It was a privilege to chair the invitation-only It was a privilege to chair the invitation-only roundtable with Kevin McCarthy, the 55th Speaker of roundtable with Kevin McCarthy, the 55th Speaker of the US House of Representatives, at the recent AIM the US House of Representatives, at the recent AIM Summit in Dubai. Our discussion on "The State of Summit in Dubai. Our discussion on "The State of Global Sovereign Deficit and its Impact on the Global Global Sovereign Deficit and its Impact on the Global Economy" was illuminating, and Speaker McCarthy Economy" was illuminating, and Speaker McCarthy eloquently addressed this critical subject alongside eloquently addressed this critical subject alongside many other defining issues in today's complex many other defining issues in today's complex llandscape. andscape.
Two weighty themes resonated during this Two weighty themes resonated during this roundtable as well as throughout the whole two-day roundtable as well as throughout the whole two-day conference. The first was the debilitating effect of conference. The first was the debilitating effect of political polarization in Western democracies. This political polarization in Western democracies. This issue has emerged as a central challenge for all fair- issue has emerged as a central challenge for all fairminded "centrists" (and hopefully this is not minded "centrists" (and hopefully this is not becoming an extinct species). becoming an extinct species).
Western societies will need to resolutely support
Western societies will need to resolutely support initiatives promoting cross-party collaboration, initiatives promoting cross-party collaboration, challenge entrenched confirmation bias, and back challenge entrenched confirmation bias, and back
leaders who advocate a more unified societal leaders who advocate a more unified societal framework in order to counter this trend. Certainly framework in order to counter this trend. Certainly easier said than done. easier said than done.
The second frequently echoed theme was the "EM-
The second frequently echoed theme was the "EMification" of the US - a term highlighting the ification" of the US - a term highlighting the current resemblance of the country in many ways current resemblance of the country in many ways to an emerging market. to an emerging market.
On the positive side, the US has vast undeveloped
On the positive side, the US has vast undeveloped land, rich natural resources, a robust agricultural land, rich natural resources, a robust agricultural sector, and substantial potential for urban sector, and substantial potential for urban expansion. expansion.
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