The Realignment 586 | Oliver Libby: Strong Floor, No Ceiling - A Radical Moderate's Case for Reigniting the American Dream
Dec 16, 2025
Oliver B. Libby, a civic investor and author known for his work on national service and policy, delves into his "Strong Floor, No Ceiling" framework. He argues for a societal guarantee of essentials like healthcare and education while promoting aspirations. Libby highlights the importance of national service for social cohesion, critiques past efforts, and emphasizes the urgency of restoring faith in the American Dream as a national security concern. He also discusses the need for centrists to unify and the transformative potential of a vision-driven political approach.
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Build A Purposeful National Service
- Design national service as an American service experience with clear civic remixing goals.
- Offer distinct tracks like military, teaching, infrastructure, local government, domestic construction, or overseas service.
American Dream Loss Is A Security Risk
- The collapse of belief in the American dream is a top national-security threat.
- Libby links declining trust in upward mobility to political anger and societal fragility.
Prioritize Visible Results
- Communicate tangible, visible wins to earn public credit for policy.
- Prioritize projects whose benefits citizens experience quickly, not only long-term investments.
