So often in our public discourse the plight of the poor is subsumed within the needs of the middle class (i.e., “a rising tide lifts all boats”) or all together ignored. While this familiar narrative unfolded during Tavis Smiley’s America’s Next Chapter forum (I’ll return to this point later), it was refreshing to hear the conversation begin with a focus on America’s forgotten class.
Obama Schools Nation on Technology and Changing Economy
During his State of the Union address President Obama placed special emphasis on technology as an underlying force driving change in our economy. Before laying out his vision of a new era of American innovation, Obama noted that “thirty years ago, we couldn’t know that something called the Internet would lead to an economic revolution.” While I was happy to hear the president talk about the internet and the promise of technology, I couldn’t help feeling that the focus on “winning the future” through innovation was a way to bypass dealing with today’s difficult challenges.