“The state of American business is competitive,” said United States Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Suzanne Clark in her State of American Business address on January 11. “Businesses are not simply competing to win today, but to build a better tomorrow … to propel our country and world toward a brighter future of growth, solutions, and opportunity.”
Why it matters: Despite the clear innovation, the resilience, and the dynamism of our economy, we have leaders who think the government needs to step in and impose a heavy hand.
- “If bureaucrats and elected officials don’t stop getting in the way, we will stop them,” Clark said. “We will challenge overreach and defend the rule of law at every turn, in every agency, and with every tool at our disposal … in Washington, in statehouses, and in the courts.”
Centered around the theme, “Competition for the Future,” Clark addresses three key challenges.
Worker shortage:
- She called for doubling the number of people legally immigrating to the U.S.; a permanent solution for the “dreamers;” and the removal of barriers to work facing parents, those without broadband access, and formerly incarcerated individuals.
- “Let’s ensure everyone in this country has the skills, the education, and the opportunity to go as high and as far as their hard work and talent will take them—for the 11 million jobs that sit vacant today,” she said. “And for the jobs of tomorrow that haven’t even been invented yet.”
Trade:
- The U.S. is falling behind on trade, Clark warned. “While other economies race to ink new deals, the U.S. hasn’t entered an agreement with a new trade partner in a decade.”
Supporting Pro-Business Leaders
- We need more politicians who are focused on winning over voters to their ideas, and then building broad coalitions to turn those ideas into good policy, Clark explained.
- “The U.S. Chamber is calling for a new movement of bold—and I mean bold—business advocates committed to defending those elected officials who dare to find the common ground necessary to enact durable policies to move our country forward.”
Bottom line: “Competition will enable us to innovate our way through this pandemic. And it will help us use all of the challenges, disruptions, and opportunities accelerated by the pandemic to shape a new economic era that will define our future.”
- ICYMI: Clark told CNBC after her address, “I’m optimistic about the ability of businesses to step forward and solve problems and serve consumers.”
Learn more:
- Watch Clark’s State of American Business 2022 keynote address.
- Read Clark’s State of American Business 2022 keynote address.