What Connor and Rebecca want to write about

How to fix reskilling (before the AI asteroid hits)

Rebecca's two fixes. Training has to work for people who already have a job, often two, instead of the full-time student the system is built around. And the government is the only payer big enough, so move money it already spends from programs that don't pay off to programs that do, starting with Workforce Pell.

Came from

Rebecca on the Sept 24 call: "the 2 ways are, one, it needs to work for people who work." She also asked to open with the fight-its and the fuck-its so that work isn't wasted.

Source doc

Substack draft

Francis Fukuyama thinks the AI utopia would be hell on earth

A co-written Substack with Francis Fukuyama, as a letter exchange: Connor pitches him three versions of UBI that keep what Fukuyama says people need, and Fukuyama writes back.

Came from

Connor, Oct 19, after the podcast interview: "he said he'd be down to co-author a substack with us!… One provocative angle that we explored in the podcast could be about how the BEST version of the AI Utopia is hell on earth from Frank's perspective?"

Source doc

Plan

What the Pope asks of us on AI, in practice

Connor and Father Philip Larrey on Pope Leo XIV's encyclical: choose the bottom-up AI path of shared prosperity, which in practice means treating good jobs as the measure of AI's success, funding fast, affordable training, and giving workers a real voice.

Came from

Connor, Sept 14: "Father Philip said he would write something w/ us re: the pope's encyclical." SKDK drafted it; shared with Father Philip Oct 14.

Source doc

Draft

We need better business incentives for the AI economy

With David Berkal. Companies cut jobs for AI because investors reward it, so change the incentives: fast, free training; credits for keeping and hiring workers, paid for by a fee on companies that cut headcount for technology; stronger R&D tax credits.

Came from

Drafted with SKDK and Brittany. Open question whether it runs in Fast Company or on the Substack.

Source doc

Draft

Writing with Shane Legg after the Vatican

A co-written op-ed or Substack with Shane Legg of Google DeepMind, building on their time together at the Vatican.

Came from

Connor, Sept 14: "would also like to do a fast follow w/ Shane Legg at Deepmind re: writing something together after our time together at the Vatican." SKDK drafted the pitch Sept 15.

Source doc

Pitch

A guest piece for Katie Couric's newsletter

Two pitches: the questions Connor would have asked Katie if she'd come to the Vatican, and a diary of his Vatican trip.

Came from

Katie asked in August. Connor drafted the pitches Sept 15.

Source doc

Pitch email

Connor asked for this "asap" on Aug 25.

Why no one knows which programs are working

Nobody can say which workforce programs actually work. Merit's own proof: it took eight years to get government data on its results.

Receipts

The CredLens/Georgetown IRS earnings data on Merit learners (Oct 2026).

Came from

Connor, Aug 25: "Two additional pieces we'd like to write asap: -Why no one knows what programs are working (e.g. it's taken us 8 years to get govt data speaking to the efficacy of our programs)". Rebecca had the same idea in Sept 2025: how hard social ROI is to measure, with the lockbox of the first cohort's wage-data sign-offs and years of emailing the IRS.

Connor asked for this "asap" on Aug 25.

How philanthropy actually flows

Philanthropy is a drop in the bucket next to what needs deploying, and the money that reaches operating nonprofits is tiny: a $100 billion pledge can end up as about $100,000 a year to groups doing the work.

Receipts

Rebecca's pledge math from Sept 2025.

Came from

Connor, Aug 25: "How philanthopy ACTUALLY flows in this country (and how its a drop in the bucket compared to what we should actually be deploying)". Rebecca, Sept 24 call: a counterpoint to "the third wave of philanthropy": "the third wave will be a drip," or "Young, Rich, and Paralyzed, why wealthy people who say they want to give aren't actually giving." She also said it's "too saucy" and wants to workshop it first.

The emperor has no skills gap

Every CEO blames the skills gap for their hiring problems. Often the gap is in what employers are willing to pay or fix.

Receipts

Rebecca's roofing company and glass factory stories.

Came from

Rebecca: "It is really in vogue to say it's a skills gap, because that sounds so much better than I don't have a company that works." Also pitch 7 in Connor's March 2025 doc: "what if the gap isn't in workers' skills—it's in employers' willingness to pay for them?"

Yes, the job market is suffering for low-wage workers

Write what Merit sees on the front lines, with learner stories and data.

Came from

Connor, Aug 10: "I wonder if there's an opportunity for us to write about what we're seeing on the ground at merit? … it establishes us as a credible source of truth of what is actually going on on the front lines".

Newest angle, Oct 13.

"Is this a scam?": what coaches are hearing

Coaches say learners are now wary at the offer stage and ask whether offers are scams. Other things coaches see: more learners moving up where they already work, and an arms race over AI-written resumes.

Came from

Connor, Oct 13: "Anne and I were just discussing a new thought leadership angle we'd love your feedback on!" From coach Betty Raschko. Rebecca has called coach insights "great fodder for thought leadership" (via Anne, Oct 20).

Anthropic's experience with entry-level talent

What an AI company's own hiring says about entry-level work.

Came from

Connor in #et-sustainability, Oct 19: "just their experience w/ lower/entry level talent is pretty provocative and might be worth a post / substack? WDYT alex?"

Everyone's LinkedIn posts read the same

A piece about how alike LinkedIn posts have become, written in that style and pushed hard.

Came from

Connor, Jun 16: "Can we please write a substack or linkedin post making fun of how everyones linkedin posts read the same? I find it so funny."

What's overlooked in the affordability debate

Most people would rather earn more than have things cost less.

Came from

Rebecca, Jan 14, reviewing the poll op-ed: "the majority would rather earn more money than have things cost less - an overlooked nuance to the affordability challenge… save for a piece on 'what's overlooked in the affordability crisis talk'".

A piece for each podcast episode

A Substack from each episode, with a fresh angle rather than a recap.

Came from

Connor, Aug 17: "I'd be down to try to do a piece on each episode" and "I'd advocate for finding a new angle that feels fresher, more provocative and practical."

Work (on Purpose): Connor's essays on purpose and careers

Purpose is made through work, not found, and "follow your passion" is bad advice. About a dozen are drafted, among them The Dream Job Fallacy, Career Mirages, Fuck the Spark, The Myth of Privileged Purpose, A Laboratory of Meaning and Joy Audits. Others are titles so far: Why You Shouldn't Change the World, Why You Need a Work Bestie, Why You Shouldn't Switch Careers.

Receipts

His own stories: Struthers, Ohio; the Korean PBS show; Coursera.

Came from

Connor, Aug 28: "Was just thinking: should essays like these be what I'm writing about on LI and substack?"

Women and AI: the invisible disruption

AI could hit women in admin and entry-level work the way deindustrialization hit men in manufacturing. Molly Kinder's research at Brookings is the backbone, and Kristen has built much of Merit's women angle on it. Meghan sees it as fodder for Pivotal and Lean In.

Receipts

Molly Kinder, "The Invisible Disruption".

Came from

Kristen, Jun 10: "I am obsessed with Molly Kinder's research on AI and women and have built a lot of our women "angle" on the back of this analysis - I think this could be really powerful to cite on our own substack". Meghan, same thread: "possible to add a women focused piece to substack strategy? Would be good fodder for Pivotal and Lean In". Kristen again, Jul 31: "Women getting squeezed from both sides!!"

Source doc

Slack thread

Reskilling should give people a choice

Molly Kinder's argument that retraining talk too often treats workers like prizes in a claw machine, with no say in where they land. Meghan called it very aligned with CKF, and Connor agreed.

Receipts

Molly Kinder, "Enough with the human claw machine".

Came from

Kristen, Oct 22: "Molly Kinder with a banger of a Substack - flagging for Alex Dobrenko as she's a "thought leader" on AI + work". Connor: "Oh yeah this is great and agreed re CKF!"

Source doc

Slack thread

Kristen's newest, Oct 29.

What funders keep asking about AI

Three questions funders ask that could each be a piece: will the jobs we train for still be good careers, especially entry-level roles; where does AI help and where do humans stay essential, for example in coaching; and which AI skills actually matter.

Came from

Kristen, Oct 29, for the Mollick interview: "funders keep asking whether the careers we train for will still be good careers, especially entry-level roles."

Source doc

Slack message

Tell the AI transition through real workers

Use personas of low-wage and entry-level workers to make the AI transition concrete, the way the New York Times Magazine did.

Receipts

NYT Magazine on AI and jobs, Jun 9 2026.

Came from

Kristen, Jun 9: "I love the way they use personas of low wage or entry level workers to describe and personify the AI transition, really makes it relatable to the reader. Could be cool to think about as a comms tactic"

Source doc

Slack message

Reskilling has never mattered more, and America is bad at it

The public conversation is dominated by white-collar fear, so working-class AI impact gets less coverage, just as reskilling has become urgent.

Came from

Kristen, Feb 28: "reskilling has NEVER been as important as it is now, and America does a terrible job at reskilling."

Source doc

Slack message

Should workforce policy be less bipartisan?

A provocative counterpoint to the usual bipartisan framing of workforce policy.

Came from

Kristen, Oct 2: "Pretty interesting provocative lil' post on LI about how workforce should be less bipartisan"

Source doc

Slack message

Co-author with Eric Schmidt

Ask Eric Schmidt to co-author an op-ed, or come on the podcast, about whatever he is most excited about. Tyler pointed to his recent comments that AI now writes code he couldn't have written.

Came from

Kristen, Oct 6: "you can see if Eric would want to co-author an op/ed or be on the podcast about whatever is lighting him up"

Source doc

Slack message

Answer op-eds in our space, fast

When a big op-ed lands on philanthropy or work, publish a response while it is fresh. Kristen shared another nonprofit doing exactly that with the IPO-millionaires op-ed; Brittany: "Dangit this should have been us".

Came from

Kristen, Aug 7: "Example of a nonprofit responding to that oped fresh here"

Source doc

Slack message

A response to "The Third Wave of American Philanthropy"

Nan Ransohoff argues a new wave of AI wealth is coming to philanthropy. The response: nonprofits can absorb that capital, and Merit especially is built to scale; the limit is the philanthropic ceiling. Tyler first shared the piece in May. Rebecca's "the third wave will be a drip" is the same conversation.

Receipts

Nan Ransohoff, "The Third Wave of American Philanthropy".

Came from

Meghan, Aug 6: "just wonder if we should do a response on our substack asserting that not only is the nonprofit world able to absorb capital, expand and build programs, etc but that Merit America especially is?"

Source doc

Slack message

Judgment over technical skills: what Anthropic's hiring shows

Anthropic's own employment research suggests the jobs shift is a slower burn, but a real one, and that judgment and durable skills matter most. Merit learners have the judgment hiring managers want; they need to learn to work with AI agents. Connor flagged the same research as worth a Substack.

Receipts

Anthropic, "Employment at Anthropic".

Came from

Meghan, Oct 19: "The jobs apocalypse may be a slower burn than we thought but its definitely burning"

Source doc

Slack thread

One mic-drop line, repeated everywhere

Pick the one line Connor says on video (it was Aspen at the time) and repeat it across clips, an op-ed and TV, so the same message keeps landing: Merit figured out how to make AI work for working people.

Came from

Meghan, Jun 18: "What's the mic drop line we will get Connor on video saying at Aspen? ... And can we repeat it again and again in clips, a post Aspen op-ed, etc"

Source doc

Slack message

Merit graduates earn like college certificate holders, faster and cheaper

Merit completers earn about two-thirds of what graduates of the country's 5,700 college certificate programs report, in a fraction of the time and cost.

Receipts

NYT college earnings guide, Oct 7 2026.

Came from

Anne, Oct 8: "our completers are seeing two-thirds of the wages of the nation's 5,700 college certificate programs, and they match that in a fraction of the time and expense. ... wonder if it's worth weaving into any of our pitches."

Source doc

Slack message

A TAA for the AI transition

Model AI workforce help on Trade Adjustment Assistance, the program for workers whose jobs went overseas. The frame was picked up in the bipartisan AI bill.

Receipts

NY Mag on AI job loss and what Congress should do.

Came from

Anne, Jun 8: "her frame (that AI-workforce development could / should parallel the TAA program for workers whose jobs were off-shored) was picked up in the bipartisan AI bill!"

Respond to Work Shift on higher ed and workforce

A response op-ed for Work Shift on where higher ed and workforce training meet, after the Meritus announcement, prompted by their four-wave framework piece.

Came from

Brittany, Sept 22: "Also a note to pitch Work Shift a response op-ed on the higher ed + workforce intersection post -Meritus announcement"

Source doc

Slack message

A six-point policy memo

Practical, bipartisan steps Washington could take, with Connor and Rebecca filling in the recommendations. SKDK proposed it; Brittany asked them for an outline.

Came from

Brittany to SKDK, Oct 1: "we're digging the six-point policy memo idea!"

Source doc

Slack message

Why is there no plan, and what would one look like?

Follow-ups to the first Substack, each bucket of it as its own piece.

Came from

Devon (SKDK), Jun 1: "Why is there no plan? What does a plan look like? Etc. -- those could all be standalone pieces that follow this one."

Source doc

Slack message

Unfucking the American Dream

The dream was undone, so the job is to un-undo it. Connor's umbrella for everything else.

Came from

Connor, Apr 2025: "Unfucking the American dream... every idea we have is kind of a hook on that."

Representation bias

The people shaping the AI and jobs conversation have college degrees, so the 53 million workers without one are missing from it.

Came from

Connor's term. SKDK built its May 2026 Substack launch idea on it.

Scaling impact versus keeping quality

Controversial lessons on the tradeoff between reaching more people and keeping the program good.

Came from

Connor's April 2025 list of pillars.

Startup success = time + pain tolerance + learnability − running out of money

Lessons as math equations. Failure is only an endpoint if you have to stop.

Came from

Rebecca, Sept 29 2025, from her list of "big lessons and hot takes."

Two CEOs are better than one

On the roadshow before they became co-CEOs, people told them one should work for the other. What made it work: putting ego second to the partnership, and being one voice to the team.

Came from

Rebecca, Sept 29 2025, from her list of "big lessons and hot takes."

Nonprofit or for-profit is an irreversible choice

The two feel the same in year one; five years later everything looks different because of the capital you chose.

Came from

Rebecca, Sept 29 2025, from her list of "big lessons and hot takes."

Why people think a free program is a scam

Nonprofits have to think about recruiting too, and there is a real trust gap.

Came from

Rebecca, Sept 29 2025, from her list of "big lessons and hot takes."

Saying no to revenue that worked

Shutting down a B2B line that brought in hundreds of thousands a year, because it was the fourth revenue line and added too much complexity.

Came from

Rebecca, Sept 29 2025, from her list of "big lessons and hot takes."

How co-CEOs disagree: tactics, strategy, goals, values

Rebecca's framework for working through conflict.

Came from

Rebecca, Sept 29 2025, from her list of "big lessons and hot takes."

People matter more than culture or strategy

The hardest people decisions aren't about underperformers.

Came from

Rebecca, Sept 29 2025, from her list of "big lessons and hot takes."

Unphucking Philanthropy

Philanthropy talks about risk-taking but demands proven evidence first, creating a catch-22 for new solutions. Donors fixate on the wrong metrics (overhead). Every nonprofit is a 2-sided marketplace. The path forward is trust-based, bold giving.

Came from

In Connor's ideas doc: "Philanthropy today is rife with talk of risk-taking but little action: funders demand proven “evidence” before investing, creating a catch-22 for new solutions"

Source doc

Connor's ideas doc

The Randomized Control Trap

Calls out the fetishisation of RCTs as the gold standard. Argues for an evidence toolbox (econometrics, quasi-experimental, longitudinal) so RCTs don't handcuff the ability to act.

Came from

In Connor's ideas doc: "RCTs shouldn’t be the gold standard. We need more openness to econometrics, quasi experimental, longitudinal studies, etc, all of which can actually paint a more nuanced picture."

Source doc

Connor's ideas doc

Stop Acting Like We Know How AI Will Disrupt the Economy

AI job-impact predictions are wildly divergent (47% vs 9% of jobs at risk), so pundits are showing false precision. The best bet is that the poor and marginalized get hurt, so be humble about predictions and focus on resilience.

Came from

In Connor's ideas doc: "Pundits and “futurists” speak as though the AI impact on jobs with so much certainty, yet their predictions are all over the map."

Source doc

Connor's ideas doc

Why We’re Betting on Human Coaching

Even if machines get better at human skills, much of the efficacy of human teaching rests on knowing you're working with another human. The future of education is AI with teachers, not AI versus teachers.

Came from

In Connor's ideas doc: "The future of education isn’t AI versus teachers, but AI with teachers."

Source doc

Connor's ideas doc

Why We Need More Career Athletes

With careers created and disrupted faster than ever, people most need to learn how to learn and pivot. Treat careers like athletes treat sport: training, cross-training, coaches, constant improvement.

Came from

In Connor's ideas doc: "The halflife of skills is now less than five years on average (in tech, as short as 2.5 years)."

Source doc

Connor's ideas doc

Why Nonprofits Are the Future

As AI automates jobs and UBI becomes plausible, the "post-work utopia" is the wrong conversation. Nonprofits may be the predominant model in 10-15 years: humans crave meaning, AI will mint mega-donors, and there will be new problems to solve.

Came from

In Connor's ideas doc: "And nonprofits may be the predominant model in 10-15 years. Why?"

Source doc

Connor's ideas doc

Why We Urgently Need to Get Better at Giving

Wealth from the AI boom is compounding faster than generosity. Giving is a skill and most donors are undertrained. Philanthropy can move faster than policy, and this is its defining test.

Came from

In Connor's ideas doc: "Wealth is compounding faster than generosity: The AI boom is minting billionaires (and soon trillionaires) at breakneck speed, while giving is stagnating or even declining."

Source doc

Connor's ideas doc

Why We Don’t Want a World Without Work

Work gives purpose, community and dignity, not just a paycheck. The solution to bad work is better work, not zero work, and work may be redefined and supported by policies like UBI.

Came from

In Connor's ideas doc: "But the solution to bad work is better work, not zero work."

Source doc

Connor's ideas doc

Learning as a luxury when answers are free

Learning has been a means to an end (getting answers). When answers are commoditized, learning becomes a luxury like the pursuit of art. Sub-point: learning from a human will be an even greater luxury.

Came from

In Connor's ideas doc: "Historically, learning has been a means to an end (namely, getting to an answer). What happens when answers are commoditized?"

Source doc

Connor's ideas doc

Funders, please stop ghosting us

"Pretty self explanatory; calling out bad funder behavior" - funders not being direct, trying to be nice, or ignoring nonprofits altogether.

Came from

In Connor's ideas doc: "Pretty self explanatory; calling out bad funder behavior"

Source doc

Connor's ideas doc

AI and the first rungs of the career ladder

Three sub-angles. (1) In education: what tech replaces vs. where humans are still needed. (2) In the economy: risks of automating entry-level roles, so turn early rungs into shadow/training for higher-skill roles. (3) For workforce development/higher ed: sunset and spin up programs fast as labor demand changes.

Came from

In Connor's ideas doc: "In the economy broadly - Risks of automating entry-level roles, even if we can - when we gut the first rungs of the career ladder we pay for it later (MD cyber example)"

Source doc

Connor's ideas doc

Higher ed's real controversy is ROI, not DEI

The biggest higher-ed controversy should be lack of ROI, not DEI. Align funding to high-ROI options and sunset low-ROI ones. Accreditation/Pell reform is good if it lets new high-ROI entrants in. Students want lower-cost, higher-return models.

Came from

In Connor's ideas doc: "Biggest controversy shouldn’t be dei, it’s lack of roi (we’re focused on the wrong three letter acronym)"

Source doc

Connor's ideas doc

What's broken about the Giving Pledge

Follow-up to the recent blowback to the Giving Pledge: what's broken about it, from the giving side and from nonprofits (how they measure impact and plan to wean from philanthropy). Links two articles (TechCrunch and NYT, 2026-03-15).

Came from

In Connor's pitch doc: "Some followup to the recent blowback to the giving pledge"

Source doc

Connor's pitch doc

What companies owe their employees

Thought leadership around what companies need to do for their employees, and modeling it at Merit America.

Came from

In Connor's pitch doc: "Thought leadership around what companies need to do for their employees (and modeling stuff at Merit America)"

Source doc

Connor's pitch doc

America Needs a New Kind of Company

Hook: unleash capitalism on job creation the way it was unleashed on climate tech. Proposes a for-profit/nonprofit hybrid corporate form for quality jobs, closed to viability by subsidies or guaranteed purchasing. The Inflation Reduction Act's carbon credits are the template.

Came from

In Connor's pitch doc: "Hook: What if we could unleash capitalism on job creation the way we've unleashed it on climate tech?"

Source doc

Connor's pitch doc

The Sliding Scale of Work

Stop treating employment as binary. Build a continuum from full unemployment support to unsubsidized work, e.g. low-wage jobs bundled with housing/food support. If unemployment costs $100K per person, pay up to that to keep someone employed.

Came from

In Connor's pitch doc: "Hook: What if we stopped treating employment and unemployment as binary—and built a system that meets workers where they are?"

Source doc

Connor's pitch doc

Don't Build AmeriCorps. Expand the Military.

Republicans won't fund a new national service program but will fund the military. Expand military recruitment with lower barriers, then deploy service members on national projects. The military is already America's largest job-training program.

Came from

In Connor's pitch doc: "Hook: Republicans will never fund a new national service program. But they'll fund the military—so let's use it."

Source doc

Connor's pitch doc

The Rare Earth Reckoning

America is building its first rare earth mine while its economy depends on minerals China controls. Calls for targeted industrial policy to rebuild domestic capacity, noting the tension with restricting immigration of workers who could help.

Came from

In Connor's pitch doc: "Hook: We're building our first American rare earth mine. One. Meanwhile, our entire economy depends on minerals controlled by China."

Source doc

Connor's pitch doc

Build the War Chest Before the War

Instead of scrambling after an AI-driven employment shock, pre-build "set it and forget it" legislation with automatic triggers. Pre-define the levers (subsidies, tax incentives, direct employment) so programs activate when indicators hit thresholds.

Came from

In Connor's pitch doc: "Hook: No one predicted the Great Depression. When the next economic catastrophe hits, will we have the tools ready?"

Source doc

Connor's pitch doc

We’re Spending Billions on the Wrong Students

Like healthcare's end-of-life spending, workforce funding goes mostly to dislocated workers after layoffs. The bigger opportunity is incumbent workers (reskill before displacement) and new workers in education pipelines, so shift investment upstream.

Came from

In Connor's pitch doc: "Hook: In healthcare, we pour resources into grandma's final three months. In workforce development, we do the same thing—and it's just as backwards."

Source doc

Connor's pitch doc

Stop Telling Unemployed People to Become Better Students

"Lifelong learning" lands as "your problem is you're not a good enough student." People need a fast path to a better job. "Rapid reskilling" signals a one-time injection, so obsess over speed, ROI and outcomes.

Came from

In Connor's pitch doc: "Hook: If you've just lost your job and can't pay rent, the last thing you want to hear is that your problem is you're not committed enough to "lifelong learning."

Source doc

Connor's pitch doc

The 90-Day Window We're Wasting

The 60-90 day WARN Act notice window is dead time. States should enroll soon-to-be-laid-off workers in accelerated training while the employer still pays salary. Frames it as employer investment in the worker's next chapter.

Came from

In Connor's pitch doc: "Hook: When a company announces layoffs, there's a 60-90 day window where those workers are still employed, still getting paid—and we're squandering it."

Source doc

Connor's pitch doc

Let Them eat cake economy

Haves and have-nots. The haves are unaware of what it's like for the have-nots, and unaware of the threat of not addressing it. People need opportunity and hope/tools to access a better life.

Came from

In Connor's pitch doc: "Haves unaware of what it’s like for have nots"

Source doc

Connor's pitch doc

Cobalt collar: repositioning blue-collar work

Repositioning of blue collar work.

Came from

In Connor's pitch doc: "Repositioning of blue collar work"

Source doc

Connor's pitch doc

The abundance distribution problem

Title only, with no elaboration.

Came from

In Connor's pitch doc (title only).

Source doc

Connor's pitch doc

A learner op-ed: I packed boxes at Amazon, now I'm a VP at JPMorgan

A learner-authored op-ed: a former Amazon box packer who is now a VP at JPMC debunks three myths about people like them.

Came from

In Connor's pitch doc: "Learner OpEd - I packed boxes at Amazon and now I’m a vP at jpmc - here’s three myths about people like me"

Source doc

Connor's pitch doc

A higher-ed pledge: no outcome, no debt

A pledge for higher ed to design for low-wage workers (accessible, part time, virtual, fast). It would also require high quality (coaching, in-demand careers, wage gains) and lower cost ("No outcome, no debt", cost small relative to wage return, stackable/modular).

Came from

In Connor's pitch doc: "No outcome, no debt"

Source doc

Connor's pitch doc

Why good colleges stayed silent

Why it took so long for people to see the higher-ed problem, and why good higher-ed institutions stayed silent, using a restaurant food-poisoning analogy. Title only, with no elaboration.

Came from

In Connor's pitch doc (title only).

Source doc

Connor's pitch doc

UBI vs. “UDI” (Universal Disruption Income)

The conversation centers on UBI, but a more realistic path may be a temporary "bridge" through periods of rapid disruption. The challenge is speed of transition.

Came from

In Connor's WSJ pitch email: "A lot of the conversation is centered on UBI, but a more realistic path may be something temporary — a “bridge” to help workers through periods of rapid disruption rather than a permanent system."

Source doc

Connor's WSJ pitch email

Why training that works… doesn’t scale

Strong evidence shows certain workforce models drive wage gains. The issue is economics: the people who need it can't afford it, philanthropy can't cover it, and public funding is built for a different era.

Came from

In Connor's WSJ pitch email: "The issue isn’t effectiveness — it’s economics."

Source doc

Connor's WSJ pitch email

The real issue isn’t job loss — it’s transition speed

The dominant narrative asks whether jobs will disappear. In many sectors jobs exist and employers can't fill them, and the bottleneck is whether workers can transition fast enough.

Came from

In Connor's WSJ pitch email: "The bottleneck is whether workers can transition quickly enough — and right now, the system isn’t built for that."

Source doc

Connor's WSJ pitch email

Who actually controls workforce funding?

Workforce Pell could unlock billions for short-term training, but access is controlled by accreditors and state systems that rely on seat time rather than outcomes. Funding may expand in theory without expanding access.

Came from

In Connor's WSJ pitch email: "Funding may expand in theory without meaningfully expanding access."

Source doc

Connor's WSJ pitch email

Using AI to stay ahead of AI

Merit America has started using AI to scan job postings in real time and adjust training accordingly. This points to AI as infrastructure to keep pace with change, not just a source of disruption.

Came from

In Connor's WSJ pitch email: "We’ve started using AI to scan job postings in real time and adjust training accordingly."

Source doc

Connor's WSJ pitch email

The model congress

544 AI agents, one per member of Congress, negotiating Connor and Rebecca's plan.

Came from

Rebecca, Sept 24: "we're thinking AI Congress is just not interesting enough to make it a piece. ... once we're like in the habit of pounding things out every month, we can do that one."

Sherrie Westin and the Sesame Workshop

A Substack from the Sherrie Westin episode.

Came from

Connor wanted a fresher angle: "the happiest most joyful kid-friendly brand on earth is actually kind of a knife fight day in and day out". The draft was set aside as not original enough.