Event Wednesday: The Politics of Inequality

Tomorrow, May 30, the Asset Building Program is pleased to host two authors who have written new books on America’s worsening inequality, albeit from widely different angles: one, a by the numbers account of rising inequality and the other, an insider’s account of the Obama Administration during a key part of the President’s first term. Please join us in person or live online from 12:15 pm to 1:30 pm for The Politics of Inequality.

Timothy Noah, a senior editor for The New Republic, is the author of The Great Divergence: America’s Growing Inequality Crisis and What We Can Do about It. The book looks at the history of American income inequality, making the case that the widening gap between the highest and lowest income earners threatens fundamental pillars of a democratic society. While the degree of inequality we see now is not new, its defining presence in our society has merited an investigation into the political causes of and responses to it. A fierce and frequently ideologically-based debate has dominated public discourse on how income inequality emerged and precisely how we should tackle it. Noah’s book is able to transcend much of that partisan rhetoric to provide a clear picture of what is really at stake and how we might realistically move forward to create a more equitable society.

David Corn, editor at Mother Jones, has authored a book that tackles the dynamics of partisan rhetoric at the federal level. In Showdown: The Inside Story of How Obama Fought Back Against Boehner, Cantor, and the Tea Party, Corn dives into the Obama presidency thus far, examining how the President has navigated an intensely partisan environment by taking some risks but ultimately balancing optimism with a hearty dose of pragmatism. With taxes and income inequality taking such prominent position in the public eye over the past couple years, Obama has had to be creative in his framing of key issues. Corn believes he has largely been successful at this effort.

These authors are uniquely poised to engage in a substantive conversation about the role income inequality is playing both in our day to day lives but also the political arena. They will also offer insights into the coming fall election and what we can expect from the Democratic and Republican campaigns in terms of rhetoric on these issues. Ultimately, the authors’ conclusions will help us prepare for the coming months by providing a concise explanation for the roots of inequality and delineating a political path forward. Join us in person or online at 12:15 tomorrow. Also be sure to check out both authors on Twitter to learn more about their work and check back on our Twitter account (@AssetsNAF) for follow-up after the event.