Success is the ultimate unity. When people succeed together, petty differences tend to disappear.
One of the few things Americans agree on today is that we are more divided than ever before.Recent Ipsos Poll81% of Americans agree with this view, including 82% of Republicans, 80% of Democrats and 81% of independents.
Shared success will, in turn, foster the political unity and sense of common purpose sorely needed in America today.
But the situation is not hopeless: The same survey found that 69% of Americans believe we all want the same basic things in life, a result that was again consistent across political spectrums.
Our Founding Fathers knew that Americans share the same fundamental aspirations as all people throughout history, so they designed our government to focus on fundamentals: security, stability, and prosperity. We do well to return to these simple, unifying truths as we work and live together.
With that in mind, here are five things the next administration can do to build unprecedented prosperity and unite our divided country.
1. Rethinking the IRS: From Enforcement to Empowerment
The Biden-Harris administration87,000 new IRS employeesThis will more than double the number of tax enforcement personnel, which currently stands at 79,000.
Rather than using these new hires for strict enforcement, which would require stronger crackdowns on small businesses and individuals, the next administration should transform the IRS into an agency focused on helping businesses come into compliance constructively, leveraging incentives like the research and development tax credit that encourage growth. Replacing enforcement with cooperation would reduce conflict and help taxpayers see the government as an ally rather than an adversary.
2. Defense Procurement Reform
The Department of Defense has an outdated procurement process that dates back to the Cold War, and modernizing this process could produce significant savings and better outcomes, ease pressures on the federal budget, and increase public confidence that service members are well supported.
Moving from an annual to a three-year budget will allow for better planning and resource allocation, and establishing a permanent slush fund will provide the opportunity to respond quickly to emerging threats and take advantage of new technologies.
These reforms will improve DoD readiness and operational capabilities, move away from outdated and restrictive procedures, and enable it to keep pace with rapidly evolving technological advances.
3. Revitalizing the welfare system
Welfare programs should not just provide assistance for a minimum standard of living, but should encourage personal growth and purpose. Revitalizing these programs may require linking benefits back to participation in job training, education, or community service. This approach will help individuals move forward on the social and economic ladder, rather than keeping them in a state of dependency.
Both agree that welfare should be “help, not handouts.” Implementing this common-sense principle will empower individuals to thrive and break the cycle of poverty.
4. Reduce regulatory burden
The problem for SMEs and startups is not necessarily the number of regulations, but the complexity of overlapping rules. Streamlining these complex regulatory frameworks can reduce compliance costs without compromising the original purpose of the regulations.
Simplifying regulations lowers barriers to entry and encourages more entrepreneurs to bring their ideas to market, promoting diversity and innovation in the economy. This approach allows the best and brightest to focus on making an impact rather than managing regulatory compliance.
5. Reform of tax incentives
Tax incentives should reward businesses that engage in activities that create social and economic benefits, rather than directing benefits to politically connected individuals, companies, and industries. These incentives should encourage investment in emerging sectors like clean energy, AI-driven efficiency, and regenerative agriculture.
Incentives should also create a tax environment that encourages U.S. companies currently based overseas to relocate back to the United States and discourages other companies from leaving the United States.
There is no need to deepen political divisions. Rather, we can avoid them and pursue commonsense solutions that help all Americans prosper. Shared success, in turn, will foster political unity and the sense of common purpose so desperately needed in America today.
