The Committee to Unleash Prosperity is a nonpartisan organization that advocates for supply-side economics and seeks to educate policy makers and the public about increasing economic growth. 1
The Committee to Unleash Prosperity advocates for a stable currency, a flat rate tax, decreased regulation, free trade, and limited government spending. 2
Activities
The Committee to Unleash Prosperity advocates for equitable prosperity using supply-side economics and seeks to identify government policies that are ideal for unleashing prosperity. The Committee claims that supply-side economics is “across-the-board” and not “trickle-down,” meaning that the rich are not provided with unfair economic advantages. 3
The Committee to Unleash Prosperity reports that the Biden administration-backed Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 will have negative economic effects on the U.S. economy, including negative incentives on work and investment. The Committee’s report projects that over the next ten years, the legislation will effectively reduce employment by 900,000, reduce the annual GDP by 1.2 percent, reduce the average household income by $1,200, and increase both the rate of inflation and the federal budget deficit. 4
The Committee to Unleash Prosperity supports the flat-rate income tax proposed by Arizona Governor Doug Ducey (R). The Committee’s analysis projects that Ducey’s flat-tax plan over ten years would create 253,000 jobs, yield $31.6 billion in personal economic growth, and increase household income by an average of $7,400. The Committee also claims that the flat-tax plan could move Arizona up six positions in the ALEC-Laffer state competitiveness index. 5 Arizona’s flat-tax plan will be implemented in 2023. 6
Funding
The Committee to Unleash Prosperity is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. While the Committee to Unleash Prosperity does not disclose other donors, tax filings confirm donations from the 85 Fund ($500,000 in 2020), 7 Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America ($500,000 in 2019), 8 and the FreedomWorks Foundation ($233,050 in 2020). 9
People
Co-founder Steve Forbes is the chair and editor-in-chief of Forbes Media. 10
Co-founder Larry Kudlow 11 formerly worked as the director of the National Economic Council during the Trump administration and as the associate director for economics and planning in the U.S. Office of Management and Budget during the Reagan administration. 12
Co-founder Arthur B. Laffer is a former member of the Economic Policy Advisory Board during the Reagan administration. 13
Phil Kerpen is the president of American Commitment and the chair of the Internet Freedom Coalition. 14
Jon Decker is the executive director. 15
Additionally, the Committee to Unleash Prosperity currently lists 32 committee members on its website. 16
Board of Directors
Stephen Moore is a co-founder and the chair of the board of the Committee to Unleash Prosperity. Moore is a distinguished fellow in economics at the Heritage Foundation and the founder of both the Club for Growth and the Free Enterprise Fund. Moore formerly wrote for the Wall Street Journal on the economy and public policy. 17
Anne Moore is the assistant treasurer of the board. 18
Cleta Mitchell is the treasurer of the board, the senior legal fellow at the Conservative Partnership Institute (CPI), and the chair of CPI’s Election Integrity Network. She is a co-founder and chair of the Public Interest Legal Foundation. 19
References
- “Our Mission.” Committee to Unleash Prosperity. Accessed October 10, 2022. https://committeetounleashprosperity.com/our-mission/.
- “Our Mission.” Committee to Unleash Prosperity. Accessed October 10, 2022. https://committeetounleashprosperity.com/our-mission/.
- “Our Mission.” Committee to Unleash Prosperity. Accessed October 10, 2022. https://committeetounleashprosperity.com/our-mission/.
- Mulligan, Casey B. “The Negative Economic Effects of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.” Committee to Unleash Prosperity, August 2022. Accessed October 10, 2022. https://committeetounleashprosperity.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/CTUP_NegativeIRAReport_082022.pdf.
- Moore, Stephen and Antoni, E.J. “Economic Impact of the Proposed Arizona ‘Flat Tax.’” Committee to Unleash Prosperity, June 2021. Accessed October 10, 2022. https://committeetounleashprosperity.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/CTUP_ArizonaFlatTax.pdf.
- “Arizona’s Lowest Flat Tax in Nation To Take Effect Next Year.” Office of Governor Doug Ducey, September 29, 2022. Accessed October 10, 2022. https://azgovernor.gov/governor/news/2022/09/arizonas-lowest-flat-tax-nation-take-effect-next-year
- The 85 Fund, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2020, Schedule I, Part II.
- Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2019, Schedule I, Part II.
- FreedomWorks Foundation, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2020, Schedule I, Part II.
- “Our Founders.” Committee to Unleash Prosperity. Accessed October 4, 2022. https://committeetounleashprosperity.com/our-founders/.
- “Economists Steve Forbes, Larry Kudlow, Dr. Arthur B. Laffer, Steve Moore Launch the Committee to Unleash Prosperity.” PR Newswire, July 29, 2015. Accessed October 10, 2022. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/economists-steve-forbes-larry-kudlow-dr-arthur-b-laffer-steve-moore-launch-the-committee-to-unleash-prosperity-300120349.html.
- “Larry Kudlow.” Ballotpedia. Accessed October 10, 2022. https://ballotpedia.org/Larry_Kudlow.
- “Our Founders.” Committee to Unleash Prosperity. Accessed October 4, 2022. https://committeetounleashprosperity.com/our-founders/.
- “Our Founders.” Committee to Unleash Prosperity. Accessed October 4, 2022. https://committeetounleashprosperity.com/our-founders/.
- Committee to Unleash Prosperity, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2019, Part VII, Section A, Line 1a.
- “Committee Members.” Committee to Unleash Prosperity. Accessed October 10, 2022. https://committeetounleashprosperity.com/committee-members/.
- “Stephen Moore.” The Heritage Foundation, 2022. Accessed October 4, 2022. https://www.heritage.org/staff/stephen-moore.
- Committee to Unleash Prosperity, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2019, Part VII, Section A, Line 1a.
- [1] “Cleta Mitchell.” Conservative Partnership Institute, 2022. Accessed October 4, 2022. https://www.cpi.org/staff/cleta-mitchell/.