Luminaries Remember JFK

A panel of four prominent liberals discussed ways to get the U.S. "moving forward again" before a full house at the Institute of Politics Monday night.

The panel was the Kennedy School of Government's annual tribute to its namesake, President John F. Kennedy '40.

"Are we going forward to the future or back to the future?" asked Senator Edward M. Kennedy '54-'56 (D-Mass.), as he introduced the panel.

The panel included Secretary of Labor Robert B. Reich, Secretary of Commerce Ronald H. Brown, Warburg Professor of Economics, Emeritus, John Kenneth Galbraith and John F. Kennedy Jr., as moderator.

Before the panel discussion, President Kennedy was shown speaking in a collection of video clips from the 1960s.

In the clips, the president was shown fielding a question from a student at University of Southern California questioning the existence of a real ideological divide between the two parties.

President Kennedy replied that Democrats were the party of change, while Republicans had opposed many of their social programs, such as higher minimum wages, Social Security and health care.

President Kennedy also championed equality of opportunity and "equal pay for equal work" in the video clips.

Galbraith, Kennedy's Ambassador to India, said the video was a reminder that the problems of the troubled '60s remain.

"The harsh truth is that in our modern economy,a great number of people live on a fixed income,"Galbraith said.

Galbraith criticized conservatives' use ofbudget deficits as an excuse to cut socialspending.

He also chastised the government for itsmilitary expenditures and tax breaks forcorporations.

However, he offered "a scholarly word ofpessimism" to reformers. "As we talk about what ittakes to get this country moving again, we mustremember that there are a great number of peoplein the republic who don't want [change],"Galbraith said.

Brown, the former chair of the DemocraticNational Committee, told the audience that theelection of President Clinton in 1992 hadindicated a national desire to move forward.

"We have got to change the way we think inAmerica," Brown said. Government must not merelyimprove current policies but revise or replacethem, he said.

He also criticized the public's cynicism. "Ifmore people believe in government, then we can getpeople back involved in government," Brown said.He said the 1996 elections will be a test ofpeople's faith in government.

Reich, a former Kennedy School professor, spokeof the increasing gap between classes in America.

"There was a faith in the 1950s and 1960s thateconomic growth would benefit all Americans,...Butfrom 1979 to today, economic growth has not beenequal for all income groups," Reich said.

"Adjusted for inflation, the top 20 percent ofincomes have increased by 18 percent... [while]the bottom 20 percent have seen a 11 percentdecline," Reich said. "Unlike the 1950s and 1960s,we didn't grow together, but we grew apart."

Reich attributed the growing income disparitiesto technology's new importance in the economy.

"With an education, you have a good chance fora good job today, but without skills, the economyis unfriendly," Reich told the audience.

Reich returned to the subject of publicdiscontent. "Disillusionment is growing. In thesetimes, it is easy to blame immigrants, or welfaremothers, or whoever else."

He said improvement in education and job skillsis needed to combat this apathy.

At Harvard, "people here believe in dignity andservice," but all Americans should be watchful ofthe gaps between classes, he added

"The harsh truth is that in our modern economy,a great number of people live on a fixed income,"Galbraith said.

Galbraith criticized conservatives' use ofbudget deficits as an excuse to cut socialspending.

He also chastised the government for itsmilitary expenditures and tax breaks forcorporations.

However, he offered "a scholarly word ofpessimism" to reformers. "As we talk about what ittakes to get this country moving again, we mustremember that there are a great number of peoplein the republic who don't want [change],"Galbraith said.

Brown, the former chair of the DemocraticNational Committee, told the audience that theelection of President Clinton in 1992 hadindicated a national desire to move forward.

"We have got to change the way we think inAmerica," Brown said. Government must not merelyimprove current policies but revise or replacethem, he said.

He also criticized the public's cynicism. "Ifmore people believe in government, then we can getpeople back involved in government," Brown said.He said the 1996 elections will be a test ofpeople's faith in government.

Reich, a former Kennedy School professor, spokeof the increasing gap between classes in America.

"There was a faith in the 1950s and 1960s thateconomic growth would benefit all Americans,...Butfrom 1979 to today, economic growth has not beenequal for all income groups," Reich said.

"Adjusted for inflation, the top 20 percent ofincomes have increased by 18 percent... [while]the bottom 20 percent have seen a 11 percentdecline," Reich said. "Unlike the 1950s and 1960s,we didn't grow together, but we grew apart."

Reich attributed the growing income disparitiesto technology's new importance in the economy.

"With an education, you have a good chance fora good job today, but without skills, the economyis unfriendly," Reich told the audience.

Reich returned to the subject of publicdiscontent. "Disillusionment is growing. In thesetimes, it is easy to blame immigrants, or welfaremothers, or whoever else."

He said improvement in education and job skillsis needed to combat this apathy.

At Harvard, "people here believe in dignity andservice," but all Americans should be watchful ofthe gaps between classes, he added