Political Dysfunction Eroding American Competitiveness

Toro

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Sep 29, 2005
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America’s malfunctioning political system has become the biggest menace to its future economic competitiveness, according to a Harvard Business School report.

Average annual growth rates of 1.6 per cent in the current recovery lag behind those of any previous rebound since the 1940s, the study found, arguing that the country’s economic performance peaked in the 1990s and has been eroding ever since.

While many studies have focused on the legacy of the financial crash in explaining the country’s muted economic performance, the report found that the challenges were of a longer-term, structural nature. Key barriers identified by businesses were in the ambit of federal government policy, among them reform of the tax code, regulation and US infrastructure. ...

“Political dysfunction is the single largest barrier to US competitiveness,” said Jan Rivkin, a professor at the strategy unit of Harvard Business School.

He said this conclusion was not intended to take the heat off business for having responsibilities, or state and local government, but added: “When you look at the things that are holding us back, many of them fall at the feet of the federal government.”

The breakdown of political co-operation in Congress has made progress in key policy areas elusive in recent years, as evidenced by repeated showdowns over the government debt ceiling and difficulties agreeing long called-for reforms of the country’s haphazard corporate tax code. “The existing political parties have done a pretty good job of locking in the paralysis,” said Mr Rivkin.

Several policy changes that would have clear competitiveness benefits were achievable given the right political will, the study argued. Among them was a boost to infrastructure spending — something both Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, and Hillary Clinton of the Democrats are advocating, and which received the highest backing of business leaders according to the survey.

In addition, politicians should focus on reforming corporate taxation, including a reduction in the headline rate, and easing immigration barriers for highly skilled individuals. The silver lining identified in the report was that many of the hurdles to improved competitiveness could be addressed relatively easily. ...​

https://www.ft.com/content/3e3d9776-7ac3-11e6-ae24-f193b105145e

Here is the study.

http://www.hbs.edu/competitiveness/Documents/problems-unsolved-and-a-nation-divided.pdf

Congressional paralysis is the primary cause of competitive erosion on the US economy. That falls on both parties.

Unfortunately, I don't see it getting any better.
 
America’s malfunctioning political system has become the biggest menace to its future economic competitiveness, according to a Harvard Business School report.​
Did they mention it's because leftists refuse to
A: care what the majority wants
B: refuse to compromise
C: continues to race leftwards while claiming the right is moving to the right.
D: punitive tax and regulatory policies hurt small and medium businesses
E: mega corporations have departments to handle it and the money to purchase favors.

If they failed to mention any of that they are nothing but leftwing hacks trying to destroy their enemies keeping them from even more power.​
 
No, I can't see it getting any better. Not only do they control all of the political system, they also control the minds of too many people, like we see on a daily basis on forums like this.
 
The biggest menace to our economic future is an ever expanding and tyrannical central government, which both parties promote.

How anyone thinks increasing government spending, whether on infrastructure or anything else will fix things, is absurd and ignorant. Obama has doubled the national debt, yet that is still not enough.
 
The biggest menace to our economic future is an ever expanding and tyrannical central government, which both parties promote.

How anyone thinks increasing government spending, whether on infrastructure or anything else will fix things, is absurd and ignorant. Obama has doubled the national debt, yet that is still not enough.

The biggest problem is why people go into politics. In some countries they're able to weed out those people who aren't in it for public service.
 
The biggest menace to our economic future is an ever expanding and tyrannical central government, which both parties promote.

How anyone thinks increasing government spending, whether on infrastructure or anything else will fix things, is absurd and ignorant. Obama has doubled the national debt, yet that is still not enough.

The biggest problem is why people go into politics. In some countries they're able to weed out those people who aren't in it for public service.

Yes...the worst among us go into politics. This has been true for some time, only now it is worse. If only Americans would realize this. We need to treat politicians like the lying fools they are...with total disdain.
 
The biggest menace to our economic future is an ever expanding and tyrannical central government, which both parties promote.

How anyone thinks increasing government spending, whether on infrastructure or anything else will fix things, is absurd and ignorant. Obama has doubled the national debt, yet that is still not enough.

The biggest problem is why people go into politics. In some countries they're able to weed out those people who aren't in it for public service.

Yes...the worst among us go into politics. This has been true for some time, only now it is worse. If only Americans would realize this. We need to treat politicians like the lying fools they are...with total disdain.

Well then change this. Make politics about good people. Elect the good people.
 
The biggest menace to our economic future is an ever expanding and tyrannical central government, which both parties promote.

How anyone thinks increasing government spending, whether on infrastructure or anything else will fix things, is absurd and ignorant. Obama has doubled the national debt, yet that is still not enough.

The biggest problem is why people go into politics. In some countries they're able to weed out those people who aren't in it for public service.

Yes...the worst among us go into politics. This has been true for some time, only now it is worse. If only Americans would realize this. We need to treat politicians like the lying fools they are...with total disdain.

Well then change this. Make politics about good people. Elect the good people.
Yeah....now you being entirely unrealistic.
 
The biggest menace to our economic future is an ever expanding and tyrannical central government, which both parties promote.

How anyone thinks increasing government spending, whether on infrastructure or anything else will fix things, is absurd and ignorant. Obama has doubled the national debt, yet that is still not enough.

The biggest problem is why people go into politics. In some countries they're able to weed out those people who aren't in it for public service.

Yes...the worst among us go into politics. This has been true for some time, only now it is worse. If only Americans would realize this. We need to treat politicians like the lying fools they are...with total disdain.

Well then change this. Make politics about good people. Elect the good people.
Yeah....now you being entirely unrealistic.

Am I?

Or unrealistic because those in politics control everything and aren't going to give up power, even when people have the vote to kick them out?

People can have movements to make things happen, but this is the USA, the can't do USA where everyone just accepts and promotes the bad.
 
The biggest menace to our economic future is an ever expanding and tyrannical central government, which both parties promote.

How anyone thinks increasing government spending, whether on infrastructure or anything else will fix things, is absurd and ignorant. Obama has doubled the national debt, yet that is still not enough.

The biggest problem is why people go into politics. In some countries they're able to weed out those people who aren't in it for public service.

Yes...the worst among us go into politics. This has been true for some time, only now it is worse. If only Americans would realize this. We need to treat politicians like the lying fools they are...with total disdain.

Well then change this. Make politics about good people. Elect the good people.
Yeah....now you being entirely unrealistic.

Am I?

Or unrealistic because those in politics control everything and aren't going to give up power, even when people have the vote to kick them out?

People can have movements to make things happen, but this is the USA, the can't do USA where everyone just accepts and promotes the bad.
Agreed, but it is not going to happen. The Oligarchy and political class control nearly everything. Most of the media is entirely compromised. This along with the ignorance prevalent among Americans, makes real effective change nearly impossible.
 
The biggest problem is why people go into politics. In some countries they're able to weed out those people who aren't in it for public service.

Yes...the worst among us go into politics. This has been true for some time, only now it is worse. If only Americans would realize this. We need to treat politicians like the lying fools they are...with total disdain.

Well then change this. Make politics about good people. Elect the good people.
Yeah....now you being entirely unrealistic.

Am I?

Or unrealistic because those in politics control everything and aren't going to give up power, even when people have the vote to kick them out?

People can have movements to make things happen, but this is the USA, the can't do USA where everyone just accepts and promotes the bad.
Agreed, but it is not going to happen. The Oligarchy and political class control nearly everything. Most of the media is entirely compromised. This along with the ignorance prevalent among Americans, makes real effective change nearly impossible.

Nothing is going to happen, and nothing has happened, because the powers that be are happy making money and don't care about the US going downhill because they're fighting for themselves.
 
back on topic:

1) Republicans want to eliminate the corporate tax which would bring back 10 million jobs and $trillions of dollars. This would transform America over night!! Libsocialists stand in the way

2) I always regarded the infrastructure argument as bogus. Can anyone say what is single most important infrastructure project that needs to be done??????
 

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