June 18 Meeting: The Abundance Agenda

The emerging political reform movement known as the “Abundance Agenda” holds that the key to shared prosperity is “a government that can build things.” It is born in part from the failures of governments (especially those led by Democrats) to deliver on their promises even when they have had majorities to legislate and a willingness to spend. The result: No high-speed rail. No EV charging stations. Increasingly unaffordable housing. A healthcare system that is shockingly expensive but still fails to serve all Americans.

The diagnosis: A government with too many veto points, too much “stop energy” and not enough “go energy.”

The cure: Streamline procedures. Upgrade government IT. Reform hiring and procurement. Reform zoning and permitting at the state and local levels. Don’t spend to subsidize demand until you have taken action to expand supply.

Some Democrats see the Abundance Agenda as a positive, can-do theme that can bring their party back from the political wilderness. Others see bipartisan appeal and an exit from political polarization. Still others think AA is simplistic, naïve about corporate power, and insensitive to demands for social justice.

What do you think? Here are some readings to get you up to speed on the Abundance Agenda and its critics.

•           Abundance, Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson. A persuasive and readable book-length introduction, high on NYT best-seller list.
•          “The Coming Democratic Civil War,” Jonathan Chait in The Atlantic. Chait is supportive of AA but provides a fair account of why it has opponents within the party.
•          “The Rise of the Abundance Faction,” Robert Saldin and Steven Teles for Niskanen Center.
•          “The Real Path to Abundance,” Sandeep Vaheesan in The Boston Review. A critique of Klein and Thompson from the left.
•          “Lawn Sign Liberalism vs. Supply-Side Progressivism,” Virginia Postrel in Reason Magazine. A mostly favorable libertarian perspective on AA.
•       "What DOGE Didn't Do" Jennifer Pahlka, one of the leading thinkers in AA, explains the difference between constructive changes to rules and simply ignoring the rules.