Politics takes the stage at U.S. Global Leadership Conference at Rockefeller University

The afternoon program at yesterday’s Newsweek Executive Forum “Global Leadership Conference on Science, Technology and Education”, held at Rockefeller University in New York City featured a luncheon keynote by former Virginia Governor Mark Warner, described by U.S. News & World Report last year as “white-hot on the Democratic presidential circuit” and a panel of thought leaders debating government policy and “Can America Compete.”

Gov. Warner’s introduction to the podium was impressive: Harvard educated lawyer, self-made tech mogul and co-founder of Nextel, public servant as Governor of Virgnia… His prepared remarks, however, were as well known as his background. Warner spent considerable time recounting his “Hole in the Wall” story, a heart-warming rendition of his trade mission to India which has already been well documented by the Democratic Leadership Council:

A few months ago, I led a trade mission to India. I saw a number of things there that speak to me about where we need to be as a nation. I was struck by the crushing poverty. But I also saw something incredibly hopeful and inspiring. There was a project called the Hole in the Wall. Computers were literally placed in a hole in a concrete wall with a little tin roof over it. They turned on the computers in the morning; they turned them off at night. No teachers. I met a kid named Samir. He asked me how to spell my name so he could Google me. And these young people were emailing and instant messaging. They were doing exactly the same thing that my own daughters do with their computers at home.

The kids were remarkable. This experience said to me that the race is on for the future. Who's going to own it? Who's going to get there first? This is America's next great challenge, and we must start preparing right now.

All of the themes presented by Warner are discussed at the Website for his Political Action Committee, forwardtogetherpac.com.

Warner’s keynote at the U.S. Global Leadership Conference was one of many appearances by Warner in New York City yesterday. Today, the New York Times reports that Warner, “who is eyeing a Democratic presidential bid, said Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton wasn't the presumptive Democratic nominee for president,” in “Warner Raises Questions About a Clinton Candidacy.”

The concluding panel of the U.S. Global Leadership Conference was “Can America Compete? A Discussion on Where America Stands Against Emerging Economies of the World,” led by Fareed Zakaria, Editor, Newsweek International, with panelists:

• Robert Rubin, Director; Chairman of the Executive Committee and Member of the Office of the Chairman, Citigroup, Inc., Former United States Secretary of Treasury
• Rob Glaser, CEO, Real Networks
• Richard Levin, President, Yale University

Zakaria’s piece in the current issue of Newsweek, “Global Leadership, America and its Competitors,” framed the discussion: “The United States is still the dominant force in technology, innovation, productivity and profits. But Americans don’t quite realize how fast the rest of the world is catching up.”

The panelists concurred that China’s global leadership aspirations, fueled by state sponsored research initiatives and a strong entrepreneurial spirit on the ground, is at once a competitive threat and an opportunity for American multi-national expansion. The panel also cited the challenges of operating in China’s underdeveloped and controlled market environment.

The panel also spent considerable time pondering how U.S. government fiscal and tax policy can help maintain American global leadership. Rubin expressed concern about U.S. “entitlements” and Zakaria alluded to the influence of AARP constituents.

After the panel, I asked Rubin why U.S. social security benefit payments are labeled as “entitlements,” rather than as payable insurance policy disbursements. I explained that the U.S. government has entered into a contract with U.S. workers whereby U.S. workers pay a weekly fee for insurance covering retirement and health care, with the contracted insurance payouts payable upon certain age, disability and survivor events.

Upon a moment of reflection, Rubin concurred with my analysis and said “I’ve never heard it put that way before.” I then invited Rubin to visit this Digital Micro-Markets Blog for analysis “never heard before” on many topics.

Here is Part I "Ten Leaders Brainstorm U.S. Global Leadership at Rockefeller University"

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