Charles Murray,
W.H. Brady Scholar, American Enterprise Institute; Author, "Coming Apart: The State of White America"
Steven Rattner,
Chairman, Willett Advisors; former Counselor and Lead Auto Advisor to the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury
Moderator:
Harold Ford Jr., Former Congressman; Managing Director, Morgan Stanley; Professor, NYU Wagner School of Public Policy
It's hard to find an era in which hard work and thrift truly assured economic mobility in America. But for much of the nation's history, the myth of mobility served as a substitute for the sort of social protection that underpins European societies. And rapid economic growth (in part a consequence of America's inclination toward laissez-faire government) meant that most hard-working people did prosper. But growth has slowed and wages have stagnated in the last few decades. Meantime, the costs of acquiring marketable skills and the risks of falling out of the middle class due to unemployment, ill health or old age have increased. This panel will discuss whether America has a way - and can muster the will - to rebuild the dream, increasing mobility while offering a more realistic safety net for those who don't make it.
Global Conference 2013
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair, philanthropist Bill Gates and Strive Masiyiwa of Econet Wireless discuss advancing prosperity in Africa.
