Bill Bradley minces no words with tech elites

BOSTON--Bill Bradley cannot possibly be running for president.

The former senator did not sugarcoat any of his opinions at a keynote address that took place as a question-and-answer session led by AMR Research CEO Tony Friscia at the Executive Leadership Conference 2007 in Boston on Tuesday.

Friscia questioned Bradley's ideas put forth in his book, The New American Story and its message of collectiveness and necessary sacrifice if the U.S. is going to stay on top.

The topics discussed--while grounded in effects on technology companies globally--took many unusual turns. Bradley waned, waxed and warned on the sorry state of American education, the red/blue state divide he calls "the biggest lie perpetrated on the American public," the power gerrymandered congressional seats have given to extremists, the 2008 presidential campaign, how corporate America got stuck footing the bill for health care and a mired court system, and even Sirius radio.

"Yeah. Howard Stern and me. Same station, different microphone," Bradley said of his new show on Sirius radio that interviews Americans inspiring their community.

On a more serious note, Bradley warned how the United State's long-term policies will affect corporate America.

AMR Research CEO Tony Friscia and former Senator and New York Knicks star Bill Bradley.

(Credit: Candace Lombardi/CNET News.com)

The U.S. saves less than one percent of its GDP while China saves about 35 percent of its GDP. Personal debt is at an all-time high and as a nation we are the greatest debtor, said Bradley.

"The new story is put country ahead of party and tell people the truth. When you tell people that we need more savings and that it's going to take spending cuts and more taxes, no one wants to hear that...But we do need to reduce the budget deficit by cutting spending and raising taxes...and not just on the upper two percent," he said.

When it comes to the much talked about issue of a lack of skilled workers in the U.S., an issue close to the hearts of many tech companies, he also told it straight.

"A train wreck is going to happen unless we wake up in this country. Where is the national security going to be won?...Although armies are important, it's going to be won in the classrooms," said Bradley.

There has to be a national standard of education for schools. Salaries for principals and teachers, who become very important in our country in a national security sense, must double to attract better talent. But that new teacher pay scheme has to be based on achievement, not for everybody, and people are afraid the unions won't like that, he said.

"It's a no-brainer. I know they say, 'Well, people worry that the national government will impose on the local.' Well, sorry. This is a national issue," said Bradley.

"You have to have people that are skilled and if schools aren't' doing the job then you're going to fall behind...That's the quiet crisis," he said.

On the environment, Bradley was outwardly critical toward those who say emerging nations' deserve a free pass as they go through their own Industrial Revolution.

"They say, 'You went through the dirty phase. We have to go through the dirty phase.' After World War II, Germany didn't go back to the old structures when it rebuilt...Clean energy will add to production cost, but China is so far under everyone else in the world it would still make a profit. Otherwise, they are going to choke on their own prosperity," he said.

Bradley was also not shy about touting two companies on which he is a board member.

He said that presidential candidate Barack Obama could benefit from Meetup to boost his campaign from a mainframe to a Web 2.0 dynamic by allowing citizens to organize their own campaign strategy and meetings. And if companies truly wanted to do something immediately to help the environment, they would hire TechTurn, a company that scrubs and disposes of computer electronics in a data secure and environmentally responsible manner, according to Bradley.

Friscia even got Bradley to comment on fantasy basketball.

If given the choice between guards Earl "The Pearl" Monroe or Walt "Clyde" Frazier, both of whom played with Bradley for the New York Knicks, who would Bradley choose?

"I'd stay with Clyde. But if I was going to pick one player it would be Bill Russell," he said.

[wildchild_plasma_gyro]

AI economics for the US masses

Everytime you spend you can save and everything you save can be saved and all that is saved can work for what you want it to.

To make a world where you spend and save at the same time is hard for mr adverage to do but not even noticable with a click of a button.

To make your money thats invested through saving follow your interests is a hard thing for mr adverage to do. Even talking about such a prospect to your bankmanager is laughable. With a small chat to an AI chat bot each month for 10 minutes money could be collectivly gowing to far more of the things which matter to all.

Also AI investment systems can invest collectivly for adverage people and give them returns all with but a few clicks and a monthly chat/personal update.

I ask this question though is AI being keeped back for the millionares to enjoy more than it should be.

[jmmejzz]

Limo Liberal

Its real easy to mince no words when not running for election. He may be a pompous rhodes scholar but he still preaches 1930's economics as if it was relevant to today's world. My God what does raising taxes have to do with people saving more. Galbraith has passed on, so has his economics.

[Voodoo101]

RE: Limo Liberal

....And I'm sure that borrowing money a la the Reagan and Bush (W) administrations makes more sense? Both of those administrations registered record setting debt by borrowing long-term to finance current expenditures. [Why do you think there are no more 20-yr Treasuries?]

Tax cuts are a stop-gap to spur growth....not a god-given right. Money has to come from somewhere so long as government is not a legitimate revenue-producing entity. The Lauffer curve is a Chicago School myth that has ruined the common sense of a generation...trickle-down economics will not trickle down to you.

Also, if you had ever read Galbraith (Knight, Keynes or any others) you would know that the effects of the demise of industry in favor of a "service economy" were something that he (Galbraith) predicted (with uncanny accuracy) over 40 years ago. We're in an industry (IT) where 50 years ago we led the world in R&D, production, sales and support. Now we have to struggle to keep up and outsource the most basic of functions. The real cost of outsourcing isn't the cash saved on the service but the externalizing of the revenue stream.

Policies are based in philosophy. Philosophies have become based in myth. Get a clue.