Opinion: Business and Government Need to Work Together
“The U.S. business community is confronted with a fundamental choice: Ignore Washington or work with it to fix the problems plaguing our economy.”
That's the opinion of William A. Galston, the Ezra Zilkha chair in Governance Studies at Brookings Institution, and Glenn Hutchins, co-founder of Silver Lake, a technology industry investment company, and vice-chairman of the board of the Brookings.
Hutchins and Galston argue in CNN Money that there is a substantial and chronic frustration among business leaders with the dysfunction of the federal government. But to quell its dissatisfaction and ensure a productive relationship, business must look beyond these frustrations and work with government to find effective solutions to the issues afflicting our nation's economy.
The authors cite three studies that examine such issues and the challenges faced by the U.S. economy in the ever-evolving global marketplace. From reduced incomes to stagnant innovation, Hutchins and Galston believe business’ role in governance reform is essential to help break the political gridlock that prohibits real improvement from happening. In the CNNMoney piece they state:
With partisan polarization at its highest level in more than a century, electoral rules that mute the voices of cooperation, and congressional rules that foster gridlock, it's no wonder that the policy results are so unsatisfactory. That's why we desperately need institutional reforms that would reduce partisanship, break logjams, and improve decision-making.
Read more here from Hutchins and Galston about how U.S. businesses should put their frustrations aside and engage with our nation’s political system to address these economic challenges and remain a competitive player in the international market.