Economic Security in a Changing World

The Hamilton Project was launched this year to advance an economic strategy to restore America’s promise of opportunity, prosperity and growth—and inject new policy options from leading thinkers across the country into the national economic debate. At a forum on September 15, the project examined the issue of economic security in a changing world. The forum was cosponsored by The New Republic.

Four panel discussions focused on income instability among American families, economic security and growth, and new proposals for progress. The first panel featured a Hamilton Project discussion of a new strategy paper exploring the link between economic security and economic growth and three discussion papers focusing on reform of the unemployment insurance system and a new proposal for “universal insurance.”

The next three panels further explored the concept of economic security and how it relates to overall economic growth, concluding with a discussion of the effectiveness of education, and what the United States can learn from other nations’ strategies for providing economic security. Panelists included Robert E. Rubin of Citigroup; Roger C. Altman of Evercore Partners; and Laura D’Andrea Tyson, Dean of the London Business School.

Panel 1: Hamilton Project Forum on Economic Security and Economic Growth

Moderator:
Peter R. Orszag, The Hamilton Project at the Brookings Institution
Panelists:
Jeffrey Kling, The Brookings Institution
Howard Rosen, Trade Adjustment Assistance Coalition and The Institute for International Economics
Jacob Hacker, Yale University

Panel 2: Can We Increase Economic Security Without Harming Economic Growth?

Moderator:
Franklin Foer, The New Republic
Panelists:
Jacob Hacker, Yale University
Brink Lindsey, Cato Institute
Peter R. Orszag, The Hamilton Project at the Brookings Institution

Panel 3: What Single Policy Change Would Best Promote Broad-Based Economic Growth?

Moderator:
Glenn H. Hutchins, Silver Lake Partners
Panelists:
Kevin Hassett, American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
Robert Kuttner, The American Prospect
Gene B. Sperling, Center for American Progress

Panel 4: Economic Security in a Changing World: A Discussion

Moderator:
Jonathan Chait, The New Republic
Panelists:
Roger C. Altman, Evercore Partners
Peter R. Orszag, The Hamilton Project at the Brookings Institution
Robert E. Rubin, Citigroup Inc.
Laura D’Andrea Tyson, London Business School