What Small Businesses Are Thinking
The latest on Social Security, 2A, energy subsidies, immigration, and post-Trump conservatism
Greetings from Advancing American Freedom,
This week, we’re excited to share the launch of our Small Business Opportunity Initiative, beginning with a survey of 300+ small businesses.
Event Invite: Thursday, April 9th, 12:00pm - 1:00pm at Longworth 1539
We’ll be hosting a Chick-Fil-A lunch briefing and releasing our One Big Beautiful Booklet (OBBB). The Booklet is a collection of memos and one-pagers written by our experts summarizing the wins in the One Big Beautiful Bill.
What We’re Up To
Economics
Experience Matters: Seniors and the Workforce (Testimony, Special Committee on Aging) — Rachel Greszler
The expansion of transitional retirement and “unretirement” have contributed to millions more older Americans working today.”
A Second Reconciliation Bill Should Eliminate Remaining Energy Provisions (Washington Times) — Austin Gae
Lawmakers should immediately and permanently repeal all remaining energy subsidies, which would save tens of billions of dollars and strengthen the American energy sector in the long term.
USTR Investigation Ignores Free Market Economics (The Center Square) — Davison Drumm
The absolute size of America’s manufacturing output, industrial capacity, and manufactured imports have all increased since the post-war golden age of American manufacturing.
A Pro-Growth Proposal to Strengthen Social Security (Washington Examiner) — Rachel Greszler
Eliminating Social Security’s retirement earnings test could add up to 1 million older workers to the labor force by removing extraordinarily high tax rates that discourage work.
Culture & Courts
What Comes After Trump? (First Things) — Tim Chapman and John Shelton
The institutions that sustain fraternity cannot be engineered by the state. They grow from citizens who understand that liberty carries obligations as well as rights.
The Supreme Court Takes Up a Vital, Slam-Dunk Immigration Case (National Review) — Hans von Spakovsky
A rogue federal judge is asserting judicial review over Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation even though the statute explicitly makes clear that “there is no judicial review.”
Court is Adjourned: Episode 1: Amy Get Your Gun (YouTube)
Hans von Spakovsky interviews Amy Swearer to discuss Second Amendment cases Wolford v. Lopez and US v. Hemani (also available on Spotify).
What We’re Reading
The Trump-inspired realignment of the conservative think tank world (POLITICO)
“Three new groups – the America First Policy Institute, American Compass and Advancing American Freedom – have formed since 2020, seeing an opening to create a home for their type of conservative policy…
The battle for lasting influence is on, and who ends up on top in this new realignment of conservative think tanks will not only determine who is most influential in Trump’s second term but could also mold the shape of conservative policy in the post-Trump era.”
We are looking forward to seeing you at our next event!
Respectfully,
John Shelton, VP of Policy
Advancing American Freedom