Simon Rosenberg

Simon Rosenberg is President and Founder of NDN. A veteran of the 1992 Clinton War Room, Rosenberg is a leading political thinker and commentator. He is often credited with a unique ability to identify important trends and decipher changes transforming American politics long before they become conventional wisdom.

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Recent Essays by Simon:

Some Thoughts on Where We Are, August 31, 2011, NDN.org.
In this essay about the state of the economy, Simon argues, "The only way we are going to succeed in the 21st century as we did in the 20th is by raising our game, by giving our workers and kids more; by making our infrastructure and networks the most modern in the world; by creating a digital age government that does more with less.."

The Administration's Border Strategy Is Working, May 4, 2011, NDN.org.
In this important piece, Simon highlights the outstanding progress that the 21st Century Border Strategy implemented by the Obama Administration has achieved. Throughout various forums, presentations from leading Administration officials, and interviews with border-city mayors, NDN/NPI has been able to attest that the joint Mexican-US strategy toward the common border region is working.

The End of Osama, May 2, 2011, NDN.org.
With the news of Osama Bin Laden's death, Simon reflects on how President Obama can reinvent the historically successful liberalism of the 20th century for our new century. Historic events such as 9/11, the war on terror and the geopolitical strategies which are products of those events have drastically changed America. It's imperative to replace this "age of Osama" with an historic "age of possibility" in which all people around the world can benefit equally.

A New NDN Talk - "The Age of Possibility", April 29, 2011, NDN.org.
In this short video, Simon presents a fascinating concept that he laid out at the 10th Anniversary of Tisch College at Tufts University; one that focuses on the countless opportunities and the sense of possibility that human kind faces today.

Statement on Obama-Calderon Talk - The US Border Strategy is Working, March 1, 2011, NDN.org.
More than two million people and three hundred thousand vehicles cross daily through the border between the U.S. and Mexico, and half a trillion dollars worth of trade flow between these two countries each year. These figures represent just one of the highlights that Simon presents in this piece that emphasize the unprecedented progress that the U.S. Border Strategy has accomplished. This topic will undoubtedly be discussed during President Calderon's visit to Washington as well as the challenges that lay ahead in both countries' efforts to strengthen their relationship.

Some Saturday Morning Thoughts on Egypt, Unrest and the Birth of a New Political Age, January 29, 2011, NDN.org.
A few days after millions of protesters demanded the overthrow of the regime of Egyption President Hosni Mubarak, Simon suggests that in order to better understand this remarkable event one needs to recognize how fundamentally things are changing during this time in history. The images that come from Tahrir Square don't reflect unrest and instability, but rather the creative birth of a new political age.

My Take on The Deal, December 8, 2010, NDN.org.
A day after the Obama Administration and Republicans reached a deal in which the high-end Bush tax cuts and unemploymebt benefits were extended, Simon points out that even though he is disappointed with some aspects of the deal he believes that President Obama was able to reinforce his position as a champion for everyday people.

Broken No More?, March 19, 2010, NDN.org.
After the passage of Healthcare Reform, Simon writes that Democrats are hitting their stride as a leadership party, and figuring out how to deliver the change that America needs.

Keeping the Focus on the Struggle of Everyday People: 2010 Edition, January 26, 2010, Cross posted on NDN.org and The Huffington Post.
This memo is the third in a series of memos NDN has released around the theme of "keeping the focus on the struggle of everyday people." The first was released August 17, 2008 and the second was released September 3, 2009. This memo, updated to take in account recent developments, includes an appendix with additional data and charts. 

Crafting an American Response to the Rise of the Rest, January 21, 2010, Cross posted on NDN.org and Salon.com.
Simon argues that the second generation Obama narrative must be a strategic response to the most significant transformation taking place in the world today, what Fareed Zakaria has called the “rise of the rest.” While the true scope of this transformation is only really becoming apparent now, it leaves our new President with the historic opportunity, and tremendous responsibility, to craft a comprehensive strategic response to this global “new politics” of the 21st century.

Anticipating the Coming Debate Over Foreign and Security Policy, December 31 2009, NDN.org.
In the days following the foiled terrorist plot, Simon suggests that it's time for our country to have a more systematic, thoughtful discussion about how to best deal with the global threat of terrorism, the nature of terrorism itself and how the two wars we are already fighting fit into our overall global national security strategy. He argues that the Democrats, as the governing party, should welcome this debate, and use it as a chance to articulate and defend their vision for fostering peace and prosperity in this age of new threats.

On Dobbs, the Census and Fighting for a New Politics of Tolerance, November 13 2009, NDN.org.
Simon reviews two successful, NDN-led campaigns critical to our ability to fix the broken immigration system and ensure a fair and accurate 2010 census count.

The Politics of Intolerance, September 11, 2009, NDN.org.
In this short video essay, Simon discusses Joe Wilson and the politics of intolerance, and what we are likely to see from the right as the southern strategy becomes less and less viable and acceptable.

The Key to the Fall Debate: Staying Focused on the Economy, September 3, 2009, Huffington Post.
Simon argues that in order for President Obama to reverse his and the Democratic Party's recent decline in public approval, the President must make the struggle of everyday people his primary rhetorical and governing concern.

Meeting the Challenges of the 21st Century, July 24, 2009, Demos.
An essay which ran as part of a leading British think tank's series of essays on the future of center-left politics.

Obama: No Realist He, June 16, 2009, Huffington Post.
Simon offers some thoughts about Obama's global brand in the early days of the Iranian uprising.  The essay drew many comments in its more than 24 hours on the front page of Huffington Post.

Making the Case for Comprehensive Immigration Reform: Why We Need it This Year, April 30, 2009, Huffington Post.
Simon lays out 7 reasons why Congress should tackle immigration reform this year, or early next.

Spend? Save? The Debate Continues, February 11, 2009, NDN.org.
Following an article by the New York Times' David Leonhardt about whether or not Americans should spend or save their way out of the economic crisis, Simon in this essay revisits an argument he and NDN Globalization Chair Rob Shapiro made in November 2008 on this very question. Leonhardt reached the same conclusion Simon and Rob did four months earlier: the best way for Americans to control the length and depth of the economic crisis is to invest in projects that provide both short term stimulus and prepare America for future growth and prosperity.

The Long Road Back, November 18, 2008, NDN Blog.
Following the Democratic Party's electoral victories in 2008, Simon wrote this piece to offer some thoughts about the disconnect between the modern GOP leadership and modern Americans.

Stimulus for the Long Run, November 14, 2008, NDN Blog.
In this important essay, Simon and Chair of NDN's Globalization Initiative Dr. Robert Shapiro lay out the now widely agreed-upon argument that the upcoming economic stimulus package must include investments in the basic elements of growth for the next decade, including elements elements that create a low-carbon, energy efficient economy.

Keep People In Their Homes, September 23, 2008, NDN Blog.
At the beginning of the financial collapse, Simon and Chair of NDN's Globalization Initiative Dr. Rob Shapiro offered this narrative-shaping essay and campaign on the economic need to stabilize the housing market.

On Obama, Race and the End of the Southern Strategy, January 4, 2008, NDN Blog.
At the height of the 2008 primary season, Simon wrote this essay reflecting on the composition of the field of contenders for the Democratic Party's nomination and how meaningful nominating (then Senator) Obama would be for liberating America from the pernicious era of the Southern Strategy.

The 50 Year Strategy, November/December 2007, Mother Jones.
Simon and Peter Leyden offer a landmark vision for how progressives can win and prosper for many years to come.

A Laptop in Every Backpack, May 1, 2007, NDN Blog.
Simon and the One Economy Corporation's Alec Ross, now Secretary of State Clinton's Senior Advisor for Innovation, offer a modest  proposal  for putting a laptop in the backpack of every American sixth grader, as connectivity  to and facility with the global communications network are essential for success in the 21st century.

Recent Video from Simon:

Check out this video of Simon presenting a fascinating concept that he laid out at the 10th Anniversary of Tisch College at Tufts University; one that focuses on the countless opportunities and the sense of possibility that human kind faces today: