Millions of people around the world are 
emerging from poverty thanks to rising 
economic freedom. But by sharp contrast,
 a declining path over the past decade.
.
According to the 2016 Index of Economic Freedom, an annual publication by The Heritage Foundation, America’s economic freedom has tumbled. With losses of economic freedom in eight 
of the past nine years, the U.S. has tied its 
worst score ever, wiping out a decade of 
progress.
The U.S. has fallen from 
the 6th freest economy in the world, when President Barack Obama took office, to 11th place in 2016. America’s declining score in the index is closely 
related to rapidly rising government spending, 
subsidies, and bailouts.
Since early 2009:
  • Government spending has exploded, 
  • amounting to $29,867 per household in 2015.
  • The national debt has risen to $125,000 for 
  • every tax-filing household in America—a total 
  • over $18 trillion.
  • The government takeover of health care is 
  • raising prices and disrupting markets.
  • Bailouts and new government regulations have increased uncertainty, stifling investment and
  •  job creation.
This is not something to take lightly. Economic 
freedom is the foundation of U.S. economic strength,
 and economic strength is the foundation of 
America’s high living standards, military power, 
and status as a world leader. The perils of losing 
economic freedom are not fictional.

It is painfully clear that our economy has been 
performing far below its potential, with individuals,
families, and entrepreneurs being squeezed by the proliferation of big-government bureaucracy and regulations.
As documented by the index, and by other scholars, 
America’s economic freedom has been declining 
at an alarming pace.
Indeed, as The Wall Street Journal recently 
summed it up succinctly, Obama is “a champion 
when it comes to limiting economic freedom, and 
American workers have the slow growth in jobs 
and wages to prove it.”

The U.S. has the highest corporate tax rate in the developed world. This has driven new jobs to 
other, more competitive nations and has meant 
fewer jobs and lower wages for Americans.Not surprisingly, our economic dynamism and innovative capacity have been measurably reduced. 
Self-inflicted wounds include:
No wonder the labor force participation rate has remained at near record lows after more than five 
years of steady decline.
Worse, vibrant entrepreneurial growth has been 
stymied by greater policy uncertainty and mounting 
debt. And a disturbing trend toward cronyism has 
gravely eroded the rule of law and distorted our 
free-market system.
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman 
Kevin Brady, R-Texas, keynote speaker of the 
It’s been almost seven years since the Obama “recovery” began, and our economy is barely

out of neutral. Why does America have to

settle for this?
Restoring economic freedom is prerequisite to 
revitalizing and brightening America’s future. 
2016 is the year to reaffirm the principles of limited government, free enterprise, and rule of law so 
that we can reconstitute an America where freedom, opportunity, and prosperity flourish.
The time to act is now.