Economic Futures

Introducing Economic Futures

02. 13. 2025 • Taylor Jo Isenberg, Executive Director

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I’m excited to share Economic Futures, a place to explore and share bold economic ideas to build an inclusive multiracial democracy. What’s happening right now in Washington, D.C. is a reminder of the stakes: as we defend our values and fight corruption and special interests, we must chart a vision and future that resonates and delivers for Americans.

American frustration with the economic status quo has been building for decades. The election showed us how people react when they feel powerless to change their future. It showed us the painful stakes for all of us when essential necessities are unaffordable and economic opportunity is unattainable. Millions of Americans feel like they can’t get ahead, one doctor’s bill or rent payment away from default and financial disaster. The life millions were offered – the American dream – is an unfulfilled promise.

People of all backgrounds and political ideologies believe we’re here because the system is rigged. They’re not wrong. Historic levels of wealth and power are concentrated in the hands of a few who now lead the biggest companies in the world and have unprecedented influence over our federal government. Monopolies crush innovation, reduce competition, stifle wages for workers, and drive up prices for all of us. If you are a worker and the modern economy comes for your job, you have to jump through hoops that make it hard – if not impossible – for you to get back on your feet.

Americans are craving control, agency, and stability. They want their daily lives to work and their pocketbook math to make sense. They want to know that someone is in their corner fighting for them. They want to build a safe and secure economic future for themselves and their families instead of being on the outside looking in as a select few prosper at the expense of dwindling opportunities for others.

At this pivotal moment in America, we have to show we’re ready for the fight and be clear about the vision we’re fighting for. I’m finding optimism in some incredible advocacy and organizing happening across the country, showing what’s possible when we build together: emerging coalitions of workers and civil society pushing legislators to take the reins on tech; policies that break new ground to deliver cash to moms in the critical early days of parenthood; local leaders exploring municipal-owned grocery stores to bring affordable groceries to their neighborhoods; and the explosion of storytelling from brilliant creators highlighting the irony of an administration that ran on cost-of-living but is instead pulling taxpayer dollars away from families to give billions to their wealthy friends.

These pockets of hope show that a different future is possible: imagine permanently reinstating the expanded Child Tax Credit, cutting child poverty in half for generations to come – while giving parents the flexibility to cover groceries or even take one less shift to spend more time with their kids. What if we passed a tax on the wealthy few and corporations that raise billions to go toward quality healthcare and more affordable housing? We could embark on a project to reenvision the meaning of public – what we owe each other – in a modern multiracial democracy. We can choose a future rooted in economic freedom and shared prosperity. If we embrace and build a nation where everyone – and we mean everyone – can secure a good life, it could unleash an era of innovation and stability.

The next couple of years will not be easy. We cannot yet know the institutions that we’ll inherit in the years ahead or how weakened the fabric of our democracy will be. That makes it even more important to remain clear-eyed on the fight and what we need to build next. We must show those who feel left behind that an inclusive economic future is not just attainable — it’s ours to seize.

We don’t have all the answers and eagerly invite you to be a part of charting what needs to come next. Together, we can build economic power for all. Welcome to Economic Futures – let’s keep up the fight.

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