![]() His most recent book, The Conscience of a Liberal, is a history of the growing economic divide in the United States and a prescription on how those trends can be remedied. Our moderator this afternoon is Paul Krugman, Professor of Economics and International Affairs at Princeton University, columnist for the New York Times and one of our nation’s most well informed, trenchant commentators on the interplay between politics and the economy. We are a better country for his creative talents, tireless efforts and legislative accomplishments. After 14 terms in office, he’s currently one of the most expert members on Congressional rules and calls himself not a policy wonk, but a wonk about how to get things done. Congressman Frank began his career as Chief Assistant to Boston Mayor Kevin White and has always shown a keen aptitude for recognizing creative policy innovations and knowing how best to implement them. ĭescribed as a liberal who understands markets, he suggests that under-regulation is not just a factor, but the single biggest cause of the fix we are in today and advocates for government regulations as effective safeguards against irresponsible risk taking in the market. ![]() For if you are among the many in our society too poor to afford a boat and are standing tiptoe in the water, he quips, the rising tide goes up your nose. Never one to rely on old clichés, in fact a master of reinterpreting them, Congressman Frank recently reminded us that the notion emanating from the 1960s, that a rising tide lifts all boats is seriously flawed. In that role, he has proven to be an inspiring national figure in confronting the sub prime mortgage crisis and the current turmoil in financial markets. TOM PUTNAM: One of the most formidable and influential members of Congress today, Barney Frank assumed the Chairmanship of the House Financial Services Committee in 2007. In this hour of economic uncertainty, I'm reminded of a speech given in 1962 by President Kennedy at Yale University, in which he articulates the need for business, labor, and government to meet their respective responsibilities to restore confidence in the national economy. Our media sponsors are The Boston Globe, WBUR and NECN. I'm pleased to acknowledge the underwriters of the Kennedy Library Forums, including lead sponsor, Bank of America, represented here tonight by Massachusetts State President, Robert Gallery, and our other generous sponsors, Boston Capital, the Lowell Institute, the Corcoran Jennison Companies, and the Boston Foundation. And on behalf of John Shattuck, CEO of the Kennedy Library Foundation, and all of my Library colleagues, I thank you for coming out on this rainy spring evening to this very special forum. I’m Tom Putnam, the Director of the John F.
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