Why America Can’t Build Anymore | Philip Howard

Join Aaron Renn as he sits down with Philip Howard, founder of Common Good, to discuss the crippling bureaucratic red tape stifling America’s ability to build and innovate. In this eye-opening episode, Howard delves into his Manhattan Institute paper, Escape from Quicksand: A New Framework for Modernizing America, revealing how a compliance-driven system has paralyzed infrastructure projects—like the $42.5 billion broadband initiative with zero results after four years. From the New Deal’s rapid achievements to today’s endless legal labyrinths, Howard proposes a bold solution: a framework rooted in human responsibility and accountability to restore America’s can-do spirit. Tune in to learn why we’re stuck, how we got here, and what it’ll take to break free.

CHAPTERS
(00:00 - Introduction)
(01:00 - The Problem: America’s Bureaucratic Quicksand)
(04:13 - New Deal vs. Today: A Stark Contrast)
(09:13 - Extortion by Law: How the System Enables Delays)
(15:27 - Solutions: Rebuilding a Framework for Action)
(23:02 - Political Challenges: Why Reform is Tough)
(29:01 - The Role of the Judiciary in Blocking Progress)
(37:43 - Conclusion: A Call to Replace the System)

Escape from Quicksand A New Framework for Modernizing America - https://manhattan.institute/article/escape-from-quicksand-a-new-framework-for-modernizing-america

Common Good - https://www.commongood.org/

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