The book aims to rigorously examine some of the most prominent policy ideas being considered in today’s current debates.
Contact: Amy Ganz
Aspen Economic Strategy Group
amy.ganz@aspeninst.org | 202 736 5850
Washington, DC, December 6, 2019—The Aspen Economic Strategy Group (AESG) today released its new policy volume, Maintaining the Strength of American Capitalism. Co-chaired by Henry M. Paulson, Jr. and Erskine Bowles, AESG brings together a diverse, bipartisan group of distinguished leaders and thinkers with the goal of promoting evidence-based solutions to significant U.S. economic challenges.
“We are bringing clarity to big, unresolved economic issues and providing a place where emerging ideas can be debated thoughtfully and respectfully by leading economic policy thinkers,” said Aspen Economic Strategy Group director Melissa S. Kearney, the Neil Moskowitz Professor of Economics at the University of Maryland. “Our nation’s current public discourse reveals a disheartening lack of ability or intention to thoughtfully, constructively, and respectively debate and disagree.”
A compilation of eight memos written by widely respected economists and policy scholars, the book aims to rigorously examine some of the most prominent policy ideas being considered in today’s current debates. These cover the most popular and controversial policy proposals happening right now, including:
- Causes, Consequences, and Policy Responses to Market Concentration by Thomas Philippon
- Concerns about Concentration by Nancy L. Rose
- Fiscal Policy with High Debt and Low Interest Rates by William Gale
- Can Innovation Policy Restore Inclusive Prosperity in America? by John Van Reenen
- The Economics of Medicare for All by Craig Garthwaite
- Universal Basic Income (UBI) as a Policy Response to Current Challenges by Melissa S. Kearney and Magne Mogstad
- Wealth Taxation: An Overview of the Issues by Alan D. Viard
- Policy Options for Taxing the Rich by Lily Batchelder and David Kamin
The book’s publication follows the release of the ESG Member Statement on December 2. The statement called on public leaders to recognize the following as immediate economic priorities:
- Long-Run Economic Growth
- Widespread Prosperity
- Robust Market Competition
- A Sound Fiscal Path
- Funding for Necessary Investments
“Although not all of our members agree with the conclusions of each memo, we are focused on fostering thoughtful conversation around the most hotly debated policy proposals, based on evidence and rigorous analysis,” Kearney said.
The Economic Strategy Group (AESG), a non-profit program of the Aspen Institute, is composed of a diverse, bipartisan group of distinguished leaders and thinkers with the goal of promoting evidence-based solutions to significant U.S. economic challenges. Co-chaired by Henry M. Paulson, Jr. and Erskine Bowles, the AESG fosters the exchange of economic policy ideas and seeks to clarify the lines of debate on emerging economic issues while promoting bipartisan relationship-building among current and future generations of policy leaders in Washington. More information can be found athttps://economicstrategygroup.org/.
The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most important challenges facing the United States and the world. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Institute has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, and an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.
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