Leadership for America

Enterprise & Free Markets

Eliminating barriers to enterprise and innovation.

Statement of Purpose

In addition to being the primary engine of our economic growth and prosperity, the entrepreneurial spirit is inextricably linked to the inalienable rights enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, including liberty and the pursuit of happiness. As Winston Churchill once said, “America is an idea, not a place.” Central to the American idea is the notion that individual dignity necessarily includes the freedom to work hard, be creative and get ahead in life without interference by the state. As such, entrepreneurship has historically been seen in America as a fundamental expression of the human spirit.

Objectives

1.To secure broad public support for the merits of enterprise and free market principles in America.
2.To eliminate unnecessary regulations that hamper risk-taking by private enterprise and obstruct the freedom and flexibility of American workers.
3.To remove protectionist trade policies and other obstacles to free trade, and make the United States #1 in the Index of Economic Freedom.

Red Tape with a $70 Billion Price Tag

Regulatory costs skyrocketed in the first term of the Obama Administration, which added nearly $70 billion to the already excessive annual burden of government do’s and don’ts.

Heritage expert James Gattuso explains how this will affect you.
Internet Sales Tax: More Money for Big Government

Like the money-hungry federal government, many state governments have financial and political interests in getting their hands on more and more money to grow their governments.

Learn why nothing is conservative about the Internet Sales Tax.
8 Steps to Eliminate Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

Now that housing is beginning to show signs of a sustained recovery, it is time to create a private-sector housing finance system to replace the two government-sponsored enterprises that caused many of the problems.

Read the 8-Step Plan.
Obama's Red Tape Illustrated in One Graphic

The Heritage Foundation put together an infographic to help understand how the costly regulations of Obama's first term affect our lives—and pockets.

View the full infographic here.
Consumer Bureau Harms Those It Claims to Protect

Government interference in the financial market does not come without consequences. In the case of the CFPB, the rule of law is being supplanted by regulatory whim, increasing consumers’ costs and reducing consumers’ choices of financial products and services.

Read the full backgrounder here.
Another Subprime Idea from Obama

The Obama Administration is reportedly pushing banks to increase mortgage lending to people with relatively weak credit in hopes of boosting home sales. But the very same policy under Presidents Clinton and Bush contributed mightily to the housing bubble.

This is the last thing the President should do.
Internet Taxation: Fair or Foul?

As a general rule, whenever one hears members of Congress talking about "fairness," you should hold on tight to your wallet. That's certainly the case with the proposed "Marketplace Fairness Act".

Learn why.
Understanding American Prosperity

Prosperity gives us the chance to thrive and enjoy the blessings of liberty.

Listen here for an understanding of America's prosperity.
Adjusting the Picture: Television Regulation for the 21st Century

The television industry is seeing growing conflicts between traditional broadcasters and the newer cable and satellite providers over retransmission rights.

Read More

Reports
Commentary
Videos
Blog Posts

Red Tape Rising: Regulation in Obama's First Term
Virtually every aspect of Americans’ lives is controlled to a varying extent by regulation, including how we light our homes, wash our clothes, fuel our cars, feed our families, and obtain our health care. In this new report, our experts detail the number and cost of these many new rules.

Learn how these regulations will affect you.
A Housing Market Free of Fannie and Freddie
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac distort the U.S. housing and mortgage market at substantial risk to households and U.S. taxpayers. Congress needs to recognize that this institutional model has failed and should be eliminated to protect U.S. taxpayers and the U.S. Treasury.

Read More

Research Review: Zero Lower Bound Interest Rates

Posted May 8, 2013 by Salim Furth, Ph.D.
Three Key Questions for a New USTR

Posted May 3, 2013 by Anthony B. Kim
Heritage Employment Report: Sequester Does Not Shower on Economy in April

Posted May 3, 2013 by James Sherk, Salim Furth, Ph.D.
Red Tape Rising: Regulation in Obama’s First Term

Posted May 1, 2013 by James L. Gattuso, Diane Katz
Tariff Reform Needed to Boost the U.S. Economy

Posted April 29, 2013 by Bryan Riley

View all

Experts From This Initiative

James L. Gattuso
James Gattuso handles regulatory and telecommunications issues for The Heritage Foundation as a Senior Research Fellow in its Roe Instit...
Rea S. Hederman, Jr.
As director of the Center for Data Analysis (CDA), Rea S. Hederman Jr. is The Heritage Foundation's top "number cruncher." He oversees the t...
David C. John
David John is one of five experts who "exert more influence" on the Social Security debate than anyone else in Washington – and he is Th...
James Sherk
As Heritage's Senior Policy Analyst in Labor Economics, James Sherk researches ways to promote competition and mobility in the workforce...
Diane Katz
Diane Katz, who has analyzed and written on public policy issues for more than two decades, is a research fellow in regulatory policy at...
Bryan Riley
Bryan Riley is a full-time advocate for free trade through his research and writing for The Heritage Foundation. He brings years of expe...
David B. Muhlhausen, Ph.D.
David B. Muhlhausen is a leading expert on criminal justice programs in The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Data Analysis. A Research F...

OTHER LEADERSHIP for AMERICA INITIATIVES

First Principles
Rediscovering our principles in order to reclaim our future.
American Leadership
Advancing American leadership and freedom in the world.
Education
Strengthening American education by returning authority to the states and...
Energy & Environment
Advancing freedom and prosperity by unleashing free enterprise, protecting...
Entitlements, Taxes & Spending
Replacing the culture of entitlements with one of mutual responsibility.
Family & Religion
To sustain freedom and the common good, family and religion are central
Health Care
Providing every American freedom of choice in health care.
Protect America
Protecting America and Americans from freedom’s enemies.
Rule of Law
Reestablishing the rule of law as the foundation for constitutional...

Leadership for America

Enterprise & Free Markets

Statement of Purpose

Objectives

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Experts From This Initiative

OTHER LEADERSHIP for AMERICA INITIATIVES

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