It is hard in the midst of a crisis to think around the next corner. But only by doing so can the worst economic effects of the current crisis be understood and addressed.
Shayndi Raice and John Austin join Deep Dish to tell a story of the bright spots as well as blights in the Midwest region encompassing all or part of 12 US states.
Today the Midwest is neither an economic monolith nor, despite lingering popular misconceptions, a “Rust Belt.” As the region's capital, Chicago can and should be at the center of a great reimagining of the heartland's economy.
There are very tangible things that the next president can do to fuel growth in the Midwest — from increasing Federal R&D in health, energy, water and mobility solutions to focusing that effort through research-university-hubbed Innovation Institutes.
It was a strange reprieve from the ongoing battle between Trump and the Democratic Party when leaders talked amicably about working together on a $2 trillion national infrastructure plan.
Look past the perception of the industrial Midwest as a monolith of hollowed-out cities and hulking, empty factories, and you will find economic assets that can power a Midwest economic renaissance.
