Revising Policy Assumptions in the Wake of The Great Recession

The Great Recession has undermined the economic security of most Americans and exposed the limits of the existing American social contract. The widespread hardship caused by job losses, stagnant wages, and rising foreclosures makes it urgently necessary for public policies to create jobs, provide essential benefits, and maximize basic economic security. Crafting an effective response will require a revisiting of the prevailing policy assumptions underlying the social contract to see which ones need to be discarded, added, or reinforced.

At this New America event, sponsored jointly by the Economic Growth and Asset Building programs, America’s leading public policy experts convened to assess the condition of the American labor market, the adequacy of the social safety net, and the future role of credit and homeownership. Video of the keynote address is available above; recordings of the day’s panel discussions will be posted as they become available.

Transcript of Jared Bernstein’s speech

For those attendees who did not receive the packet of materials at the event, you can access each of the papers/reports at the links below.

• Conference Agenda
• Speaker Biographies
• Assets Agenda 2011
• The Case for Asset-Based Social Policy in the Wake of the Great Recession, By Rachel Black
• The American Social Contract, By Sherle R. Schwenninger
• The Great Recession Strains the American Social Contract, By Lauren Damme
• The Dignity Voucher Program, By Michael Lind and Lauren Damme

Participants