Why American business is in a downward spiral

Mary Bruno

Mary Bruno Jul 4, 2025

Feb 6, 2018

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                <h1>Why American business is in a downward spiral</h1>
                <h2><p>"An extensive body of evidence shows that the public focus on the success of high-tech companies like Apple and Google masks an overall downward trend in key measures of business vitality," writes author and Columbia University professor Thomas B. Edsall in The New York Times. Many forces contribute</p></h2>
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               <p>By <a href="/author/mary-bruno-crosscut-com/">Mary Bruno</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Feb 6, 2018</time></p>
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            <p>"An extensive body of evidence shows that the public focus on the success of high-tech companies like Apple and Google masks an overall downward trend in key measures of business vitality," writes author and Columbia University professor Thomas B. Edsall in <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/column/thomas-b-edsall?action=click&contentCollection=Opinion&module=Byline&region=Header&pgtype=article&ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">The New York Times</a>. Many forces contribute to this disturbing trend, including regulation, consolidation and a shortage of workers with high-tech skills. But mostly, argues, Edsall, politics is to blame: "Federal and state officials, often under pressure from major corporations seeking to stifle competition, have adopted a regulatory regime that makes the creation of new businesses more difficult."</p>
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"An extensive body of evidence shows that the public focus on the success of high-tech companies like Apple and Google masks an overall downward trend in key measures of business vitality," writes author and Columbia University professor Thomas B. Edsall in The New York Times. Many forces contribute to this disturbing trend, including regulation, consolidation and a shortage of workers with high-tech skills. But mostly, argues, Edsall, politics is to blame: "Federal and state officials, often under pressure from major corporations seeking to stifle competition, have adopted a regulatory regime that makes the creation of new businesses more difficult."

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By Mary Bruno

Mary was Crosscut's Editor-in-Chief and Interim Publisher. In more than 25 years as a journalist, she has worked as a writer, editor and editorial director for a variety of print and web publications,