Research: What Policies Promote Abundance?

With my CGO colleagues and coauthors Jennifer Morales and Josh Smith, I outlined concrete policy proposals that Congress could enact now to promote an abundant future.

Executive Summary

Tomorrow can be better than today. Whether in tech and innovation, environmental stewardship, or immigration, our research here at the CGO fills us with optimism and a belief that abundance is possible for all Americans.

Abundance is more than just per capita income. It means greater economic growth, higher quality of life, greater environmental sustainability—all at cheaper prices. A future of abundance is not guaranteed. At the CGO, we are approaching it with conditional optimism. If Congress and other policymakers take the right steps in important areas, then abundance is within reach. 

We recently teamed up with YouGov to survey Americans and find out how they feel about abundance. The verdict? Many Americans do believe in their ability to achieve abundance. In general, they believe in the power of innovation to get them there. But they also believe that the government is a key player in whether or not they are able to achieve their goals. 

In this research in focus paper, the authors outline steps that Congress could take in technology, environmental, and immigration policies to promote abundance. Each section provides concrete recommendations Congress could enact today. These areas warrant specific attention because they undergird most economic activity and because the relevant reforms would improve the quality of life for all Americans. 

For example, the paper gives recommendations for Congress to move towards abundance by   

• Encouraging competitive tech markets
• Improving the FDA approval process
• Speeding up clean energy development
• Enabling secure and affordable access to electricity
• Boosting entrepreneurship and innovation through immigration
• Building a better pathway for skilled immigration

Read the full paper here.