Policy watch: Medicare.

Public policies are often made without much recourse to economic reasoning. Economists are sometimes unaware of what is happening in the world of public affairs. As a result, both the quality of public decision making and the role that economists play in it are less than optimal. This feature contains short articles on topics that are currently on the agendas of policymakers, thus illustrating the role of economic analysis in illuminating current debates. Suggestions for future columns and comments on past ones should be sent to Daniel Weinberg, c/o Journal of Economic Perspectives, HHES Division, Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C. 20233.