PPI

Estonia is once again a flashpoint in Europe’s struggle against Russian aggression—and a powerful reminder of why alliances matter. In a compelling report from Tallinn for The Washington Monthly, Tamar Jacoby highlights Estonia’s frontline position, deep commitment to NATO, and the larger questions looming for U.S. leadership. While some in Washington waver, Estonia is doubling down: mandatory conscription, 5.4% of GDP to defense, and total political unity. The stakes are high. As Russia tests NATO’s resolve, the U.S. must reaffirm its role as a reliable partner. https://lnkd.in/e5g4YN64

LIVE: The Union with Curtis Valentine and Keri Rodrigues — the latest in public education news, policy, and politics. Today: The continued fallout from the federal government shutdown and how it affects the Department of Education.

Trump’s “economic nationalism” isn’t a strategy for future prosperity—it’s central planning, MAGA-style. In his new piece for The Hill, PPI President Will Marshall explains how tariffs are raising prices, weakening U.S. manufacturing, and distracting from the true economic imperative: mastering the next wave of innovation in AI, clean energy, and biotech. As protectionism spreads across the political spectrum, Marshall argues it’s time for Democrats to lead with a forward-looking strategy—one rooted in openness, innovation, and economic dynamism. https://lnkd.in/dN7mEEvy

AI is attracting massive investment—but unlike past tech surges, this one carries less systemic risk. As PPI Chief Economist Michael Mandel explains in The Free Press, today’s AI buildout is largely equity-financed. That means if companies fail, losses are absorbed by shareholders—not lenders—limiting broader economic fallout. More importantly, today’s investors are agile and responsive. “They’re ready to pivot when they learn what works and what doesn’t,” Mandel notes. This adaptability, combined with market-driven capital allocation, makes the current wave of AI development a more stable foundation for long-term innovation. https://lnkd.in/ebiRRQvv

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this morning’s Women in Policy Alliance Coffee & Conversation. From networking and collaboration to supporting career growth, this event continues to foster a vibrant community of women working across the policy landscape in D.C. We’re proud to help cultivate the next generation of policy leaders—and grateful to all who make these conversations meaningful.

In this week’s Trade Fact, PPI’s Ed Gresser breaks down the sweeping and legally dubious tariff increases imposed by the Trump administration—tariffs that have raised costs for American manufacturers, slowed growth, and damaged exports, all without Congressional approval. Polls show that 63% of Americans disapprove of these emergency-based trade actions. The Senate now has an opportunity to restore constitutional authority over tariff policy and mitigate further economic harm. https://lnkd.in/etR-nx6s

In his latest Forbes column, Bruno Manno brings much-needed clarity to the noisy debate over AI and the future of work. Too often, the conversation swings between extremes—AI as a job killer or AI as a liberator. Manno offers a more grounded view: five distinct but overlapping storylines, from job displacement to a human-centered renaissance. His core argument is pragmatic: the future of work isn’t predetermined by technology—it’s shaped by human design. https://lnkd.in/e7J6CA-4

As states craft laws to govern artificial intelligence, some legislative proposals include private rights of action that would allow lawyers to sue over AI use without demonstrating actual harm. In a new report for the PPI, Phil Goldberg and Josh Hansen show how these provisions risk replicating decades of litigation abuse seen under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and Illinois’s Biometric Information Privacy Act. The result would be costly lawsuits with little benefit to consumers—and a serious threat to U.S. AI innovation. They argue that enforcement should remain in the hands of state attorneys general, who can apply prosecutorial judgment to balance consumer protection and technological progress. https://lnkd.in/eNB5AjpQ

An all-of-the-above energy strategy—combining natural gas with growing investments in renewables—is the best path forward for the U.S. This balanced approach lowers costs, strengthens American competitiveness, and supports working families facing rising energy prices. The New York Times editorial board highlights how President Trump’s anti-clean energy agenda abandons that strategy, threatening both affordability at home and our edge in the global clean energy race. PPI has long argued that smart, strategic energy policy isn’t about choosing between economic growth and climate action—we can and must do both. https://lnkd.in/eG6qgy6R

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