featured guests included:

Secretary Hillary Clinton
Governor Martin O’Malley
Carol Browner
Angela Glover Blackwell

Bishop Gene Robinson
Jose Andres
Jose Antonio Vargas
Andy Stern

and more...

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Overview—The American Idea: A More Perfect Union

Our Founding Fathers laid out a progressive vision for America rooted in political freedom, social equality, civic participation, and national action to promote the general welfare of all. The architects of American democracy envisioned a constitutional and political framework that would evolve with the changing nature of our economy and social structure.

As the nation moved from an agrarian society to an industrial global power, progressives fought for stronger government policies to advance the common good, to defend democracy from foreign threats, to promote national economic growth, and to help build and protect America’s middle class. As our population grew and expanded in diversity, progressives joined with pioneering social movements to ensure full equality for women, African Americans, Latinos, gays and lesbians, and those from other nations. Today, as Americans continue to suffer from the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, progressives are working to create high quality jobs, reduce inequality, and produce more widely shared economic growth.

This is a proud progressive vision of America, one that is under assault by the right.

Over the course of the two days, discussions were held with leading progressive thinkers, policymakers, and change agents that examined what a real vision of American exceptionalism might look like. Our constitutional heritage, public lands and environment, future economic opportunities for our people and new communities and the role of American values in global progress were discussed and debated.