The pending danger of the "fiscal cliff" that faces the United States could mean U.S. abdication of leadership on a range of vital global issues.

John B. Bellinger III says, "Over the last 230 years, the Senate has approved more than 1,500 treaties. In 2013, Mr. Obama must demonstrate leadership by putting greater effort in securing Senate approval of essential treaties that advance American interests, including the Law of the Sea Convention."

Shanker A. Singham, chairman of the International Roundtable on Trade and Competition Policy, leads a conversation on how government-imposed anticompetitive market distortions harm U.S. exports and state and local economies.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice explains her decision to withdraw her nomination as secretary of state: "I have never shied away from a fight for a cause I believe in. But, as it became clear that my potential nomination would spark an enduring partisan battle, I concluded that it would be wrong to allow this debate to continue distracting from urgent national priorities."

Richard A. Falkenrath says Showtime's blockbuster series Homeland is great television, but not a useful guide to real-world homeland security. Hint: we always tap the suspect's cell phone.

What's the difference between debt and deficit? What does the "fiscal cliff," a combination of tax increases and spending cuts, mean for deficit reduction? Research Links on Debt and Deficits provides news, research, data, and proposed solutions on debt and deficit in the United States (local and federal) and international comparisons.

CFR's Peter Orszag highlights the potential opportunities and limitations of a fiscal cliff deal.

Americans want to see Congress and the president make a deal on the "fiscal cliff," but the incentives are strongest for policymakers to act only after the cliff has come and gone—and wreaked a great deal of havoc in the process, says Gayle Tzemach Lemmon.

The most recent PricewaterhouseCoopers tax rate study shows that we have undergone a period of significant growth, followed by a sudden economic downturn, and currently, a slow but inconsistent recovery.

Top White House and congressional leaders privately agree that tax reform goes well beyond individuals and rates, and that several changes can be made to craft an economic boom.

Foreign policy experts agree that while President Obama will want to keep his foreign policy focus domestic in his second term, global challenges will force their way into the president's agenda.

Aaron David Miller argues that it may not be possible for President Obama to turn around foreign policy legacy in the second term of his presidency.

Frank G. Klotz observes that the United States and Russia have been at loggerheads lately. Thus, a recent bit of bilateral cooperation in Antarctica comes as welcome news.

House Speaker John Boehner gave these remarks, regarding the fiscal cliff and spending cuts, in the House on December 11, 2012.

Shannon K. O'Neil says, "U.S.-Mexico security cooperation is vital and must continue. But with Enrique Peña Nieto's inauguration, Mexico's political landscape is now changing, and the United States must adjust its strategy and support accordingly."

The GOP is facing some internal conflict as Republicans are finding themselves divided over the issue of immigration reform under President Obama's administration.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released this report on December 10, 2012. The report reports data on apprehensions and successful illegal entries from 2006 to 2011.

President Obama gave these remarks at the Daimler Detroit Diesel Plant in Michigan on December 10, 2021.

President Barack Obama expanded the Merida Initiative beyond its original military scope but, CFR Senior Fellow Shannon O'Neil notes, implementation will require concerted efforts in both bilateral diplomacy and domestic policy.

The National Intelligence Council has released their fifth installment in a series aimed at providing a framework for thinking about potential global trajectories in the next fifteen to twenty years.