The US economy, now and for the longer term

I am delighted to be with you today. My grandfather was the leader of a political club in Brooklyn many, many decades ago, and I grew up listening to stories about politics in which the mayor was the king of the relevant political universe. New York politics and urban politics have changed a great deal since then, but what has not changed is the central and closely felt role mayors play in the lives of their constituents. And, that position empowers mayors to contribute powerfully to our nation’s economic future, the subject I was asked to discuss today.

You, as our country’s mayors, have a relationship to your constituents that especially enables you to inform them about the extraordinary challenges our economy faces for the more immediate period and for the longer term. And, that can contribute meaningful to creating an informed electorate that holds all levels of our political system accountable for rising to meet those challenges. Beyond that, cities, regions and states have local knowledge that best equips them to meet many of the critical economic needs of our nation.

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