Gridlock Break

Latest Episodes:

Dr. James Canton, Global Futurist and Social Scientist, on Global Trends Jun 29, 2020

Show notes

Dr. James Canton is a renowned global futurist, social scientist and author, who has advised three White House Administrations and over 100 companies. As a former Apple Computer executive and high tech entrepreneur, he is a longtime forecaster of the key trends and technologies that have shaped our world. Dr. Canton is CEO and Chairman of the Institute for Global Futures and today, he’ll discuss what comes next for technology in the post-pandemic era.

Dr. Canton is confident that the US can have an economic renaissance in the post-COVID era driven by new technology. But to seize that promise, he says we will need to: embrace entirely virtual organizations; rebuild the trust of the general public, rethink a biosecurity future plan; and develop new approaches to employee health and wellness. He also cautions that any of these priorities could threaten our privacy, so it will be essential to develop approaches that protect our freedoms.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Former FAA Administrator Michael Huerta Jun 26, 2020

Show notes

Michael Huerta was the administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration from 2013-2018. He also held senior positions in the Department of Transportation during the Clinton Administration. Today, he will discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the travel industry, specifically air travel, and what consequences and safety measures we can expect to see in the future.

Flights are down over 60% and passengers are down 90%. And we are not likely to see a rapid rebound. For companies facing economic downturn, travel is often one of the first things cut and one of the last things to return. The same can be said for families whose finances have been affected. According to Michael Huerta, public confidence in the safety of air travel will not be restored until there is a vaccine.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity, Discusses the State of Affordable Housing in America Jun 22, 2020

Show notes

Jonathan Reckford has been the CEO of Habitat for Humanity since 2005. Before that, he served as an executive at Circuit City and the Walt Disney Company, as well as an executive pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Minnesota. Under his leadership, Habitat for Humanity has grown from serving 25,000 families per year to serving over 300,000. Today, he will discuss worldwide housing issues amid this generational health and economic crisis.

Jonathan Reckford believes affordable housing has often been a forgotten social need that the COVID-19 crisis has made even more urgent. Without space, internet, food delivery, and the ability to socially distance and shelter in place, many low-income families find it almost impossible to stay safe. Reckford believes it is time for a national commitment to solve this problem.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Representative Emanuel Cleaver Discusses How America Can Address Racial Inequality Jun 19, 2020

Show notes

Emanuel Cleaver has represented Missouri in the US House of Representatives since 2005. Previously, he was mayor of Kansas City, as well as the pastor of St. James United Methodist Church. Today, he will discuss several ideas he believes can combat systemic racism and inequality and expand opportunities in communities nationwide.

Representative Emmanuel Cleaver began his career in the civil rights movement, working for Dr. Martin Luther King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference. And as you heard, he’s using his experience to push Congress to adopt significant measures to combat the racial inequality made so plain in the wake of George Floyd’s killing. At its founding, America made a promise of full equality to all its people. It’s a promise that not yet been kept.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Anne-Marie Slaughter and Glen Weyl Discuss their Roadmap to Pandemic Resilience Jun 15, 2020

Show notes

Anne-Marie Slaughter is the CEO of New America, a think and action tank dedicated to renewing the promise of America, and a Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University. From 2009–2011, she served as director of policy planning for the United States Department of State, the first woman to hold that position. Glen Weyl is a political economist and social technologist whose work focuses on harnessing computers and markets to create a radically equal and cooperative society. He is the Founder and Chairman of the Radical x Change Foundation, a Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research and a lecturer at Princeton University. Today, Slaughter and Weyl will discuss the recently released Roadmap to Pandemic Resilience, published by Harvard’s Edmond. J Safra Center for Ethics.

You just heard Anne-Marie Slaughter and Glen Weyl describe the Safra Center’s promotion of a TTSI approach - Testing, Tracing, and Supported Isolation. They believe that the only way to successfully contain COVID-19 is to ramp up testing, increase contact tracing and isolate those who have been exposed or infected. Although this will need to be done in a way that respects civil liberties, this is our best shot to save lives until a vaccine is available.