CFK reports from: The Russell Senate Office Building Event: Four panels conducted discussions on major social and economic challenge Organized by: The Atlantic Monthly and New America Foundation Where/When: Washington, D.C., February 7, 2005
Following President Bush’s February 3rd State of the Union address, the organizers presented the 3rd Annual Real State of the Union: National Policy Forum. Four panels conducted discussions on major social and economic challenges that face the United States today. Some of the issues discussed include the division of America, the manners in which we should rethink domestic policies and the future of terrorism in the United States.
Ted Halstead, president and CEO of New America Foundation introduced the forum as a means to present a different perspective on the state of the union. Halstead claims that “The U.S. is underachieving its potential, both domestically and internationally.” Halstead pointed to the contrast between the U.S.’ self-concept as the most powerful nation in the world, and our acceptance of relatively high rates of infant mortality and other negative social indicators.
The panel titled “Rethinking Domestic Policy” presented ideas on how to resolve economic and social problems. Karen Kornbluh, director of the Work and Family Program at the New America Foundation addressed “Family Economics” and presented her ideas on how to reform public policies in order to help families prosper.
Kornbluh discussed how globalization pressures affect families in the workforce. She said that as employees work long hours, forego days off, and accept night-shift work, their families suffer the consequences. Research indicates that children whose parents work long hours and/or at night have more behavior problems, and struggle in the subjects of reading and math. Studies also show that parents who tend to work at night are more likely to separate or divorce than those who have the typical day job.
How do we fix this problem? Kornbluh proposes a “Skillside Investment Plan” which includes suggestions such as:
Starting the public education system at age three.
Having more after-school programs available.
Providing better teachers for schools, in particular improving math and science
teachers.
Creating affordable childcare. (Kornbluh identified childcare as the number-one business expense that is not tax deductible.)
Another element of Kornbluh’s “Skillside Investment Plan” is giving families the tools to succeed. She suggests creating parent’s accounts to help parents set aside money to raise their children. Kornbluh also stresses the importance of flexibility in balancing work and home life. Universal access to healthcare, flexible work schedules, greater acceptance of part-time work and paid paternity leave would all create more flexibility, says Kornbluh.
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