On January 30, 2009, the New America Foundation hosted a panel discussion around the release of a Washington Monthly cover story and new proposal in the "Big Ideas" series. Featured speaker Phillip Longman, Senior Fellow at New America and Research Director of the Next Social Contract Initiative, pitched his plan to dramatically increase investment in freight rail infrastructure as part of the upcoming economic stimulus, and reduce by 85 percent the number of long-haul trucks on America's Interstate highways.  Longman outlined the environmental, health, safety, and quality of life benefits of this "Swiss Army Knife" of public policy ideas, and assessed the proposal's political feasibility.

A panel of discussants responded to Longman's presentation and offered their perspectives on his proposal.  Alan Drake and Andrea Bassi of the Millennium Institute, an Arlington-based strategic planning firm, estimated the costs, GDP gains, and carbon emissions reductions of various levels of investment, and analyzed potential feedback loops and long-term implications of railway development.  Anne Canby, President of the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership and former Transportation Secretary of Delaware, described the emerging coalition to advance rail on a broader platform.  Finally, John Gray, Senior Vice President of Policy and Economics at the Association of American Railroads, presented the rail industry's perspective on public-private partnerships.  Paul Glastris, New America Fellow and Editor-in-Chief of The Washington Monthly, provided introductions and moderated the question-and-answer session that followed.

-- Event summary by Daniel Mandel, Program Associate, Next Social Contract Initiative, New America Foundation