Minnesota Rising Conference – 10/22/11

IMAGINING A NEW ECONOMY

Proposed Agenda

1. Intros

2. Our values

3. What should be the purpose of the economy?

4. What needs to change to achieve that purpose?

5. What will you do?

2. What values do we want to see governing our state?

• Education for all, HC for all

• Value life

• Not having money � not being healthy + well

• Fairness

• Human rights

• Interconnection + interdependency

• “When we all do better, we all do better.”

• Abundance

• Meaningful work (not stuck)

2.b How have we experienced the economy in recent years?

• Living at home

• Multiple jobs, less security

• Self-purchased insurance until 30… lucky to have no catastrophes.

• Retirement increasingly a dim prospect

• Marriage � deeper partnership

• Transport + child-care costs inhibit getting a job

• Overlapping + interconnected barriers

3. What should be the purpose of the Economy?

• To equalize for the common good

• Roads, schools, etc.

• Ensuring base level of resources

o Decreasing disparity

• Wellbeing – basic needs: health, housing relationships, ed., safety, food.

• Dignity

• Creativity, in ovation, progress

• Flourishing – flowering, developing

o Recognizing the potential in people

• Maximizing human potential

o PROGRESS

o Create happiness

o End segregation

4. What needs to change to change to achieve that purpose?

• Increase minimum to living wage and don’t grant exceptions

• Invest in arts and environmental conservation (legacy fund)

• Tax corporations uniformly

• If business in U.S. �taxes in U.S.

• Restore income tax to Reagan

• More transparency in financial regulation

• Shrink financial sector, less lucrative

• Local economies accessible to people, greater access to create for small businesses (food trucks,

etc.)