World Affairs Council event tonight with Jane Wales

 Jane Wales, CEO of World Affairs Council,  has been elected a VP of the Aspen Institute of which I am proud.  She held a talk tonight which I think you can watch on the World Affairs site in 24 hours. It was a conversation with Jeffrey E. Garten, Dean Emeritus, Yale School of Management and author, FROM SILK TO SILICON:  The Story of Globalization through Ten Extraordinary Lives and  Jane Wales, World Affairs and Global Philanthropy Forum; and VP of The Aspen Institute. The book promotes the idea that "globalization has always been with us, and not at the initiative of governments but individuals who transformed transport and trade. Garten served in the Nixon, Ford, Carter and Clinton administrations.  Jane served in the Clinton administration.  What was the gist? .  Garten says we are in for a dark period in the next few years.  Hate crimes are mounting in schools across the nation; polarization of black and white, etc...and if the president does not say something then this behavior, being reborn, is consciounable in the eyes of those who enact it.  White nationalist politics and lies are not a way to engender trust and progressive movement forward.  G thinks infrastructure building is a good idea.  He thinks that it is not only globalization but the digitalization of the world, the technologies which "trump"(not the pres elect) global expansion.  He sees the latter slowing down; there will not be another China. As for climate change, if America pulls out of the Paris agreement so will the rest of the world which will greatly impact on America. What needs to be done?  The promises made need to address those who lost out to China trade but not only that, to digitalization replacing workers which will continue.  The only option is to educate and make available training for higher skill jobs to this population and the president needs to incentivize the cities and states to accomplish this task.  G describes America as an "assimilation "machine, which Europe is not, and therefore the refugee crisis is far worse for them...and for the world  60 billion people cannot return to their countries so the conflicts need to cease, in order for a world order to resume. As for the economy, we are at 5% unemployed and the base wage is higher than it has been for some time, so we are not in recession.  There are many erroneous opinions out there, and the damage that the president elect has done in his campaign, to fuel racial hate and to instill fear in migrant populations, has fractured the identity and stature of America. The ugliness of the campaign can create an American none of us will recognize.  What was poignant is that the room was not filled with grey hairs tonight but students and young professionals; they want to know what is going to happen to America.  Everyone has seen how the youth took to the streets here: " Trump is not our president" but I am afraid he is the president of the USA. I may update this later, but that is enough taxing of my brain on Trump and that session, very worth attending.  G remarked that his students go into the not for profit sector and into business, but not the public sphere.