OpenMarket: January 2018

The enmity that many young Americans hold towards capitalism can be attributed to ideological and partisan predispositions, personal experiences during the Great Recession, the ensuing stagnant economy, and a fundamental confusion of capitalism with cronyism. 

For the last 25 years, the states have lost out on millions in tax revenue they could have collected from sports betting, thanks to a ban pushed by and maintained by sports leagues. The federal government made a grave error in 1992 when it when it put the interest of these private profit-earning businesses over those of the states and voters. Now that this failed federal policy is on its way out, states should not repeat the mistake.

Cutting red tape, so talented individuals can thrive, will help put the long-term roar back into the economy.

Many local governments are abusing product disclosure mandates because it costs the local government nothing, yet enables them to push an ideological message. This will continue, and get worse, if the Supreme Court doesn’t stop it.

Effective consumer protection does not require a body as unaccountable, powerful, and ideologically driven as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. In short, it does not require “pushing the envelope.”

For the State of the Union 2018, CEI presents a round-up of what Trump might say, what he should say, and how members of both parties can work together to accomplish something valuable for the American people.

If President Trump really wants to strike a note of bipartisanship in his State of the Union address, as well as promote measures to build on the U.S. economy’s growth spurt, he should lend his explicit support to the Fair Investment Opportunities for Professional Experts Act.

Congress should free the hand of airports to finance improvements with user fees rather than relying on federal tax revenue.

Consumers will suffer from government efforts to create a nationalized 5G telecommunications network, and the rumoured plan to move in that direction needs to be stamped out immediately.

President Trump has said that “billions and billions of dollars are being wasted on activities that are not delivering results for hardworking American taxpayers.” The inspection of federal employee collective bargaining agreements is a good place to start reversing that.