U.S. Chamber’s Agenda Highlights Strong Points in Ohio Chamber Policy Priorities

U.S. Chamber’s Agenda Highlights Strong Points in Ohio Chamber Policy Priorities

What does 2014 hold for the business community and its advocates? In his annual State of American Business speech yesterday, U.S. Chamber President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue argued that 2014 will hold more economic progress and recovery if we, the business community, work to encourage policies and government activities that promote certainty and search out leadership that believes in a strong, pro-business community. Donohue outlined in the 2014 Jobs, Growth, and Opportunity Agenda the specific areas that the US Chamber will focus on to achieve continued growth, which include:

·         Producing more domestic energy

·         Expanding trade

·         Modernizing the regulatory process

·         Curbing lawsuit abuse

·         Fixing the flaws in Obamacare

·         Passing immigration reform

·         Taking up efforts to improve education and training

This is all well and good for Washington, but does this apply to the business community in Ohio? What can we glean from this agenda that may improve our efforts right here?

Every year, the Ohio Chamber sets its own Policy Priorities with our board members to determine how we can direct our efforts in the best way to foster economic freedom—the key to greater opportunity, more jobs, and a better quality of life for all Ohioans. What we saw yesterday is that our goals here in Ohio are in line with the energy, regulatory process, and education and training goals of the U.S. Chamber. We want to maximize the economic potential and diversity of Ohio’s domestic energy resources and technologies. We also want to keep business costs low by making it as easy as possible to do business here in Ohio, limiting government mandates, simplifying our tax system, and keeping a legal environment that controls litigation costs and reduces lawsuit abuse. And finally, we cannot emphasize enough the value of workforce development that gives employers the skilled employees they need in our competitive, mobile, and high-tech economy.

The start of a new year is the time to renew our efforts and commitments and strive to uphold our goals throughout the year. Let’s take a page from the U.S. Chamber and Mr. Donohue and ramp up for 2014!