The Broadband Down Payment America Needs, the US’s Outdated Palestine Policies, and More

Issues that could shape the 2020 midterms, legitimacy problems with the Palestinian Authority president, and closing the digital divide.

View in browser June 3, 2021 The American Rescue Plan is the broadband down payment the country needs   Congress has allocated a substantial amount of funding for state and local governments to address the digital divide. How can governments use all this money effectively? Adie Tomer and Caroline George recommend a two-phase strategy to help leaders reduce the digital divide today while designing a plan to permanently eliminate it in the coming decade.   Read more For Washington and the Palestinians, old policy is no substitute for sound policy   "The involvement of the Biden administration in the latest crisis is emblematic of the divisive and problematic nature of U.S. involvement in Palestinian politics writ large." Omar Rahman discusses U.S. Secretary of State Blinken's visit to the Middle East and the legitimacy issues with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.   Read more Violent crime, abortion, and the midterm elections   With the majority of Americans feeling optimistic that the worst of the pandemic is behind them, social issues are becoming increasingly salient in political discourse again. William Galston discusses two major issues that may heavily impact how next year's midterm elections are decided.    Read more Help support Brookings with a donation   Brookings is committed to making its high-quality, independent policy research free to the public. Please consider making a contribution today to our Annual Fund to support our experts' work. The conclusions and recommendations of any Brookings publication are solely those of its author(s), and do not reflect the views of the Institution, its management, or its other scholars. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Brookings Institution campus in Washington, D.C. is currently closed and all events are virtual only. For more information on the Institution's response, read our full guidance here. The Brookings Institution, 1775 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036 Unsubscribe Manage your newsletter preferences | Receive the Brookings Brief less often