the Future of Change

Last week, I had an article on the Huffington Post that suggested that the President could choose tackling inequality as a theme for his second term.  Here is an excerpt:

Throughout American history, great advances in reducing inequality have been sought by grassroots agitation, but also championed by presidents. Lincoln fought for slavery’s abolition. Theodore Roosevelt battled the trusts and advocated for a progressive income tax (such a tax was ultimately adopted after Roosevelt left office through the Sixteenth Amendment, which effectively overturned a decision of the Supreme Court holding such a tax unconstitutional). Franklin Roosevelt advanced a range of social programs, including social security and the G.I. Bill, both of which helped to make great strides in reducing social inequality. Lyndon Johnson championed the cause of civil rights and racial equality.

President Obama has the chance to join this roster of presidents that combated inequality in its many different forms. And such an effort can serve as a unifying theme to his second term, presenting clarity and coherence in a range of policy areas.

You can read the whole post here.