In 2010, for the first time ever, the United States has fallen from the ranks of the economically “free” as measured by the Index of Economic Freedom, published annually by The Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal, falling below the cutoff that earns countries the right to call themselves “free.” Read More.
President Obama is hosting the 38th annual G8 summit May 18–19 at Camp David. It is expected to be “a short summit of less than 24 hours, yielding only a five-page communiqué.”[1] The deplorable reality is that in recent years, the credibility and relevance of the G8 summit…
As the European economic crisis once again comes to a boil, many wonder how the Europeans put themselves in such hot water. This is a political crisis on top of an unemployment crisis, which bubbles on top of a fiscal crisis, underneath which is the critical element of an unsustainable…
Abstract: Like a vitamin regimen that exceeds recommended daily amounts, corporate social responsibility (CSR)—once seen as a healthy thing in small doses—now poses a toxic threat to American business. CSR is an attractive-looking concoction…
Bilateral investment treaties (BITs) extend fundamental trade principles, such as nondiscrimination among partners, to investment. In 2009, the Obama Administration began revising the model BIT, the outline that the U.S. initially provides other countries. This month, the revised model BIT was released. The Administration touts it as improving labor and…
The U.S. government suffers from understandable but harmful confusion concerning Chinese economic reform. It is correctly understood that market reforms have been most often implemented gradually. However, that slowness is misperceived to be moderation. In fact, when market reforms have occurred, they have been clear and powerful. …
Sino–American economic conflicts are often characterized as “bad but improving.” For example, the trade deficit is ugly, but exports to China are rising, protection of intellectual property is said to be slowly expanding, and so on. There is an important matter, however, where the situation is bad and the case…
On March 13–14, British Prime Minister David Cameron will make an official visit to the United States complete with a state dinner, reciprocating the state visit by President Barack Obama to Britain in May 2011. It comes in advance of NATO and G-8 summits; in the midst of crises in…
Abstract: Japan’s “lost decade” has turned into two; and Japan is not alone. Staggering amounts of public debt and stagnant economies have become a problem from the EU to the U.S. Despite twenty years of evidence to the contrary, the belief persists that deficit…
The United States has a truly massive economic relationship with East Asia. U.S.–East Asia trade exceeds $1 trillion annually, and two-way investment is more than $4 trillion. The U.S. also has many complaints about the economic relationship. Some refer to the huge trade deficit America runs…
The Obama Administration has attached little importance to the transatlantic alliance, and Europe has barely figured in its foreign policy. The Administration’s highly touted “pivot to Asia” is simply a belated admission that it has less interest in Europe than any post–1945 U.S. Administration. While Europe is the home of…
Abstract: China’s leap from poverty due to the marvelously successful market reforms introduced in 1978 has obscured serious weaknesses in its economy—especially compared to the American economy. These weaknesses have been exacerbated by renewed Chinese state intervention that began around 2003. Many seem convinced…
Abstract: Chinese investment in the rest of the world, especially in the United States, continues to be a controversial topic. It is important for policymakers to understand the scope of China’s investments, and unless there is a specific national security consideration, market principles should…
Chairman Warner, Ranking Member Johanns, thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My name is J.D. Foster. I am the Norman B. Ture Senior Fellow at The Heritage Foundation. The views I express in this testimony are my own, and should not be construed as representing any official position…
Abstract: Despite decades of repeated failure, President Obama and Congress continue to promote the myth that government can spend its way out of recession. Heritage Foundation economic policy expert Brian Riedl dispels the stimulus myth, lays out the evidence that government spending does not end recessions--and…
Abstract: Promoting economic freedom at home and abroad is essential to revitalizing the U.S. economy. In 2010, for the first time ever, the United States fell from the ranks of the economically free in the Index of Economic Freedom, and economic freedom in the…
China has the world’s second-largest GDP, the world’s largest monetary base, and the world’s largest foreign exchange...…
Dr. Jim Yong Kim, the U.S. nominee for the next chief of the World Bank, has been on a “global listening tour.” Kim’s...…
President Obama famously declared in this year's State of the Union: "I've approved fewer regulations in the first...…
The People’s Republic of China’s (PRC’s) relationship with Iran receives a good deal of attention. As the U.S. considers...…
“What do you say to people who are losing patience with gas prices at $3 a gallon? And how much of a political price do…
California legislators passed a statewide cap and trade bill in 2006 that is set to begin in 2012, but a growing...…
Last Friday, Van Jones debated Andy Morriss, Law Professor at the University of Illinois in The Economist on the topic...…
The following Q&A with The Heritage Foundation's Ben Lieberman is cross-posted from The Washington Post's Planet...…
Over 2,500 business leaders are flying in from around the world on carbon-spewing planes to the Swiss ski resort Davos...…
The wheels have been falling off the global warming bandwagon well before Climategate and the recent hole-poking of...…
Research Fellow For Economic Freedom and Growth
Senior Research Fellow