Briefs

The stated goal of antitrust laws is to make sure business are operating fairly, and to protect consumers by ensuring that a competitive marketplace gives them access to more choices, low prices, high-quality goods, and innovative products. In 2021, Congress proposed a number of new pieces of antitrust legislation and dozens of antitrust lawsuits are pending. This wave of antitrust actions will likely reshape the business and regulatory landscape impacting both businesses and consumers.

The idea of work has long been ingrained in American culture, but the nature of work has been changing over time. This brief will look at the current state of workforce readiness in the U.S. and what can be done so all Americans are prepared to experience earned success as part of their pursuit of happiness.

Economic growth is the increase in what a country produces, particularly the amount of goods and services, over time. Economic growth all over the world has exploded in the last two and a half centuries. This dramatic growth has brought unprecedented opportunity, health and happiness to people across the globe.

How did this happen and how can we continue this surge in opportunity? This brief covers how economic growth impacts society, key economic indicators that track growth, what roles the government and the private sector play, the current state of our economy, and a discussion of economic policy ideas that could enhance our nation and the world.

The free-enterprise system is the only system that has been proven to create opportunities for everyone, even the most vulnerable. This brief is a compilation of foundational work helpful for understanding and articulating the power of free markets and individual freedom in unleashing what human creativity can accomplish in a free market economy.

Ideally, regulations are designed to protect individuals and/or the environment, yet regulations can negatively impact people’s ability to create innovative products or services to serve their communities and to employ people.

What the proper balance is between protecting citizens and not prohibiting growth remains an area of debate. This brief outlines and explores regulation from a free-market perspective with the goal of creating an economic environment where human creativity can best flourish.

To fund the services it provides, the United States government derives revenue from individuals and businesses by taxing income, purchases, and property, in addition to a variety of taxes paid on specific goods or on various activities. However, some think the current tax code undermines fairness, economic growth, and transparency. Do the recent changes to the tax code go far enough to better serve these goals? What else should be done?

Throughout history, the arts have been indicative of beauty, human connectedness, prosperity, creativity, and freedom of expression. By stimulating the senses, emotions, and thoughts, arts can incorporate beauty into an environment, give communities a stronger sense of identity, and challenge the status quo. Given all these options, the creativity and collaboration of the arts can also be woven into the free market economy to create work and wealth. In this so-called creative economy, how do creators, public and private support networks, distributors, and buyers interact? What roles do individuals, private actors and institutions, and government play?

While negotiations and tariffs directed at China have taken center stage, the U.S. has also levied tariffs against the EU and has renegotiated trade deals with Canada and Mexico. Why? How exactly do tariffs work? And what does all this mean for free trade?