our stance on the
Economy

Fixing the Economy: The Pivot Party’s Vision

Our economy isn’t working for most Americans. While the ultra-wealthy and big corporations grow richer, everyday people are struggling. Wages aren’t keeping up with the rising costs of rent, healthcare, and education. Families are being forced to make tough choices about which bills to pay, while billionaires pay less in taxes and gain more influence over our government. This isn’t fair, and it’s not sustainable.

We need an economy that works for everyone—not just those at the top. The Pivot Party is here to fight for working families, small businesses, and local communities.

The Pivot Party’s Plan for the Economy

We believe it’s time to rebuild an economy that puts people first. Here’s how we’ll do it:

1. Raise Wages and Lower Costs:

   • Ensure a living wage that keeps up with the cost of living.

   • Bring down the cost of housing, healthcare, and everyday goods by increasing competition and cracking down on price gouging.

   • Protect renters with caps on rent increases and incentives for more affordable housing.

2. Help Small Businesses Succeed:

   • Cut unnecessary red tape and make it easier for small businesses to get loans and funding.

   • Break up monopolies so small businesses can compete on a level playing field.

   • Support local businesses and cooperatives that reinvest in their communities.

   • Create a national e-commerce platform that integrates taxes and regulations, taking the administrative load off small business owners and allowing them to focus on growth and innovation.

3. Invest in Jobs and Infrastructure:

   • Modernize transportation, energy, and internet infrastructure to create jobs and boost the economy. This includes better public transit, faster internet for rural areas, and upgrading our power grid for clean energy like wind and solar.

   • Build resilient, green infrastructure to make communities stronger and more sustainable.

4. Build a Strong Safety Net:

   • Expand access to affordable childcare, education, and job training to prepare people for the jobs of the future.

   • Strengthen unemployment benefits and introduce paid family leave so no one falls through the cracks.

   • Protect families from poverty by ensuring access to basic needs like food and healthcare.

5. Support Local Communities:

   • Encourage people to shop local by giving tax breaks to businesses and customers who support their communities.

   • Promote grassroots organizations and cooperatives to help communities grow from the ground up.

A Fair Economy for Everyone

The Pivot Party is committed to building an economy that prioritizes people over profits. That means investing in families, workers, and local businesses—not just helping corporations and billionaires. By working together, we can create a stronger, fairer economy for everyone.

How We Got Here: Key Decisions That Hurt Our Economy

To fix the economy, we need to understand the bad decisions that got us here:

1. Tax Cuts for the Wealthy (1980s):

   • In the 1980s, taxes for the richest Americans and corporations were drastically reduced. This shifted more of the tax burden to working families and cut funding for schools, infrastructure, and healthcare. The result? A growing gap between the rich and everyone else.

2. Deregulation of Corporations (1990s):

   • Laws were passed that allowed big companies to merge and dominate industries, squeezing out small businesses and raising prices for consumers.

   • Industries like banking and telecommunications faced fewer rules, which led to risky practices and higher costs for everyday people.

3. Trade Policies That Sent Jobs Overseas (1990s–2000s):

   • Trade deals like NAFTA made it cheaper for companies to move jobs overseas. While these agreements promised more trade and economic growth, the benefits went to big corporations, leaving workers behind.

4. Wall Street Over Main Street (2000s):

   • In the early 2000s, the focus shifted to making profits for Wall Street. Risky financial practices led to the 2008 financial crisis, costing families their homes and savings while big banks got bailouts.

5. Stagnant Minimum Wage:

   • The federal minimum wage hasn’t kept up with inflation, leaving millions of workers unable to afford basic necessities despite working full-time.

6. Skyrocketing Housing Costs:

   • Housing policies have encouraged speculative real estate markets, driving up prices and making homeownership unaffordable for many. At the same time, large developers have ignored the need for affordable housing.

By recognizing these turning points, we can chart a new course. Together, we can build an economy that values workers, supports small businesses, and creates opportunities for everyone.

It’s time to pivot. Let’s create an economy that works for all of us.