Policy
Work & Opportunity
At the core of the American Dream is the belief that hard work and commitment can yield a better life, the pursuit of which is possible thanks to the American free enterprise system – the greatest engine of prosperity in the history of humanity. But too many Americans striving to escape poverty still face obstacles to realizing that dream.
Through the Work & Opportunity Initiative, Sutherland Institute seeks to remove barriers or disincentives to work and other opportunities for economic progression that affect families in Utah and beyond. Landmark research, compelling multimedia, powerful storytelling and strategic partnerships combine to advance policy reforms that make the American Dream more attainable – protecting Utah and the United States as the land of opportunity for generations to come.
Work & Opportunity
Securing the American institutions of self-government – such as free and fair elections – in a republic is a civic responsibility of every American citizen. It is an essential part of ensuring a new birth of freedom for future generations.
If government derives its power from the “consent of the governed,” as the Declaration of Independence states, then that consent must have a mechanism for being regularly expressed and renewed.
This is the role that secure elections play in America’s constitutional order: helping ensure the peaceful transfer of power and the opportunity of citizens to exercise their civic voice.
Sutherland Institute offers sound research and principled analysis on voting methods and election security. We do this to promote trusted and trustworthy voting systems and elevate the way the state of Utah assesses and refines this crucial process. We seek to protect public confidence in Utah’s elections by promoting positive reforms and increasing voters’ understanding of the security and access offered by Utah’s election procedures.
Conversations
What are benefits cliffs?
A firsthand account of overcoming ‘benefits cliffs’ to escape poverty
Utah's one-door workforce model worth copying
What it's like to face safety-net 'benefits cliffs' that can discourage work and opportunity
3 things for states to focus on while working to alleviate poverty
Why America needs a new welfare reform movement
Benefits cliffs are an assault on human dignity #utpol #poverty
Work is bigger than just a paycheck
Our current poverty alleviation efforts aren't cutting it
What are benefits cliffs?
A firsthand account of overcoming ‘benefits cliffs’ to escape poverty
Utah's one-door workforce model worth copying
Insights & Takeaways
Removing work disincentives in the social safety net will strengthen upward mobility and the economy
Policymakers should first look to the states as engines of innovation and reform.
Conservatives’ Golden Opportunity to Win the Minimum-Wage Argument
Election year offers conservatives an opportunity to deliver a pro-worker message that can win over persuadables on the minimum-wage debate.
Reforming welfare and workforce policy elevates work
The success of the Utah model doesn’t mean the state is perfect; there are certainly still opportunities to improve how we help people get out and stay out of poverty. But there is no sustained path out of poverty that doesn’t include a meaningful connection to work.
The ‘success sequence’ is a bipartisan vision for upward mobility. Policymakers should embrace it
In our polarized political environment, it’s not often that an idea garners majority support across party affiliation, ideology, and demographic differences. New Sutherland Institute polling shows that the success sequence is just such a concept with broad resonance among likely voters in Utah.
Removing work disincentives in the social safety net will strengthen upward mobility and the economy
Policymakers should first look to the states as engines of innovation and reform.
Conservatives’ Golden Opportunity to Win the Minimum-Wage Argument
Election year offers conservatives an opportunity to deliver a pro-worker message that can win over persuadables on the minimum-wage debate.
Reforming welfare and workforce policy elevates work
The success of the Utah model doesn’t mean the state is perfect; there are certainly still opportunities to improve how we help people get out and stay out of poverty. But there is no sustained path out of poverty that doesn’t include a meaningful connection to work.