Todd Carlsen Urges Regulated Free Markets After Minnesota Ranks 46th in Income Growth
Updated
Updated · St. Paul Pioneer Press · Aug 8
Todd Carlsen Urges Regulated Free Markets After Minnesota Ranks 46th in Income Growth
1 articles · Updated · St. Paul Pioneer Press · Aug 8
Summary
Minnesota’s weak recent performance — 38th in GDP per capita growth, 46th in real median household income growth and 39th in overall outlook since 2019 — is the basis for Carlsen’s call for a regulated free-market approach.
Carlsen argues government should fund areas the private sector will not, such as research and infrastructure, while enforcing fair competition that lowers prices, spurs innovation and turns public investment into consumer gains.
He rejects ideological extremes, pointing to a Cato Institute/YouGov survey showing 34% of Americans under 30 view communism favorably, and says that reflects economic frustration rather than a workable policy path.
His broader prescription is jobs-and-skills focused: keep a safety net, improve the rules and public investments, and rely on competitive markets to generate growth and tax revenue.