Americans for Prosperity has released our 2022 federal policy agenda, which is a roadmap for reimagining the role of government and empowering people to create a stronger, more prosperous future. Mounting inflation, supply chain gridlock, and labor shortages have exacerbated the ongoing battle to defeat COVID and find a new sense of normal. Today we’ll discuss the first and second of five key priorities that will help unlock America’s potential by reimagining the role of government and empowering people to seize the moment and drive progress.
First, we need to build a thriving economy. This is achieved when unnecessary barriers are removed, and free people are empowered to solve the challenges they see in their communities and across the country. That means lower burdens of taxes and debt, a free labor market that offers opportunity and flexibility, and an inclusive process to ensure government services are providing the value Americans deserve. To that end, there are three key principles we should commit to today:
» Congress should fund the government’s core competencies with the least burdensome sources of revenue, not by piling debt on future generations.
» Workers should be free to seek employment opportunities that use their unique skills to contribute to society, and businesses should have the flexibility to offer choices to diverse potential workers and clients.
» Congress needs — but does not have — coherent and inclusive budget and policy processes to equip lawmakers to effectively adjust priorities, evaluate tradeoffs, and ensure that taxpayer resources finance the most valuable services for the American people.
Policy solutions that promote a tax system that expands opportunity, that get people back to work and meet consumer supply chain needs in the changing economy and fixing the broken budget system are necessary to achieve a thriving economy.
Second, we need to restore congress’ policymaking leadership. Today the executive branch is instituting one of the most aggressive expansions of the administrative state in history. This approach effectively removes accountability and bypasses the will of the people by taking their elected representatives out of the equation – taking power away from Congress and their constituents and moving it to unelected administrative agencies and bureaucrats. Our country deserves more accountability and transparency in the policymaking process, and there are several major opportunities for Congress to reassert its policymaking role in 2022:
» Congress should take back its Article I constitutional authority and support policies to reform our regulatory system.
» Resist top-down environmental and climate regulations that constrain consumer choice.
» Remove barriers to housing and land use that drive up costs and slow economic mobility.
When we next meet, we’ll discuss the final three priorities that will help America emerge stronger: a personal option for health care, ending the failed approach to addiction and substance use and strengthening and modernizing our immigration system. Much of Washington is completely disconnected from the real challenges facing American families and businesses: runaway inflation, major workforce and supply chain issues, missteps in addressing some of the most predictable elements of the pandemic, and a hopelessly broken immigration and border security system. We look forward to working with our congressional delegation in the Commonwealth to gain additional cosponsors for the legislation that helps advance many of the abovesaid policy solutions and anticipate your continued partnership as engaged citizens in the public policy process. I’m Ashley Klingensmith, State Director with Americans for Prosperity-Pennsylvania. Find us on Facebook by searching @PAAFP and on Twitter by searching @AFPPennsylvania.
Ashley Sisca Klingensmith | State Director | Americans for Prosperity – PA
m: 412.915.1551 | e: [email protected] | @AFPPennsylvania