The Two Million Minutes Blog

Presidential Leadership Is Needed - NOW

Vivek Wadwha sees an opportunity to re-energize and re-focus America's education system through Presidential leadership similar to what America experienced after Sputnik, using the global challenge of world climate risk as the catalyst.

President Kennedy's vision in 1961 to put a man on the moon within the decade was an inspiring challenge to Americans. Through his leadership, America organized the engineering, science and math education necessary to meet that challenge.

Today, the U.S. public needs to look for that high caliber of leadership in the current field of presidential candidates - who has the inspirational capacity to fire our imaginations and to inspire us to action with bold economic and scientific goals that raise our educational expectations?

The 2008 Candidates' Education Vision

Hillary Clinton              Mitt Romney

Barack Obama             Rudy Giuliani

John Edwards              Mike Huckabee

Bill Richardson            John McCain

Joe Biden                   Fred Thompson

       

Dr. Richard Freeman

Harvard University economist Richard Freeman sees the silver lining in Global Warming - the chance for Americans to create the new technologies and new companies that will address the growing problems associated with climate change and environmental damage.

America is still the best in the world at high-tech entrepreneurship. Our culture has a tolerance for risk and failure, much more so than India or China and we have a culture of innovation and new venture creation.

A entrepreneur who recognizes an opportunity for a new product can mobilize capital and people resources faster in the U.S. than in any other country.

But if the American lacks sufficient technical expertise -- due to educational deficiencies - to even imagine how a new technology might solve an environmental issue, then no U.S. company is formed and the economic benefits are never realized.

Vivek Wadwha on What US Students Should Do

An Executive-in-Residence at Duke University, Vivek Wadwha has founded two software companies in the U.S. He encourages students to look beyond America's borders to see with whom they will being competing for the high wage, high value careers of the 21st century.

Congressman Gordon - Will Living Standards Decline?

Tennessee Congressman Bart Gordon discusses the implications of America falling behind the Global Standards of Education.

Vivien Stewart on What America Should Do

Chinese education expert, Vivien Stewart, observes America's relative ignorance about most of Asia, despite the enormous size of China and its accelerating economy. She offers ideas on how America should respond.

As you watch her video, can you answer this question - why do so many American schools teach French?

Robert Reich on What America Should Do

Former U.S. Secretary of Labor, Robert Reich has a series of recommendations for improving American schools and student's intellectual development.

Tim Draper on What America Should Do

Legendary Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper sees global competition as inevitable and ultimately positive for all people.

He believes America should step up and compete and not become prtotectionist out of fear.