Clinton: 'Creative Societies Are About Multiplication, Not Division'
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MIAMI BEACH (CBSMiami) -- Former President Bill Clinton spoke on a range of today's trending topics as hundreds of mayors convene on Miami Beach for the U.S. Conference of Mayors 85th Annual Meeting.
Held at the Fountainebleau Hotel over the weekend, more than 250 mayors are discussing a range of topics contributing to the health and safety of America's cities, including healthcare, immigration, climate protection, homeland security and the economy.
"I used to say I went to the White House as a Governor, served as president and left a mayor," the nation's 42nd president joked.
Mr. Clinton addressed the Conference's City Livability Luncheon Saturday afternoon, speaking on a variety of topics ranging from the sweeping opioid epidemic and the "us versus them" tribalism mentality plaguing the country.
"Diverse groups make better decisions than homogeneous groups. Diverse groups make better decisions than lone geniuses," he said. "Creative societies are about multiplication, not division."
The mayors have gathered under the belief that despite their geographic location, most cities, both big and small, face the same challenges.
"Too many of our states have become trapped in the arid desert of identity politics," Clinton said. "In a very profound way, the cities have become the laboratories of democracy."
Watch the full speech below.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of city populations of 30,000 or more. Nearly 1,400 cities in the country meet this criteria and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor.
Follow along with all plenary sessions livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/usmayors/
