Business Roundtable will be posting the transcript of today's briefing with reporters on the BRT's CEO Economic Outlook Survey on Friday, but we found these comments by Jim McNerney, Chairman of BRT and Chairman, President and CEO of The Boeing Company, worth an advance look. With the 140 CEOs who responded to the survey arriving at an index of 77.6 -- down from 109.9 in the last quarter -- an Associated Press reporter asked what policymakers could do to improve the economic environment.

BRT Chairman McNerney observed that the survey results did not specifically correlate with those kinds of factors, but he still identified opportunities for policy changes.

Moderated oil pricing, the politics getting sorted out in Europe as to the debt crisis, the "super committee" getting its work done here, and some related tax and regulatory reform – which I think both sides of the aisles want to different degrees – it’s a matter of getting it done.

This survey was taken during a time of significant uncertainty: U.S. debt downgrade, the theatrics of around trying to get the debt ceiling down, the frustration associated there, high oil prices, which have moderated a little since then. So it gets down to regulatory, tax, super committee getting its job down, Europe getting its jobs done. I’m personally convinced those things would impact this survey.

Business Roundtable President John Engler added:

What would help is if the policymakers would make policy. Let’s get the trade agreements down, let’s get the tax decisions made, let’s clear up some of the regulatory underbrush. Those are the kind of things that help clarify for decisions makers what the environment is on a going forward basis.

Earlier post here.