Event Summary
Amid record corporate profits and an uneven economic recovery, public opinion nonetheless suggests increasing economic anxiety among middle-class Americans. A recent survey conducted by Change to Win and Lake Research Partners reveals growing pessimism among American workers, disengagement from the public policy conversation, despair over the economic prospects of the next generation, and a virtually universal demand for government action.
Event Information
When
Friday, July 13, 2007
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Where
Second Floor
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
1779 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Map
On July 13, Brookings hosted a discussion to address the Lake Research Partners American Dream research, a new paper on economic security by Brookings research fellow Elisabeth Jacobs, and the implications of public attitudes toward government's ability to tackle critical issues. Panelists included Brookings senior fellows E.J. Dionne Jr. and William Galston; Elisabeth Jacobs; Change to Win executive director Greg Tarpinian; and Third Way vice president for policy Jim Kessler. Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners, opened the discussion with a presentation of the American Dream research.
Transcript
E.J. DIONNE
: One of the central questions in American politics is the rise of economic insecurity at a moment when so many of the formal economic indicators seem to moving in a positive direction. During the Great Depression, just about everyone agreed that things were very, very bad, even if they disagreed on what to do about it. In the Depression years, the song was "Brother, Can you Spare me a Dime?" Today the song would be less mellifluous: "Brother, Can you Spare me Some Health Insurance?" or "Brother, Can you Spare me From Outsourcing?" It doesn't have the same ring, but those are the problems right now.
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Participants
Panelists
Greg Tarpinian
Executive Director,
Change to Win
Jim Kessler
Vice President for Policy,
Third Way
Senior Fellow, Governance Studies
Presenter
Celinda Lake
President,
Lake Research Partners
Senior Fellow, Brookings