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.
Giving No Truck to Trucking
Policymakers need to begin considering new ways of funding transportation infrastructure that properly allocate the costs of maintenance and repair. We are intrigued by the idea of a commercial vehicle miles travelled tax (VMT-C) that would tax commercial vehicles by the miles driven, but which would omit passenger vehicles.
Texas Should Not Regulate AI -- Yet
Texas should be a leader in innovation, not a leader in regulation.
Let's Pay a Tariff!
Supplier: "Hey, John, we’ve got your order in, but I’m going to have to send you a replacement invoice."
John: "Why?"
Supplier: "Well, I have to add a 25% surcharge to the order."
Here Comes "Tarifflation"
Because tariffs, by design, raise the price of imported goods, tariffs are paid by U.S. consumers and businesses. It’s not inflation, since inflation is about the money supply, but it’s a price increase nonetheless—call it “tarifflation.”
Tariff Magic
Those wanting to impose across-the-board tariffs on American imports seem to think that tariffs are magic, but in fact they are guilty of magical thinking.
A vote for Donald Trump is a Vote for Elon Musk
The government could significantly downsize if Trump, through Musk’s efficiency efforts, were to eliminate unneeded agencies and employees, combine agencies where duties and responsibilities overlap and slash regulations and red tape, something Trump did in his first term and promises to do again.
Voters Have to Elect Kamala to Find Out What She'll Do
She promised she would provide more detail in the coming months. Perhaps Democrats would prefer she stick with her detail-free campaign.
Are You Ready for 'Kamalanomics?'
There are many as-yet unannounced policy positions, and you can be sure they all will give the government much more control over our choices and our lives. But Harris will likely stick to unoffensive platitudes as long as voters, and especially the media, don’t demand specifics.
Why an Amending Convention of the States?
An Article V convention to pass constitutional amendments to rein in the federal government and set our fiscal house in order could be a powerful tool.
Why the Public Thinks the Country Is in Recession
Consumers can’t ignore their own financial conditions. And these indicators are weighing heavily on voter confidence in the economy.