A New 21st Century Policy Agenda: Roosevelt Report Proposes Changing the Balance of Power in the Economy

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, the Roosevelt Institute unveiled a new report, New Rules for the 21st Century: Corporate Power, Public Power and the Future of the American Economy by Roosevelt Institute experts Nell Abernathy (Vice President of Policy and Strategy), Darrick Hamilton (Fellow), and Julie Margetta Morgan (Fellow) at an event in Washington DC. The report’s authors and a panel of experts described what has gone wrong in our economy and politics over the past 50 years and proposed bold policy solutions—framed by a progressive “one-two punch” of curbing concentrated corporate power and reclaiming government power—needed to build an economy that works for all Americans.

“An increasing number of policymakers and economists agree that we must rein in corporate power, and some are arguing that we need to expand government power to build an inclusive economy. But few are connecting the dots in ways that make the case for both. Today we’re offering a new approach to politics and policymaking that does just that,” said Felicia Wong, president and CEO of the Roosevelt Institute. “New Rules for the 21st Century provides the ‘how,’ which is what most experts have been missing in this debate. Policymakers who adopt this worldview have empirics, morality, and the American people on their side.”

The event began with a new video that explains the Roosevelt Institute’s worldview for politics and policymaking in the 21st century, followed by a keynote from Georgia’s 2018 Democratic gubernatorial nominee and former House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams. Abrams’ remarks were followed by a discussion among the report authors on the current problems in our economy and their proposed solutions. The event concluded with a panel discussion—moderated by The Washington Post’s Jonathan Capehart and featuring Wong, Abrams, and Ezra Levin (the co-founder and co-executive director of Indivisible)—which focused on how Roosevelt’s proposed agenda responds to the nation’s current political moment.

“There are too many Americans that are living paycheck to paycheck, waiting for the so-called trickle-down rewards that politicians have been promising for far too long. The last 50 years, and especially the past several, show that we need an economy that does more than work for the rich and powerful,” said Abrams. “The Roosevelt Institute’s latest report outlines the policy approach we need to create transformational change.”

Building a strong economy and democracy requires both reining in the concentrated power that rules our economy and reimagining the potential of public power to meet individuals’ needs and conquer the challenges facing our country. A full video of the event can be found here. Additional detail on the report, along with the full text, can be found here.

About the Roosevelt Institute

The Roosevelt Institute, a New York-based think tank, promotes bold policy reforms that would redefine the American economy and our democracy. With a focus on curbing corporate power and reclaiming public power, Roosevelt is helping people understand that the economy is shaped by choices—via institutions and the rules that structure markets—while also exploring the economics of race and gender and the changing 21st-century economy. Roosevelt is armed with a transformative vision for the future, working to move the country toward a new economic and political system: one built by many for the good of all.

To keep up to date with the Roosevelt Institute, please visit us on Twitter or follow our work at #RewriteTheRules.

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