U.S. Political Dysfunction Impedes Economic Growth

Harvard research peels back the layers of our political industry and uncovers far-reaching damage

When Business for America was just an idea, we discovered the Harvard Business School annual competitiveness report highlighting political dysfunction as the #1 drag on U.S. competitiveness. Their groundbreaking research has helped us make our case that bad government is bad for business — and for all Americans.

This year, Harvard Professor Michael Porter joined forces with former CEO Katherine Gehl (one of our open letter signatories) to go deeper in Why Competition in the Politics Industry Is Failing America. The 2017 report explains in even greater detail how our dysfunctional political system has led to the underperformance of the American economy. It also highlights solutions to the hyperpartisanship and policy gridlock that are harming both business interests and the public interest.

The executive summary pulls no punches:

“It wasn’t always that way. America’s political system was long the envy of the world. It advanced public interest and gave rise to a grand history of policy innovations that fostered both economic and social progress. Today, however, our political system has become the major barrier to solving nearly every important challenge our nation needs to address.”

We invited Professor Porter and Ms. Gehl to present their findings in a webinar. You can watch the video below or on YouTube.

Stay tuned for future blog posts highlighting key findings of this unique “industry analysis,” as well as the authors’ recommendations to make American politics more competitive.