Updating America's Social Contract: Economic Growth and Opportunity in The New Century

In recent years American's political system has not performed as well as its economic system. While the strong economy of the past decade should provide policy makers with the opportunity to move forward on long-term social and economic goals, they seem stuck in the mindset of short-term fixes and shrill oratory common to leaner times. Focusing on three issues--productivity growth, income inequality and the aging of the baby-boom generation--this concise volume describes a "radically moderate" agenda that captures or political moment. The distinguished authors begin by acknowledging the difficult tradeoffs required for revamping programs for the aged and poor while keeping the economy growing. They then untangle the complexities of the policy debate and propose sensible ways to move American into the new century.