Washington, D.C
Washington, D.C. shouldn’t run the nation’s economy
In the popular mind, nearly every American city owes its prominence to one private industry or another: steel barons built Pittsburgh, modern finance defined New York City, San Francisco and Austin have ridden high on technology. The one big city without a defining private industry, of course, is Washington, D.C., home of America’s federal government. That’s why it’s so odd that many on the right are now championing “industrial policy” efforts that would try to transform D.C. into a center of economic innovation.
Indeed, proposals for this heavy level of government engagement in the economy, once considered by many on the right as a crony-capitalist venture favored mostly by Democrats, has become increasingly popular with Republicans ranging from presidential candidate Donald Trump to Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. The sheer size of the federal government – more than a fifth of the economy – means that a totally hands-off attitude towards industry is impossible. But, even if the government can’t stay out of the economy entirely, recent history shows it can still foster innovation without picking winners and losers.
The actions typically thought of as industrial policy have an undeniable allure: nearly all experts consider important certain sectors such as artificial intelligence, energy production and biomedicine. By earmarking resources, changing regulations and imposing tariffs on non-U.S. industries and companies, the thinking goes that D.C. can secure prosperity. This is the fundamental approach taken by the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act subsidies for green energy as well as proposals from Republicans to bolster heavy manufacturing and fossil-fuel production.
But expecting these efforts to work flies in the face of history. Since World War II, nearly every president has picked out a favored industry and tried to slant things in its direction. The Trump administration proposed billions of subsidies and even more costly regulations on competitors intended to benefit coal companies which slumped anyway. Bill Clinton’s administration spent millions on a “supercar” project that angered environmentalists and set back America’s efforts to build hybrid vehicles. Richard Nixon’s Department of Housing and Urban development launched an ambitious effort to change how housing got built and ended up making housing more expensive.
American economic leadership in the 20th century was not the result of a bureaucratically overseen industrial policy. Our nation’s dynamism flows from a broadly supportive government role that involves multi-use infrastructure, limited but important support for science and regulatory certainty.
The government’s role has been most visible in major projects like the interstate highway system and modern internet. While both would not have existed without heavy federal subsidies, neither of these projects was intended to benefit one specific sector. Nobody wanted “leadership” or “jobs” in asphalt or fiber-optic cable production. Instead, the architects of both intended to create accessible scaffolding upon which the private sector could experiment, innovate and scale. Fast-food restaurants probably gained more from the interstate system than roadbuilders.
Similarly, the breakthroughs in technology emerged from regulatory environments where the government’s role was to lay the groundwork – funding basic research, experimenting with a few pilot programs, and then stepping back to allow the private sector to take the lead in development, commercialization and scale. This approach succeeded because it created new knowledge in every field of human endeavor rather than having politicians decide what was important.
Most important, the establishment of limited, efficient regulatory systems that offer clarity and certainty for private enterprises has been critical. Such frameworks enable businesses to plan for the long term, secure in their understanding of the rules of the game. Right now, the American tort law system punishes entrepreneurs and burdensome regulations favor slow-moving incumbent companies. Furthermore, many legacy regulations are ill-suited to the characteristics of new technologies.
For example, the foremost challenge faced by green industries is regulatory burdens, whereas most green subsidies in the Inflation Reduction Act constitute corporate welfare. Comprehensive reforms to outmoded power-industry regulation and
As policymakers grapple with the best path forward, it is imperative to remember that the strength of the U.S. economy lies in freedom, diversity and innovation. Principles that emphasize a limited government role could pave the way for a new era of American leadership in the global economy in a way that picking winners and losers never has. It is a no-brainer that Washington, D.C. shouldn’t run the economy.
Eli Lehrer is president of the R Street Institute.
The first candle lit on the National Menorah near the White House in Washington, D.C., marked the first night of Hanukkah — and solemnly honored victims of the Bondi Beach shooting.
The National Menorah Lighting was held Sunday night, hours after gunmen opened fire on a crowd celebrating the beginning of Hanukkah at Australia’s iconic Bondi Beach. Fifteen people were killed, including a 10-year-old girl, a rabbi and a Holocaust survivor, and over three dozen others were being treated at hospitals.
Authorities in Australia said it was a terrorist attack targeting Jewish people.
Organizers behind the National Menorah Lighting said the news from Australia, along with the bitter cold, forced them to consider whether or not to hold the annual event.
After consulting with local law enforcement, National Menorah Lighting organizers decided to hold the event and honor the victims.
Several D.C.-area police departments issued statements confirming there are no known threats to local communities, but are monitoring just in case.
Montgomery County Executive Mark Elrich condemned the attack and said community safety is a priority.
“Acts of antisemitism, especially those meant to intimidate families and communities during moments of gathering and celebration, must be called out clearly and condemned without hesitation,” Elrich said. “I have heard directly from members of Montgomery County’s Jewish community who are shaken and concerned, and I want them to know that their safety is a priority.”
WASHINGTON (7News) — Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief Pamela Smith is facing yet another scathing report accusing her of manipulating crime data in the city.
The 22-page document from the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform comes less than a week after a separate draft report from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and days after Chief Smith turned in her resignation.
The main difference between the Congressional report and the DOJ report is that this new one, released on December 14, contains transcribed interviews directly with commanders from all seven MPD patrol districts.
RELATED | DC Police settles with former employee over claims that crime numbers were manipulated
The testimony reveals how Chief Smith chastised and, in some cases, publicly humiliated staff in crime briefings.
“The Committee’s investigation heard consistent testimony about frustration and exhaustion among MPD commanders and the manifestation of a culture of fear, intimidation, threats, and retaliation by Chief Smith. Often, these manifestations were triggered whenever the Chief was presented with what she considers ‘bad news,’ particularly when that news pertained to any rise in public crime statistics. Chief Smith, according to testimonies, regularly took action against her subordinates who failed to aid in the preservation of her public image,” the report states on page two.
RELATED | Trump announces probe into DC police for inflating crime stats amid safety claims
The committee launched the investigation in August when whistleblowers came forward with concerns about data manipulation.
One line of questioning in the report states:
Question: Over the last few years, has there been any internal pressure to simply bring down crime statistics?
Answer: Yes, I mean extreme… there’s always been pressure to keep crime down, but the focus on statistics… has come in with this current administration or regime, and you know, that has manifested publicly.
7News reached out to Mayor Bowser’s Office for a comment in response to the report. A spokesperson provided the following statement:
The men and women of the Metropolitan Police Department run towards danger every day to reduce homicides, carjackings, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and more. The precipitous decline in crime in our city is attributable to their hard work and dedication and Chief Smith’s leadership.
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT
I thank Chief Smith for her commitment to the safety of D.C. residents and for holding the Metropolitan Police Department to an exacting standard, and I expect no less from our next Chief of Police.
Washington, D.C
DC police chief accused of manipulating crime data in new House Oversight Committee report – WTOP News
D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith has been accused of manipulating crime data to “maintain the appearance of low crime” in a new report released Sunday by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith has been accused of manipulating crime data to “maintain the appearance of low crime” in a new report released Sunday by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
The interim staff report came from transcribed interviews with the commanders of all seven D.C. patrol districts, as well as one former commander currently placed on suspended leave, according to a news release.
The report alleges Smith “punished and removed officers for reporting accurate crime numbers and fostered a toxic culture.”
D.C. police Chief Pamela Smith recently announced she is stepping down at the end of the month after two years leading the department.
Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office told WTOP they “are reviewing the report.”
Read the full report here.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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