Steve Laffey, is running for the Republican Presidential nomination. Steve's a serial fixer, starting with fixing his own condition in life. Steve grew up in Cranston, RI in a lower middle-class, extremely dysfunctional family. Wonderful mentors, a brilliant mind, boundless energy, and an amazing work effort propelled Steve to Bowdoin College and then Harvard Business School.
After Harvard, Steve had a meteoric career in finance and banking. He helped grow and successfully sold one of America's larger investment banks. Then he asked himself the question few of us do. What do I owe others? Steve found the answer. He moved back to Cranston and ran for mayor. At the time, Cranston had the lowest bond rating in America, a city so dysfunctional that it was just a month away from missing payroll and defaulting on its debt, a city where crossing guards made $129 an hour!
Cranston was also being run by established politicians who could count on being reelected by using taxes to purchase support. Steve made clear that he was going to turn Cranston around, but with everyone sharing in the sacrifice. Against all odds, Steve won. He then orchestrated one of the most rapid and sustainable municipal financial turnarounds ever.
After helping Cranston, Steve moved with his six children and wife, Kelly, to Colorado. There he homeschooled his children while Kelly spent literally years going to hospitals across the country to help save their daughter, Sarah, who developed stage four neuroblastoma. Sarah was given months to live. Seven years later, she's a Masters student at Boston University's School of Hospitality. Sarah still has cancer, but she's a Laffey, meaning You fight today to fight again tomorrow.
I met Steve in 2011 when he interviewed me for Fixing America -- the Movie. We've been discussing his candidacy ever since. Steve and I differ on several issues, like the right to choose and how to deal with China. But we're generally very closely aligned. Indeed, I'm very proud to serve as Steve's economics advisor.
Please share this podcast with Steve Laffey and please contribute to his campaign. Americans are looking for a grownup who doesn't duck the problems because he realizes precisely what's at stake -- your and my kids.
Economic Matters - The podcast is hosted by Laurence Kotlikoff and moderated by Alex Kotlikoff.
Laurence Kotlikoff is a Boston University Economist, a NY Times Best Selling Author, President of maxifi.com, and Author of Money Magic.
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