Building the New American Economy

Jeffrey Sachs remains one of the most thought-provoking economists in the world today because he dares to challenge presidents of both parties and the orthodoxies that bind them to disastrous policies. His critiques are fierce and his solutions fearless in the face of political and academic groupthink. That makes Professor Sachs a rarity in public life and this book an absolute necessity. -- Joe Scarborough My father famously declared that GDP "measures neither our wit nor our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country; it measures everything in short, except that which makes life worthwhile." Jeffrey Sachs presents an economic vision beyond GDP, one that is based on compassion and sustainability, and that aligns with the globally agreed Sustainable Development Goals. This is a roadmap for America's future economic strategy. -- Kerry Kennedy, president of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights

Jeffrey D. Sachs is University Professor at Columbia University and serves as Quetelet Professor of Sustainable Development and professor of health policy and management at Columbia University. He is a New York Times best-selling author, and his books include The End of Poverty (2005), Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet (2008), The Price of Civilization (2011), To Move the World: JFK's Quest for Peace (2013), and The Age of Sustainable Development (Columbia University Press, 2015).

Foreword, by Bernie Sanders Preface Acknowledgments 1. Why We Need to Build a New American Economy 2. Investment, Saving, and U.S. Long-Term Growth 3. Decoding the Federal Budget 4. Sustainable Infrastructure After the Automobile Age 5. Facing Up to Income Inequality 6. Smart Machines and the Future of Jobs 7. The Truth About Trade 8. Disparities and High Costs Fuel the Health Care Crisis 9. A Smart Energy Policy for the United States 10. From Guns to Butter 11. Investing for Innovation 12. Toward a New Kind of Politics 13. Restoring Trust in American Governance 14. Prosperity in Sustainability Suggested Further Readings Notes