This Working Paper by Nobel Laureate Michael Spence and Sandile Hlatshwayo is a detailed examination of the changing shape of the American economy and the effect of these changes on the labor market and the cost of goods. Spence and Hlatshwayo focus on trends in value added per employee in the tradable and nontradable sectors over the past twenty years.
more»

America’s growing national debt is undermining our global competitiveness. How we choose to confront and address this challenge will determine our future environment for growth and innovation.
more»

It is widely recognized that U.S. statutory corporate tax rates are high by international standards. According to the OECD, the top U.S. corporate tax rate (federal and average state rate combined) was 39.1 percent in 2009, second highest among the 30 OECD countries after Japan (39.5 percent), and more than 13 percentage points higher than the average for the other 29 OECD countries (25.9 percent).
more»

While the United States is a relatively low-tax country by OECD standards, with taxes as a share of GDP ranked fourth lowest among the 30 OECD member countries in 2007, it currently has the second highest corporate tax rate and has historically relied on corporate taxes to fund a larger share of the cost of government than the average OECD country.
more»

In the spirit of finding “new approaches” to international trade and investment that the President has called for, we want to work with you to develop a comprehensive and integrated information technology trade, investment and regulatory strategy to deal with the wide-range of issues affecting the international competitiveness of our industry.
more»

For years, some politicians have proposed to increase the tax burden on the profits earned by American companies outside the United States, and Congress is now considering legislation that would sharply limit the "deferral" rules that protect U.S. businesses from bearing much higher tax burdens on their earnings abroad than their foreign competitors.
more»

Few domestic policy issues invoke greater passion or have greater import than the rising demand for energy and its impact on our economy and environment. From record prices at gasoline pumps to higher energy and consumer expenses to global climate change, Americans are increasingly aware of the enormous challenges posed by this troubling trend. It's not just the family budget or business bottom lines that are at stake: The consequences of our energy policies could affect Americans' quality of life and the health of our planet for generations to come.
more»

Americans, like people all over the world, approach the future with a curious mix of optimism and apprehension. We are hopeful that tomorrow holds new prospects for greater security and more prosperity, but concerned that we, our families or our communities might get left behind. And indeed, there are both extraordinary opportunities and formidable
more»

Every day more than 200 million people use it to stay in touch, do business or catch up with friends and family. Americans send more than 7 billion written messages over it each month. It supports more than 3.6 million jobs and a rapidly growing share of America's gross domestic product. Soldiers rely on it to do their jobs more precisely, at lower risk to themselves and innocent civilians. Police and firefighters use it to save lives. It helps big businesses become more productive, and enables small businesses to compete more effectively against larger players.
more»

If there’s one thing that everyone agrees on about the U.S. health care system, it’s that it isn’t, in fact, a system.
more»

Click here to download the guide
more»