Phil English Co-Authors Plan for ‘Bipartisan Solutions to Preserve the American Dream’

The new book, What It’s Worth: Strengthening the Financial Future of Families, Communities and the Nation, addresses the financial problems faced by millions of American households, the creativity and innovation already happening to improve financial well-being, and ways the US can implement proven and emerging solutions.
 
Former Congressman Phil English (R-PA), who serves as co-chair of Arent Fox’s Government Relations practice, and Jeremie Greer, Vice President of Policy & Research at CFED, collaborate on a chapter to identify how household financial health is an essential element of social stability and why all political groups and figures should focus on the issue. In their essay, titled “Bipartisan Solutions to Preserve the American Dream,” the two authors examine how household financial stability is intertwined with social stability and what the impacts are beyond the benefits of financial health for the individual household.

“This book is an ambitious attempt to engage the entire political spectrum on issues central to the economic security and upward mobility of working families,” said Mr. English. “In the aftermath of the great recession, America’s leaders need to use this election cycle and new administration to engage a national movement to fight poverty, promote opportunity, and conduct an honest dialogue about our national economic prospect. Our diverse team of experts have contributed an important collection of essays that provides the building blocks for a new economic agenda.”
 
A snapshot reveals that almost half (44 percent) of American households do not have three months of saving in a bank account. This means that when a crisis hits, they are scrambling – to borrow from friends and family, to borrow at alternative financial services providers, to find strategies to stay one step ahead of utilities being turned off. When this occurs, financial well-being can seem a far-off goal.
 
Other chapters in this book outline the theoretical underpinnings of the connections that forge financial well-being; the intersection of demographics and financial well-being; the impact of financial well-being in communities, the financial system, social structure, and the economy; and innovations for integrating financial health into these systems. What It’s Worth presents a 360-degree view of the implications of these barriers to financial success and actions to tackle poverty.
 
Mr. English was known in Congress for his involvement in community development, tax, and safety net issues as a longtime member of the House Ways and Means Committee. He currently represents nonprofit organizations and other clients in this area, and serves on the board of several leading policy organizations, including, the Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan tax research group; the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), a leader in technology policy; and CFED, which promotes economic opportunity to alleviate poverty.
 
To learn more about the book, click here.