazilian, Patrick Nussbaumer, Erik Haites, Michael A. Levi, Mark Howells, and Kandeh K. Yumkella analyze the costs of providing near universal access to energy.

Michael A. Levi and Trevor Houser take a closer look at the numbers presented in the American Power Act.

Scott Thomasson, president of NewBuild Strategies LLC, discusses policy and legislative issues affecting state investment in infrastructure.

Experts discuss policy steps taken by central banks in the United States, Brazil, and Europe, and analyze the challenges ahead.

This meeting is part of the McKinsey Executive Roundtable series in International Economics.

Spending on research and development is cited as important to a globally competitive economy. But a crucial U.S. advantage appears to be eroding, explains this Backgrounder.

Rail infrastructure is a critical component of a transportation network capable of helping the United States compete in global markets. Efforts to expand and modernize U.S. rail, particularly to include high-speed trains, are under debate as lawmakers weigh costs and benefits.

Foreign governments, non-state actors, and criminal networks are targeting the digital networks of the United States with increasing frequency and sophistication. U.S. cybersecurity has made progress, but relies heavily on the private sector to secure infrastructure critical to national security.

Though shifts in demand and reduced production by some major producers have influenced oil prices, investor behavior is also increasing market volatility.

The scramble for energy alternatives has brought new focus on nuclear power in the United States, but its revival faces political and practical obstacles.