Q&A with the Author Why are both the Right and Left wrong in their analysis and proposed solutions to our economic problems? Left or Right wing policy prejudices make meaningful compromises between the two camps all but impossible. Take, for example, the red-hot issue of "fair shares of the pie," or Distributive Justice as philosophers call it. Leftists have become so indoctrinated into interpreting this issue as one of taking from the rich and giving to the poor that they cannot accept a theory of justice which respects both "to each according to his needs" as well as "to each according to his contribution." And vice versa for rightist conservatives who assume the primacy of "to each according to his contribution." A more fundamental analysis of the kind provided in Chapter 6 of the book starts off in a less prejudiced manner, demonstrating the relevance of both dimensions of "fairness" from first principles, it then arrives at a theory that incorporates both needs-justice and contribution-justice in their relevant domains. As a result, the new theory is neither Left wing nor Right wing in nature. It is balanced, and obviates a Dialogue of the Deaf on the subject of fair shares.
Can you elaborate on your definition of a "good" and "bad" government spending deficit? Because of decades of deficit accumulation, total debt has grown to a dangerous level causing bond markets to look askance at further debt growth. Suppose that a government with a heavy debt load proposes to borrow additional funds. Deficit hawks will cry "Foul," due to the fear of further displeasing the bond market, and laying even more debt upon the shoulders of the children and grandchildren who will have to service this debt.
But such hawks may be wrong in their diagnosis. Suppose that the funds are being borrowed for productive infrastructure investment — projects like the interstate highway system that more than pay for themselves over time. Not just infrastructure investment ("roads to both somewhere and nowhere"), but productive investment ("roads to somewhere" only). In this case, the high return on such projects will end up lowering the debt burden on the children in the long run. On the other hand, increased borrowing to fund transfer programs will not generate healthy as there is, in effect, no investment to earn returns. This form of borrowing will increase the burden on the children, and the fears of deficit hawks are well justified. In short, there are good and bad deficits — the distinction depending upon whether the borrowed funds are spent productively or unproductively.
What is your solution to the health care spending crisis? The solution to the health care spending crisis is quite simple, at heart. Suppose you know that there is going to be a large increase in demand for apricots. What do you do to make sure that people do not have to spend too much on apricots in the future? You naturally increase the supply of apricots by planting a lot more trees. This will drive the price of apricots down, so total expenditure on apricots will increase less than if you did not increase supply. In the case of health care services, suppose that you wish to increase the supply and demand of services delivered, and also wish to drive total expenditure on healthcare down as a share of GDP — not simply to slow down its growth rate as was the more modest goal of Obamacare. The nation must strive for this outcome given the huge expenditures the nation confronts as its population ages during the next four decades.
Can this idealized outcome be achieved? The answer is yes: What is required is that the so-called "supply curve" of health care services shifts out to the right faster than the demand curve does over time.
Can we preserve capitalistic incentives, while avoiding massive income disparities and providing assistance to those who are truly in need? Chapter 6 in the book clarifies the meaning of true capitalism as Adam Smith and others conceived it, and contrasts this with the "crony capitalism" which we observe today. It turns out that there is nothing incompatible between true capitalism on the one hand, and a fairer distribution of wealth and income on the other. Some of the reasons this is true stem from the capitalistic norm of “market efficiency,” a point that is seldom acknowledged. Indeed, it is universally supposed that true capitalism and its norm of economic efficiency are silent upon the concept of Distributive Justice, the latter falling under the rubric of moral philosophy. This is not the case at all, for three reasons set forth in the chapter. As a result, self-styled capitalists must confront the need to redress rampant inequalities on purely capitalistic grounds! Moral theory for its part plays an ancillary role, and proposes additional reasons for a more just distribution of wealth and income. Thus, the subject of fair shares is not peripheral to capitalist economics, but rather central to it.
"With rigorous logic,
American Gridlock identifies five major problems confronting the nation. These range from salvaging today's "lost decade," to the unequal distribution of wealth, to preventing bankruptcy from "entitlements spending," and to preventing future financial market crises. Woody Brock does not simply offer his opinions about these crises. Rather, he
deduces win-win solutions to each of these from First Principles. It is high time for such a book, especially during a presidential election year."
—Dr. Nouriel Roubini, Chairman and Co-Founder, Roubini Global Economics"Woody Brock is a brilliant economic thinker and we should heed his call for an Infrastructure Marshall Plan to lift our national economy. This book should be required reading for everyone who cares about America's future, particularly our elected officials."
—Ambassador Felix G. Rohatyn , Lazard Frères & Co. LLC
"Woody Brock's new book, American Gridlock is going to force everybody to think through their views on the critical issues of public policy facing America today. It is not just a question of a failure of leadership. It is also a question, as he puts it, of a failure of thought and analysis. He focuses on this in order to overcome what he terms "the Dialogue of the Deaf;" the shouting match between the Left and the Right and its inevitable manifestation as gridlock. Agree or not, this is the kind of book to which everybody should pay attention."
—Mortimer Zuckerman, Editor-in-Chief of U.S. News & World Report
"Woody Brock is one of America's best kept secrets. My firm has had the good fortune of benefiting from his in depth analysis of future political and economic trends for years.
American Gridlock allows the reader to do the same."
—Stan Druckenmiller, Chairman and CEO; Duquesne Family Office
"Woody Brock is one of the most unreasonable men I know: because I agree with George Bernard Shaw that the reasonable man adapts himself to the world, whilst the unreasonable man persists in adapting the world to himself, and therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man."
—Sir David Tang, Founder Shanghai Tang; Author, An Apple a Week
"Woody Brock's writings are often the fi rst place I encounter issues that soon become central debates within public policy. He is prescient, penetrating, broad, surprising and wise. Some writers illuminate yesterday’s news, a few may shed light on tomorrows. But very few thinkers can help you to understand the issues that will shape not only next year, but also the next decade. As America faces a pivotal election, his book could not be more timely."
—Edward Smith, The Times (London)
"The events of the past several years have clearly exposed the faults in standard economic and financial analysis. And the economics profession currently seems at a loss to provide credible and practical policy prescriptions for the current malaise facing theU.S. and other major countries. In this fascinating book, Woody Brock stands above the crowd with his original and well thought out plans for a sensible way forward to a brighter future. It is a welcome counter to the widespread gloom that surrounds most of the discussion of the outlook."
—Martin Barnes, Chief Economist, BCA Research
"The world is bogged down by incremental thinking and yearns for some “big ideas” to liberate us from the serial crises that confront us. Over the years "Woody" Brock has proven himself as an original thinker whose solutions to problems often turn out to be right. Now, in this book, we have a set of recommendations that may put us on the right course."
—Byron R. Wien, Vice Chairman, Blackstone Advisory Partners LP
"Woody Brock tackles America's big problems at a breathtaking scale. No small ideas here. And no fl inching from the conclusions which follow from the fi erce logic he applies. Read this book to fi nd a way forward out of the broken politics and doctrinaire policies that leave so many disgusted and depressed to the prospect of a genuine prosperity."
—Joseph Dear, Chief Investment Offi cer, California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS)
"Woody thoughtfully addresses the critical issues facing our country and shows how they can be resolved using a different analytical approach. A must read for any serious market participant."
—Susan E. Manske, Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
"Woody Brock is an American masterpiece. There is no one like Woody. No one is able to think as broadly as Woody, while simultaneously thinking so deeply. No one is as amusingly insightful, witty and provocative as Woody. Woody’s economics are a blend of deep, revolutionary, insight and common sense. I will never know how he does it, but I deeply appreciate that he does it. No one is a better catalyst for my own thinking than Woody. Read American Gridlock. Savor American Gridlock. Allow yourself to be provoked and prodded by American Gridlock. Then put it down, go fi shing, then reread a month later. You will be deeply and lastingly rewarded for your efforts."
—Richard N. Foster, Investment & Advisory Services, LLC; former Managing Director, McKinsey & Company; author of Creative Destruction
"For decades Woody Brock has enlightened a select audience with his logically rigorous, factually impeccable analyses of past developments and future trends. Time and again I have seen his insights prove true, especially in cases where he has challenged the prevailing wisdom of the era. Now for the fi rst time he addresses a general readership, with a comprehensive assessment of how to cope with the most intractable public problems of our time. I don’t agree with every one of his prescriptions, which is why I am all the more sincere in recommending the thoroughness and rigor of his logic."
—James Fallows, The Atlantic
"American Gridlock is a major endeavour containing deeply profound insights. It requires the courage to see that economics has largely failed and must be replaced as the master discipline by political theory and science, and with a new emphasis on fairness and justice in the distribution of benefi ts and rewards. Woody Brock is one of the few thinkers of our times who can tackle this mountainous task and unlock the paralysis in which the increasingly muddled debate about Capitalism has plunged us."
—Lord Howell of Guildford, Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UK
"If Woody Brock did not exist, God would have had to invent him. He is a unique, challenging thinker who makes most conventional economic forecasters look like trend followers. Serious investors and students of public policy should be delighted that he has finally written a book in which his renowned analytical approach focuses on public policy. This is badly-needed fresh air in a seriously polluted environment."
—Don Coxe, Chairman, Coxe Advisors LLP
"American Gridlock provides a compelling framework for citizens, policymakers and market participants to overhaul their views on many important issues of the day. The power of Woody Brock’s approach—emphasizing deductive reasoning and eschewing information overload—makes this elegantly written book a must read for those who value understanding over data. I would suggest burying oneself in American Gridlock before occupying Wall Street, the executive suite or public offi ce."
—Scott Bessent, Chief Investment Officer, Soros Fund Management
"H. Woody Brock is one of the few leading economists who can combine high-powered theory and deductive logic to yield practical solutions to real-world issues. He constantly surprises and inspires with new creative inputs and insights. In his latest book, he provides thought-provoking ideas on how to get a polarized and gridlocked America on the path to progress."
—Christian Casal, Offi ce Manager McKinsey & Company, Switzerland
"If you can handle the truth about America’s Lost Decade, Phiberalism, Leverage, Thugocracies, and Distributive Justice then American Gridlock is a must read. You will leave behind today’s heads I win, tails you lose mentality. No more repetitive talking heads, know it all politicians and tired academics. Woody offers up common sense solutions based on sound reasoning to today’s pressing problems. Finally, the TRUTH!
—John H. Carlson, Fidelity Investments, Boston
"American Gridlock delivers desperately needed fresh air and sunlight, dispelling the funk and gloom that are dampening the American spirit. Woody Brock defi nes five critical problems confronting the US today and leads the reader to compelling win-win policies that will break the current gridlock and put America on a path to sustainable prosperity. His work is original and of critical importance. The clear thinking and optimism of one of the world’s great thinkers obviates the need to contemplate writing America's obituary. Anyone with a vested interest in our future should place American Gridlock at the top of his reading list."
—Jan L. Yeomans, Vice President and Treasurer, 3M
"Woody is a paragon for prosperity, and he is a master of truth and its processes—something our postmodern age has let drift out of the public discourse. He must be read by politicians, policymakers, CEOs and advisers, and by everyone concerned with today’s problems and building a sustainable and prosperous future. He shows how it can be done without unnecessary pain, making this book the antidote to the current global economic and fi nancial malaise. His new book is a must read for every politician, policymaker, adviser, CEO, and everyone concerned with today’s prob...
