United States

Must Read

CRS: A Historical Perspective on "Hollow Forces"

Authors: Andrew Feickert and Stephen Daggett

This Congressional Research Service report describes the potential pitfalls of improperly managed defense budget cuts by recalling the notion of the "hollow force" in U.S. military history--a superficially battle-ready military force that, upon closer inspection, reveals itself to be inadequately prepared.

See more in United States, Defense/Homeland Security

Essential Documents

Obama's "Blueprint for an America Built to Last", January 2012

The White House describes this January 2012 document: "In his State of the Union address, President Obama laid out a Blueprint for an America Built to Last, calling for action to help responsible borrowers and support a housing market recovery. While the government cannot fix the housing market on its own, the President believes that responsible homeowners should not have to sit and wait for the market to hit bottom to get relief when there are measures at hand that can make a meaningful difference, including allowing these homeowners to save thousands of dollars by refinancing at today's low interest rates. That's why the President is putting forward a plan that uses the broad range of tools to help homeowners, supporting middle-class families and the economy."

See more in United States, Financial Crises