Heritage Prescribes 'Solutions for America'

Policy Agenda Would Curb Federal Spending, Spur Job Creation

WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Heritage Foundation today released "Solutions for America," a comprehensive policy agenda addressing the nation's most pressing and ingrained problems.

Compiled by experts at Heritage, the leading conservative think tank, the guidebook outlines critical challenges on 23 policy fronts and makes 128 specific recommendations for Congress to confront and overcome these obstacles. Among them:

• Trim excessive compensation for federal employees by bringing their salaries and benefits in line with those of private-sector pay.
• Exempt those who work beyond the retirement age from paying payroll taxes.
• Establish a unified budget governing all 71 federal welfare programs; cap their year-to-year growth at the rate of inflation; expand work requirements and treat a portion of benefits as loans to be repaid, not grants from taxpayers.
• Spur investment, job creation and global competition by reducing the top corporate tax rate and allowing firms to deduct immediately all investments in new facilities and equipment.

"All the recommendations in 'Solutions' have one thing in common. They would return power to the people. And, collectively, they will put America back on the track to prosperity and greatness," Heritage President Edwin J. Feulner said.

"These policy prescriptions are bold, but they're also politically viable," Feulner noted. "Poll after poll reveals majorities of Americans embrace proposals to nurture free enterprise, limit government, protect individual freedom, preserve traditional American values and provide a strong national defense."

Available at heritage.org/solutions, the 54-page booklet outlines proposals designed to get federal spending under control; reform the tax code; reduce unnecessary and duplicative red tape; repeal Obamacare and "get health reform right"; meet national energy and environmental needs; improve homeland security, and deter the threat of nuclear weapons.

Specific recommendations also include:

• Limit annual increases in total federal spending to inflation plus population growth. End corporate welfare and earmarks.
• Raise the retirement age, and put the Big Three entitlements – Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security – on five-year budgets with firm spending limits.
• Restore to the states their traditional primary role in providing key services such as transportation, education, law enforcement and health (especially Medicaid).
• Create a viable temporary worker program, but only after first securing the borders and enforcing current immigration law.
• Invest in peace through strength by revitalizing the armed forces and accelerating development and deployment of effective missile defenses.

"Responding to problems with lavish spending has always been popular in Washington. Lately, it's become their only answer," Feulner said. "Our answers start from a very different place: real reform."

The Heritage Foundation is the nation's most broadly supported public policy research institute, with more than 684,000 donors. To hear an audio podcast on "Solutions for America" with Heritage's Mike Franc, go here.

SOURCE The Heritage Foundation