Alan Greenspan wrote in his biography, “The battle for capitalism is never won.”
We couldn’t agree more.
Consider that in 2022, the Pew Research Center disturbingly found that 36% of U.S. adults say they view socialism somewhat (30%) or very (6%) positively.
While that percentage declined slightly from 2019, there is still a lot of work to do to correct these troubling perspectives.
That’s why we were so pleased to hear that Common Sense Institute, a nonpartisan organization focused on employment and economic issues, announced its expansion into Iowa.
“Iowa is a place where free enterprise is taking wing — a place where common sense policy is on the march,” said CSI president and CEO Kristin Strohm, an Iowa native and graduate of Coe College. “The expansion of the CSI into Iowa aligns with our commitment to be in all pivotal policy states across the nation, providing policymakers and citizens with the facts on the issues that impact their lives.”
CSI leaders say the group will employ rigorous research techniques and dynamic modeling to evaluate the potential impact of proposed public policies on jobs and the economy in the state of Iowa.
“CSI’s presence in Iowa is a game-changer for our state, and I’m thrilled to announce this launch,” said Joe Murphy, president of the Iowa Business Council, who will serve as CSI Iowa board chair. “We are at a crucial juncture in shaping our economic policies, and informed decisions are key. CSI’s rigorous research will be instrumental in guiding these decisions.”
Providing rigorous research to provide facts on important economic policies will benefit the state as it continues to focus on pro-growth policies, while also fighting misguided perceptions easily communicated by social media.
This new Iowa endeavor should help.
‘It’s about the region’
At the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance annual meeting, Alex Baker, manager of location analysis and incentives for Maxis Advisors, who helped work with local officials to draw Sub-Zero to Cedar Rapids, had an on-stage conversation with EA Executive Director Doug Neumann.
One comment worth referencing from Mr. Baker during this exchange was the importance of regional collaboration: “Projects that come to Cedar Rapids come to the region. A win for Cedar Rapids is a win for Marion is a win for Fairfax is a win for all communities as I’ve seen them around the country. It’s no longer about the city metropolis. It’s about the region. It’s about the multi-county region. In Atlanta where we have 29 counties around Atlanta, there is just a constant drumbeat about those 29 counties and how they all benefit from projects locating in any one of those 29 counties.”
Amen.
