It may be unavoidable that policymakers focus mainly on urgent problems, headlines and crises, but far too little attention is given to challenges that lie just over the horizon. Committees hold hearings on topics ranging from human cloning to the baby-boomer Social Security crunch to future terrorist threats. But overall, I believe Congress should be doing much more. If we fail to adequately address these long-range questions, we may miss opportunities and overlook steps we should be taking today that could make tomorrow's problems far more manageable. Looking carefully at the challenges of the future is not esoteric speculation or crystal ball-gazing.
Many future challenges are predictable.
I recently met with one of our country's top demographers, who laid out a variety of changes that are likely to flow from the increased immigration of recent decades. The CIA, recognizing the importance of looking at future challenges, is now working to free up more of its analysts' time for future studies, and is reaching out to tap the long-range thinking of more academics and private sector experts. Congress does have some stipulations for long-term thinking. The Congressional Research Service and the General Accounting Office are authorized to undertake anticipatory research. It might also be helpful to require the President to report every few years on the critical challenges facing the nation in future decades.