A Breakdown of Rich States, Poor States for Job Creators: Jonathan Williams on Job Creators Network
"We don't think 'profit' is a dirty word."
Jonathan Williams, ALEC Chief Economist and Executive Vice President of Policy, was featured on Main Street Matters with the Job Creators Network, discussing the latest edition of Rich States, Poor States and the economic competitiveness of different states.
ALEC is a unique organization and that we’ve been around now 50 years, and we just celebrated our 50th anniversary in the fall of 2023. We were founded as a group of state legislators who believe in the three guiding principles of free markets, limited government and federalism. These are quintessential American principles that our founders placed in the Constitution and no doubt they were awfully important for the success of our fledgling nation at the time later growing into the greatest country in the face of the Earth.
It’s been principles that have fueled our country. It’s something we at ALEC been there for 17 years now believe strongly in that principle-based approach to policymaking. This idea of federalism is one of those three guiding principles like I mentioned, should be that not all good decisions happen at the federal level in Washington. They’re supposed to happen at the state and local level, empowering people and business owners to make those individual liberty-based decisions.
Some of the other great things about ALEC that makes us unique, is we’re not just a legislative organization. We believe strongly in the private sector ideas of entrepreneurship and that free-market principle guides our strong economy and job creation opportunities. We don’t think ‘profit’ is a dirty word, I know that’s something that you guys defend a lot. We really appreciate the partnership with JCN and your great work over the years of being able to come forward with sound policy solutions to come up with some of the greatest challenges that face us when it comes to policy, but also business challenges where we can come in and try to make sure that government stays out of the way from those entrepreneurs and job creators across the country.