an American Academy of Arts & Sciences feature
In December, the Council of State Governments (CSG) will convene its annual meeting of state legislators in New Orleans from around the country to discuss some of the most pressing public policy issue their constituents are faced with today. One of those discussions will be on December 5th and is entitled “Enhancing Economic Mobility and Equity: Advancing a People-First Economy.” It will be moderated by theB|Enote Publisher Charles Ellison.
Experts will unpack Advancing a People-First Economy, the final report of the Commission on Reimagining Our Economy, a project of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS). The interdisciplinary and crosspartisan Commission comprises scholars, journalists, artists, and leaders from the faith, labor, business, nonprofit, and philanthropic communities. The Academy convened the Commission to address the problems facing the American political economy, problems the Commission believes are inextricable from the challenges facing American democracy and American institutions more generally.
In the United States today, too many families cannot achieve the life they want, too many communities have not benefited fully from national economic growth, and too many Americans believe the economy does not work for them. We’re seeing that in the disconnect between macroeconomic indicators which show low unemployment, decreased inflation and a booming stock market, yet an overall sour mood of economic malaise and dissatisfaction on the ground from people still living through rough conditions, see Gallup’s report in October …
The AAAS report argues that too much attention is devoted to how the economy is doing and not enough to how Americans are doing. An economy should be judged not only on its efficiency and productivity but on its ability to improve people’s well-being. In listening sessions across the country with people from different walks of life and from across the political spectrum, the Commission heard about the challenges people are facing and how current economic arrangements often do not prioritize their needs. A lack of economic security and opportunity fosters distrust of the political and economic system, a distrust that threatens the nation’s social fabric, its institutions, and the ability of those institutions to provide security and opportunity for Americans.
Advancing a People-First Economy offers fifteen recommendations to address some of the most pressing challenges facing Americans today. These recommendations cover issue areas not typically included together, from antitrust policy to tribal governance. This range reflects the fact that the Americans we spoke with did not think in terms of any one idea that would address all of their challenges. They alerted us to a wide range of challenges requiring an even wider range of solutions.
After two years of deliberation, the Commission achieved consensus on this set of bold proposals. The recommendations are rooted in key values that sit at the center of the Commission’s work:
Security
Opportunity and Mobility
Democracy
The proposals in this report address some of the biggest challenges facing the American people. Bringing them to life will require action by government, the private sector, philanthropy, and others. The Commission believes that such action is necessary because economic problems affect more than just the economy. By advancing these values and recommendations, the Commission hopes to foster a sense of trust that is vital for the well-being of the nation, its institutions, and its people. Over the ensuing weeks leading up to the CSG annual meeting in New Orleans, theB|Enote - in partnership with the CSG and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences - will share key insights from this critical report. As a start, see the recommendations below …
