Dr. Ian Bremmer Speaks to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs at the Chicago Club

On Wednesday, September 13, 2006, Dr. Ian Bremmergathering was a very special event long to be
was invited by the Chicago Council on Global Affairsremembered by those of us who were fortunate to
to speak on current political and economic issues atattend.Below are clippings from the inside covers of Dr.
the Chicago Club. The event was an immediateBremmer’s book:What Freakonomics does for
“sold out” and for good reason. Dr.understanding the economy, The J Curve does for
Bremmer has just completed his new bookbetter understanding how nations behave. The J curve
“The “J” Curve, a new way tois a visual too that allows us to see at a glance why
understand why nations rise and fall”, andsome crucial countries are in crisis and unstable while
brought it to the Council for discussion.Leah Zellothers are prosperous and politically solid. In this
Wanger, Treasurer of the Chicago Council on Globalimaginative, playful, and practical guide, Ian Bremmer, an
Affairs and President of the LZW Group LLC, one ofexpert on the politics of international business, turns
Chicago’s most distinguished law firms,conventional wisdom on its head. He reveals how the
graciously introduced Dr. Bremmer.In the many yearsUnited States can begin more successfully to act in its
that I have been attending Chicago Council events thisown interests.Ian Bremmer is president of Eurasia
one is a landmark. Dr. Bremmer offers a radical newGroup, the world’s largest political risk
approach to observing, analyzing, and assessingconsultancy. He has written for the Financial Times, the
current geo-political/economic events. His approachesHarvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, the
are articulated in his stunning new book which is aLos Angeles Times, and The New York Times, and
must read for anyone interested in the state of currenthas authoredI was born and raised on the south side
political/economic events globally.There are manyof Chicago in Hyde Park Township, near the University
ways in which one can approach Dr.of Chicago. As I child I was always drawing and
Bremmer’s discourse, however, the bestpainting. My father owned an art supply company,
approach is to say that it was both imaginative andFavor Ruhl & Watson, where I was able to get all that
cogent. The moment Dr. Bremmer stood before theI needed to progress in my work.I have always
gathering he had us spell bound. With encyclopedicenjoyed portraiture and landscape painting. In High
breadth and vision Dr. Bremmer went through countrySchool (Naperville Central High School) I took Drafting
after country sighting with incredible detail their state offrom Mr. Pierce. I quickly grasped the principles of
current economic and political conditions. Further, Dr.perspective and drafting and hence made a career
Bremmer was able to accomplish this fete in a mannerwith both Fine Art and Architectural Renderings.In the
that was accommodating to his audience.As timemid 1970's I joined the US Navy and was stationed on
drew to a close the audience only grew hungrier forboard the USS Midway, CV-41. The Midway was
more of what he had to offer. Numerous timeshome ported in Yokosuka, Japan (A suburb of Tokyo).
individuals called out “we have two hours,While in service I traveled all over Asia including such
please go on”. When Dr. Bremmer tookcountries as Korea, China, Philippines, Singapore,
questions he was able to answer them with solid factsPakistan, Hong Kong, and Japan. While in Japan I
replete with pertinent details. What made hislearned Japanese. I speak German and Spanish as
responses so astonishing were that they werewell.
answered directly, clearly, and unrehearsed. The