Revive Economic Opportunity

America was founded and built upon the industry of its people. We are a nation of innovation and private enterprise, of learning and discovery. A nation that has created the engines of modern industry and technology, that fills the granaries of the world, and finances the innovations of tomorrow. And yet America’s prosperity increasingly becoming available to fewer and fewer Americans, and out of reach for many families in our long-cherished middle class. Unless we act as a nation, our children and grandchildren will have less opportunity for success than current generations – a terrible disservice to ourselves and to America’s future.

I believe we need to reignite America’s economic strategy. Our nation’s economy is at a crossroads. We see strength, yet we are becoming weak. Huge deficits and trade imbalances threaten the potential for long term growth, and threaten that our children will have less opportunity than we have or even to be impoverished. At a time when corporate executives’ pay is skyrocketing, the middle class is under siege. The gap between the very rich and those just entering the workforce has widened. As the most wealthy in our nation are enjoying rapid growth in income and wealth, for middle income Americans real income has been flat. Home lending practices which had been both lax and in some cases exploitative are now restricting access to homebuyers. Taxes have become more and more complex, leading to widespread abuse by those who can afford to hire experts to help find loopholes and those who can hire lobbyists to create benefits for their special interests.

I believe we must act forcefully for America to remain the land of opportunity for all, and not just for those who already have great wealth. We must encourage the growth of small businesses, support college and university research and innovation, provide fair and efficient tax policies, and promote a strong and fair American trade policy. We must recognize that in a diverse economy government should help by providing job transition assistance, access to capital, and realistic and fair economic safety nets. We must continue to develop new skills and opportunities and generate jobs with higher wages and better working conditions.