Utah Governor Spencer Cox has been identified by ‘Abundance’ co-author Derek Thompson as a representative of the ‘Abundance faction’ within the Republican Party. Utah is known for its positive-sum thinking and social mobility but struggles with housing affordability, with only 7%-8% of non-homeowners able to afford a median-priced home.
The book “Abundance” by Thompson and Ezra Klein proposes an abundance agenda to counteract the scarcity mindset in both political parties. They highlight overregulation as a major obstacle to progress, giving examples such as California’s high-speed rail project and the Biden administration’s rural broadband initiative.
Utah, often cited for its lack of zero-sum thinking, serves as a model for embracing an abundance mindset. Governor Cox aims for a “non-zero-sum mindset” to guide policy decisions and promote growth while maintaining quality of life. The state’s success relies on policies that encourage innovation and address challenges such as housing affordability.
Utah faces a housing scarcity crisis, with housing costs becoming increasingly unaffordable, pushing families to consider moving out of state. Steps are being taken at the state level to encourage affordable home development, although fear and resistance to change at the local level are major obstacles.
Despite these challenges, Utah’s focus on abundance is evident in its innovative policies around AI and energy, as well as efforts to streamline regulation to support private sector innovation. Organizations like the Abundance Institute are working to promote a positive-sum approach to policymaking and continue Utah’s momentum towards smart growth and prosperity.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image associated with the presented article. Due to copyright reasons, we are unable to use the original images. However, you can still enjoy the accurate and up-to-date content and information provided.
