The Case

Conservatives call the state of the economy the “greatest story never told,” but in reality it’s an economy reminiscent of the Gilded Age. The myth of a booming economy does not reflect the everyday experiences of working-class Americans. In fact, most Americans see the nation either in or near a recession. We need a broad reassessment of our economic policies.

Our great challenge in the global economy is to develop a strategy for building a shared prosperity. How do we ensure that the blessings of trade and productivity are widely spread, and end the proverbial race to the bottom unleashed by the global economy?

The conservatives have had their way. President Bush’s self-declared "CEO administration" has pushed through tax cuts favoring the rich and corporations. The results are working for the elite, but not for everyone else.

To build shared prosperity, we need to adopt a broad economic strategy that reflects the increasingly globalized nature of the American economy and enables working families to share in the prosperity and productivity they produce.

We need to change course. Conservatives say everyone is on their own, but that's never been true about America. We're all in this together, and we all do better when the benefits of prosperity are widely shared. We need new policies that put people first.