A growing economy creates jobs, raises living standards, maintains global competitiveness, and thus engenders positive attitudes and optimism about the future.
While many policymakers seem intent on focusing on either economic stimulus or austerity, IPI believes that the economy can grow consistently and at higher rates than we’ve experienced in the last decade, and we reject the idea that economic growth contains within itself the seeds of its own demise through inflation, the business cycle, and erroneous Phillips Curve assumptions. Therefore, economic growth should be elected officials’ primary policy goal at the federal, state and local levels, and it’s the organizing principle of our policy work at IPI.
Whatever limitations may exist on economic growth, they should not be self-imposed through counterproductive tax policy, overbearing regulations, ill-conceived monetary policy, trade protectionism, or hostility toward skilled and ambitious immigration.
Trying to Understand the Declining Labor Force Participation Rate
It's tempting to blame President Obama and his economic policies for the unprecedented decline in the labor force participation rate. And while those policies may have exacerbated the trend, the decline has been occurring for years.
Obama Just Gave Companies Another Reason Not To Hire Low-Income Workers
In his State of the Union address, the president challenged Congress to pass legislation that “gives every worker in America the opportunity to earn seven days of paid sick leave.” And that’s on top of forcing employers to provide health insurance and pushing for a 40 percent increase in the minimum wage.
Obama's SOTU Proposals Could Put More Than 57% Of The Public On The Federal Dole
Adding in President Obama’s costly new entitlement programs outlined in his State of the Union address could put a back-of-the-envelope estimate of about 180 million Americans on the government dole.
The Needed Education Agenda: Schooling Obama in Tax Principles
President Obama is right, education needs to get better. Specifically, his education on basic economic principles needs to be vastly improved.
Obama SOTU Tax Proposal 'Pokes GOP In The Eye'
Congressional Republicans should consider an orchestrated, loud guffaw when the president proposes his tax and spending agenda in tomorrow’s State of the Union address.
Obama SOTU Tax Plan Targets Job Creators
President Obama will outline a plan to raise $320 billion in new taxes on the job-creating class in tomorrow’s State of the Union address.
A Truer Value of Art and Culture
We all benefit when artists and creators invent, write, film and imagine. It’s also true that we all lose when piracy, whether via hacking or other means, is left to run rampant.
The Duplicity of Employers Who Support Minimum Wage Increases
When the CEO of Starbucks backs a minimum wage increase you have to ask yourself whether it's because he's compassionate (with other employers' money) or he's just looking to stifle competition from lower-cost competitors.
Obama And His Policies Have Been A Boon To Temporary Workers
Well, at least one industry is thriving under Obamacare: companies that provide temporary services.
A Post 9/11 Priority for Lame Duck Congress
An important issue that has been under the radar is reauthorization of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA), which backstops private insurance companies in case of catastrophic terrorist attack.
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