As we stand on the brink of the twenty-first century, the U.S. is unchallenged as a global economic power.  U.S. industry leads the world, and   obviously entrepreneurs and small businesses play the most critical role in keeping the U.S. at the cutting edge. 

For example, as noted below, U.S. industrial production has outpaced other major industrial countries in recent years.

Nation Change in Industrial Production,                   1982-1998
United States 71%
Canada 64%
Japan 38%
United Kingdom 35%
Germany 34%
Italy 31%
France 22%

However, it was not all that long ago that some folks were writing off the U.S. economy as yesterday's news.  It took a supply-side economics package of tax cuts, deregulation, and sound money, as proposed and largely implemented by President Ronald Reagan, to get the U.S. back on track in the early 1980s.  And despite subsequent anti-growth measures implemented by Congress and successive White Houses, the U.S. has not really looked back since. 

But that does not mean it's perfectly clear sailing into the next century.  To ensure our industrial and entrepreneurial leadership, tax relief, deregulation, the continuation of sound monetary policies, and smaller government are needed.