Faster Growth, Fairer Growth: Policies for a High Road, High Performance Economy
"A government committed to the high road needs to make big investments in citizens — investments in sound regulation, education, infrastructure, conservation, research and development, and social insurance."
What It’s About
Lindsey & Hammond offer a wide-ranging roadmap for economic policy reform. The pair advocate for what they call a "high performance high road" approach in both the private and public sectors. Their vision calls for expansive, high ROI investments that maximize economic and social benefits.
Upshot
Lindsey & Hammond’s recommendations include:
- Strengthening Social Safety Nets: Implementing child allowances and universal catastrophic health coverage will reduce childhood poverty and prevent medical bankruptcies
- Removing Supply Barriers: Creating more competition in healthcare and housing markets will lower costs and reduce inequality
- Picking Low-Hanging Fruit For Growth: Increasing public investment in R&D and eliminating barriers to worker mobility will create a dynamic, faster-growing, widely prosperous economy
Did you know? Since 2000, U.S. GDP per capita growth has averaged just over 1% annually, roughly half of the 2% rate that prevailed through the 20th century.
Why It Matters
Lindsey and Hammond argue that economic growth and fairness aren't opposing goals but twin pillars of a thriving economy. Their "high road" approach offers a practical way to address stagnant productivity, widening inequality, and declining social mobility.
Who Wrote It
Brink Lindsey is a Senior Vice President of the Niskanen Center.
Samuel Hammond is Senior Economist at the Foundation for American Innovation.
