The next panel. Before i do so, id like to take one minute to pick up on something that we touched on recently today, the tragic events in las vegas last week. And i would like to turn the mic over to our fellow, your fellow legislator and my good friend, representative chris taylor from wisconsin, who has a quick announcement in that regard. Hello, everybody. I just wanted to build on, and i talked to our nevada folks about this as well, the issue, the gun epidemic and the most recent tragedy, and share a tactic that were using in wisconsin that im happy to share with you. A lot of you may have done this already. We have obviously introduced a lot of gun safety bills, including a bump stock ban, but we also formulated a letter that were circulating to the entire Wisconsin Legislature directed at our federal representatives and President Trump, calling on them to take action immediately to pass background checks, obviously, the bump stock ban, and to allow the cdc to do the Important Research on the impact of guns and Public Safety and Public Health that has been banned. So, i wanted to encourage your delegations to consider doing this. I think it would be very powerful if every state sent a letter federally to your delegation calling for action, not just pursue these policies in your state, too, which is always another great option. I have a letter that we are currently going to send from our wisconsin delegation, if youre interested in taking that or adopting some of that, but it would be super powerful if we had all of our delegations, all of our states, i think, send a letter calling on congress to finally act and this president to act on these very, very common sense gun safety measures. So just see me if youre interested, if youd like to see the letter that were sending. Thanks, everybody. [applause] thanks so much, chris. And i think we will also have a copy of the signon letter at the table that has the survey just outside the door here. So thats another place you can sign on, if youd like. So, let me introduce our next panel. And before i do that, ill say, im sam unger, director of Strategic Engagement at six. I think many of you know me from previous stints at the podium in previous years, but it is fantastic to be here in front of this crowd, which is bigger every year, and contains several friends, friends of several years now. So its great to be here in front of you all. And it gives me particular pleasure to introduce this next panel and this next topic and this next engagement and set of speakers for a number of reasons. So, first, we have the pleasure of having a truly eminent, intellectual, giant dr. Jeffrey sachs, who is probably known to many of you for his work on Climate Change with Vice President al gore, among others, and if not for that, then his work with the u. N. On Sustainable Development goals. So, that is fantastic. Second, this is a topic that is, as i was just telling him, is near and dear to my heart. The question of how to measure progress in the world in something other than dollars and cents, something that goes much more deeply to the actual quality of human existence in a particular place and at a particular time is something that ive worked on on and off over the years. So as this next project deals with that, its really great to see that start to take form in a way that has implementation in reality in states. Finally, it was not that long ago that the state Innovation Exchange, six, was a fledgling project starting up ourselves. Many of you in this room probably remember that, and we had many partners and many friends at organizations who generously gave us a platform, and many of you did in your states give us a platform to come and talk about what at that time seemed like in some ways a farfetched idea, that you could build a network of progressive legislators that would have real power and real staying power and influence and hope. So, its a real pleasure to be able to pay that forward and to give a platform for another project that is aspirational and, yet, also strategic, and well thought out. And you know, also, we hope in a great promise. With that, im going to turn it over to the cofounder and chair of future now, adam pritsgrum to introduce congressman professor sachs. One of my colleagues, danielle was out in the hallway and heard somebody say if theres any panel to miss, its this one. So, i hope thats not true, and im here to prove that it, in fact, is not true. So, public officials, colleagues, friends, nick, team at state innovation, thank you so much for having us here to launch future now. Future now is an organization focused on electing leaders like all of you, committed to bold, achievable goals for our countrys future. Three cofounders came together, professor jeffrey sachs, whos here today, preeminent scholar, economist, academic, and danielle squadron, former state senator. Weve founded future now to give political heft to americas political heft to americas goals for 2030. These goals are comprehensive. These goals are longterm, and these goals are nonpartisan. And you know, also, we hope in a way that six once was, is really genuinely innovative and has using americas goals as a guiding framework, future now seeks to support candidates who sign a pledge and endorse this broad agenda. So, by signing the pledge, candidates have access to a donor pool, a network much like this, training, education, and more. So, why me . Why did i decide to do this project . Most of you who know my familys last name, pritzker, associate it with commercial success and privilege. So be it. But my family, actually, if you look back, is a typical 19thcentury european immigrant story of my greatgreat grandfather fleeing persecution in what is now geographically the ukraine, to come to the United States. And he documented that journey in a book that i actually have here with me today. And nicholas arrived in the United States at the age of nine no resources, no understanding of the english language, no relationships. Eventually became a pharmacist, then became a lawyer, and no law firm would hire him. He was jewish. So he decided to start his own, called pritzker pritzker. And over a century later, here i am with this book, and that book, incidentally, ends before anyone in my family had started anything other than the law firm. So, hyatt hadnt started, royal firm. So, hyatt hadnt started, Royal Caribbean hadnt started, ticketmaster. And you know, i can only imagine what nicholas might think if he saw how far our family came and what he began. And for those of you who are curious, his book really has two key takeaways. One, but by the grace of god go i. And two, we have to remain aware of where we came from and we have to work every day to make the world and america a better place for our children and our childrens children. And so, i felt a real ethical imperative to launch this project with professor sachs and danielle squadron. And so, without further ado, id love to welcome my cofounder, my friend, mentor, former professor, dr. Jeffrey sachs. Thank you, guys. [applause] good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. We are really thrilled to be here, and were really thrilled to be launching future now together with you, the state Innovation Exchange, and all that you represent. On the state Innovation Exchange website, it says, what do we do . It says we support state legislators who seek to strengthen our democracy, fight for working families, defend civil rights and liberties, and protect the environment. And thats what we believe is what america is all about, and what were proposing, and we would like you to be leaders of this movement, is to embrace clear, specific, measurable goals for our country, looking forward, holding ourselves as citizens accountable, understanding that thanks god not everything depends on washington, d. C. , but that we can solve problems in states. Even when we have the bizarre situation we have today, watching the battles between senators and president s over twitter yesterday where senator corker got it right, that somebody missed the daycare shift in the morning yesterday at the white house. Pretty accurate description. We can still make progress, and the states can be champions of this progress and that the progress should come from expressing what americans want and what they need, and it is true to this day that despite the fact that we are immeshed in terrible partisan battles and we are trapped by special interests, the vast bulk of our country, the vast proportion of our citizens want a decent life for themselves and their children with the same values that are the impulse of the state Innovation Exchange and of our thoughts about americas goals. The idea is that we can get out of our trap. Boy, are we trapped right now. Were trapped by stalemate, were trapped by politics in washington that really is cheating. Its lies. Its in the hands of vested interests. Corporate interests dominate, as you know very well. How else can one explain the Republican Party leadership trying for nine months to put forward legislation that their own constituencies despise . Why is that . Well, there was one honest story about it a couple weeks ago in the the new york times, saying that our donors are pushing us to do this. If we dont do it, the donors are going to cut back. Thats the deal right now. They were so embarrassed with this legislation that they wouldnt even show it until the last minute. They wouldnt hold hearings on it. They wouldnt have public discussion about it because they knew that it was repulsive. So, we want to advocate championing things that are what people really want and measuring them and tracking them and holding us all accountable. I do believe as i go through these very quickly that these are not especially goals of democrats versus republicans. These are goals that across society normal people want, not necessarily powerful billionaires that fund the Republican Party. I dont know if Sheldon Adelson wants this. I dont know if Robert Mercer wants this, but we cant care less whether thats true. Who cares what david and charles koch want . Who cares . Two votes. Nothing more than two votes. They can vote, but they cannot own our political system. [applause] so, lets try to help america to understand what we really could achieve. Let me go through them quickly, if the clicker will allow that. There we go. Ok. I can barely see them. Any help with this . Ok. Since i cant see the screen, im coming down here, and im going to sit with you, and were going to look together. Ok. So, the idea is seven goals, each of them with three targets, all of them measurable. Really important. No joke. No nonsense. For example, good jobs. Ok. Three goals that 100 of jobs should pay a livable wage. Thats not true today. Thats nine Million People working that are in poverty. Thats just you read that on bls every month. Second, that everybody should have paid Family Vacation and sick leave. [applause] and third, that labor rights should be protected with increasing worker representation. Ok. [applause] so, if you look at the map, basically, the darker the shade, the farther away from achieving those goals. This one is a map of People Living in poverty in the United States. Now let me show you a basic point. This is all the highincome countries. For all the graphs im going to show you, all the way on the far left, maybe not by coincidence, thats the best, ok . All the way on the far right, thats the worst. So look at where the United States ranks compared to other countries. For example, in People Living in those goals. Poverty as measured by the oecd. Thats the ridge countries. So dont tell me we cant have low poverty in the United States, that all those other countries figure it out and we cant . Of course we could. This is bad policies we have. Not inevitability. This isnt the unfair global system thats so unfair to us. Well, they all have that global system. This is unfair inside our country. Dont blame it on the mexicans, dont blame it on the immigrants, dont blame it on the chinese. Blame it on billionaires who are so greedy that they bought the Republican Party in washington and are trying to this moment to cut taxes for themselves, trillions dollars more. And put more people in poverty. Ok, goal number two, Affordable Quality Health care. So, measurable standard number one universal, Affordable Health coverage with a cap on outofpocket expenses, all measurable. Second, Life Expectancy of at least 84 years. Third end hunger for 100 of households. How come we have hunger in the United States . Unbelievable. Unbelievable. So, you see, again, the states that are a darker shade are the ones farther from this goal. Whats shown here are proportions in people that do not have Adequate Health insurance. So, could we do this . Look at this craziness. This is how much the United States spends on health care. Because weve gotten monopolies all across the country. Because we have pharmaceutical crises that are out of control. We give them a 20year monopoly and say charge anything you want and you tell us the bill. And then when its too expensive like gilead charging 1000 a pill for hepc cure, then we tell people that show up that are infected, sorry, go home, youre not close enough to death yet, you dont qualify for coverage. This is the United States of america, not in the middle ages, but in 2017. So, were paying 17 of our Gross Domestic Product for health care where all the rest of the countries that we compare with, with higher Life Expectancy, are paying 10 to 12 . Ladies and gentlemen, thats 1 trillion difference per year of jackedup prices in the United States. Thats what that is. Goal number three investing in our children. You have to be pretty damn weird not to want your children to succeed, right . Americans want good schools, so target number one, 100 completion of quality k12. Goal number two, path to higher education, including Technical Training without debt. Without debt. [cheers and applause] third Early Childhood training without debt. Without debt. Education for 100 of our kids. [applause] we are earning 60,000 per person per year for every man, woman and child in this country. Dont tell me we cant afford universal prek. Of course we can. So, this map, again, shows some states are close to that, other states far behind, but look at the United States. Again, ok, how do all these other countries do this and we dont do it . Nonsense. Goal number four empowering people over special interests. Ok . So, goal number four, limit corporate special interest spending. We know about that. Target b, at least 70 Voter Participation in fair legislative districts, right . And target number c, that there should be personal control for everyone over the privacy of their online data, because weve got massive theft, massive invasion of privacy and so forth. So, this map shows how uneven it is and how many places have miserable voter turnout among our states. And this shows where American Voter turnout is compared to other countries. Dont tell me we cant have higher voter turnout with proper rules, with more access, with trying a little bit harder for our democracy, and the states can lead the way. Goal number five equal opportunity for all. Three targets equal pay for equal work, regardless of gender or race. Pretty simple. [applause] target number two end mass incarceration for nonviolent offenders. [applause] and target number three freedom from ethnic and racial freedom from ethnic and racial profiling for everyone. And we know, again, there are massive, completely unjustified gaps in earnings between men and women and across racial groups, of course, without question. And again, heres where the United States stacks up in this of course, without question. As womens earnings relative to mens earnings. Why do we have to be always at the low end of the comparisons . This isnt fate. This isnt the international system. This is us and the choices were making. And again, we dont have to wait on washington, because states can lead the way. Goal number six sustainable infrastructure, resilience, and innovation. So, target one 100 of roads and bridges, railways, airports, seaports and levees should be in a state of good repair. Not quite these days. Number two plans every community should have plans for resilience against natural disasters. So sorry that after harvey hit texas and you go back how many times was houston warned that its inevitable that flooding is going to come, make a plan . And instead, we had a governor of texas that was busy suing the epa, rather than making plans for his state. I think mr. Abbott should just go home and apologize, frankly, but this is what we have when we dont have plans. And three, enhance the Scientific Research and technological capabilities. For example, higher r d spending by states. Those that are really investing in innovation are creating new enterprises and new jobs. Now, here the United States is a little bit better, but we pride ourselves on being number one in the world. This is spending on research and development as a percent of gdp. Look at all the countries that are now higher r d spenders than us israel, korea and switze