|
HISTORY
Since 1974, the Institute has been a force for
innovation and change in American social and economic
policy. As a think tank, our central goal has always
been a society that provides all its citizens an
opportunity to achieve financial independence and
to realize their dreams.
Personal fulfillment and
the American Dream have long been the focus of
American politics. Nevertheless, despite massive
federal intervention and the creation of hundreds
of anti-poverty programs, many of the nation's
social and economic goals remain elusive. Poverty
persists. Lack of access to health coverage has
been increasing. The long-term fiscal imbalances
associated with Social Security and Medicare continue
to grow. Debates over the amount of taxation and
fairness of the tax system persist. The nation
is increasingly dependent on energy resources from
geopolitically unstable regions.
The Institute believes that
government cannot be the solution to our nation's
most pressing social problems. Our capitalist
system, which through its dynamism produces inequality,
can itself become the engine of progress. This
can best be accomplished by providing all Americans
with the resources and access to economic opportunity
to meet their basic needs, yet preserving their
incentive to become productive and improve their
lives.
The mission of the Institute for SocioEconomic
Studies is to provide research and public education
on market-based alternatives to current social
policy. These initiatives are based on the belief
that American citizens as consumers are best able
to determine their individual needs and the best
way to satisfy them.
At its conferences, the Institute has hosted policy
leaders including British Prime Minister Margaret
Thatcher, Senator Bill Bradley, Senator Barry Goldwater,
and Attorney-General Elliot L. Richardson. Its
publications have included essays from Caspar Weinberger,
Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and Bruce Bartlett.
Issues addressed by the Institute
at its conferences and in its publications have included
a National Tax Rebate, an examination of the experience
with federal jobs programs, the challenges associated
with oil shortages, health care “IRAs,” the
merits of a consumption tax, saving and improving
Social Security, the use of the Consumer Price Index
by policy makers, enterprise zones for urban regeneration,
and the impact of inflation, among others.
|
Institute for SocioEconomic Studies 10 New King Street White Plains, NY 10604 Telephone: (914) 686-7112 Fax: (914) 686-0581 mail@socioeconomic.org |
|