Washington Policy Watch

News and perspective on public policy issues affecting Washington's economy and quality of life, brought to you by the Economic Opportunity Institute.

Join the team at EOI: We’re looking for a development director!

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The Economic Opportunity Institute is looking for a development director to raise funds in support of EOI’s mission and policy areas, with a current annual fundraising goal of approximately $750,000. This is a fantastic opportunity to join a dynamic team of people committed to restoring the promise of the middle class by building an economy that works – for everyone. The position offers an excellent salary, very generous benefits and a great working environment. Complete job description and application instructions: http://www.eoionline.org/about/jobs.htm.

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Four new economic development policies to help us recover from the recession

Stan Sorscher

Stan Sorscher, EOI Board Member

Guest post by Stan Sorscher (cross-posted from Huffington Post)

Let’s look at public policies for economic development that help us recover from the recession.

In one view of economic development, the role of government is to “make business succeed.” In this view, government should get out of the way and let markets find the most efficient outcome.

An alternative view of economic development is that government policies should raise our standard of living. In this view, government plays an active role in devising trade and industrial policies that attract investment, build industrial capacity, and create good jobs that build the middle class. And make business succeed.

To be sure, markets are powerful and efficient, but markets fail. In particular, markets fail to serve non-economic interests — not just the environment, human rights, labor rights, and public health, but markets also under-invest in R&D, education, physical infrastructure and social safety nets.

Globalization has sharpened the difference in these two approaches, by de-coupling investor and business interests from the public interest. If investors are global in their outlook, then the interests of America dim from view.

In a global economy where national boundaries are blurred, we need to think about trade and industrial policies that work for America. A year ago, I mentioned 4 policies that would help reconnect the interests of investors with public interests and communities. Here are four more.

Read the rest of this entry »

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Want a better country? You won’t find it on your big screen

From the Everett Herald:

Thousands of demonstrators gather in Bayda, Libya to protest the dictatorship of Muammar Gaddafi.

If there’s a single lesson to be drawn from the events of 2011, it’s this: Democracy is based on acting and doing, not sitting and watching.

The actions of a sole protestor in Algeria, magnified by thousands of others, toppled dictators in Algeria, Egypt and Libya. People did not just watch — they marched, they protested, and they risked their livelihoods and their lives. No one even saw the “Arab Spring” coming until it had happened.

In Israel, in July, a few citizens set up a tent city in Tel Aviv, demanding a tax increase on the wealthy, rent controls, free education, limits on privatization and an increase in the minimum wage. Eventually 150,000 people joined the protests; tent cities bloomed in 40 different cities and towns.

Citizen protest jumped the ocean and came to Wisconsin, where the new governor and Legislature thought they could just demolish unions and cut pay and pensions and benefits.

Some 100,000 people took over the state Capitol to protest, and two state senators lost their jobs by recall election. Now Wisconsinites have collected half a million signatures to force a recall election of Gov. Scott Walker this year.

In New York, a few people decided it was time to take on America’s financial dictators by occupying Wall Street, the center of financial power in the world. And as if for the first time, the national media discovered that the very rich are getting even richer while working families get less and the dream of middle class seems lost to many. Again, no one thought the “American Autumn” was even possible — until it was already upon us.

So democracy is the proverbial genie that cannot be put back in the bottle. The question is, what next? I think the answer depends on whether more people choose to “act and do” or “sit and watch.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Finally, something we can all be thankful for

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