Now. It’s not just that I don’t ever see solutions to these problems proposed — “Hey, Anderson Cooper — here’s how we can fix our healthcare system. Did you know that in Switzerland, they also have exchanges — but they’re regulated against poor quality insurance, and everyone gets a subsidy to use them, less if you’re wealthy, more if you’re poor?” Ah, then America might go somewhere.

It’s not just that I don’t see these problems debated. “Listen, Anderson. I don’t think the Swiss solution is as good as the British one. The NHS delivers far better healthcare outcomes — more healthy years — for every dollar spent on it.” See how enlightening that might be?

The problem is deeper, more dangerous, and even more toxic.

I don’t see America’s problems even acknowledged at all. Ever. Not once a week, not once a month — not once a day. “Hey Anderson — do you think we could ignore these foolish tweets tonight, and talk about, say skyrocketing inequality, falling life expectancy, or corroded trust?”

Non-citizens who are not detained are much more likely to win their immigration cases than those who are confined inside immigration prisons. So we were intervening at a single but crucial point in the deportation system.

Each morning during our week in Lumpkin, we drove to the detention center, which really operates like a prison, to meet with the detainees in the non-contact visitation rooms. There were only three rooms for almost 2,000 detained immigrants.

The whole procedure of entering Stewart is full of countless barriers – both physical and temporal. Tall fences loom above, lined with spirals of barbed wire. Two remote-controlled gates slowly slide open, one at a time, to admit legal and family visitors. A long, cement pathway leads to the front entrance.

The waiting room is a bare, austere space that smells faintly of a dental clinic. At one end of the room sit 12 plastic chairs, and at the other, the CCA employees stand behind the front desk. A full-body scanner and a conveyer belt separate both sides. Besides a machine that sells phone call minutes and some framed photos of CCA executives hanging on the wall, the room is empty.

My vision for the country is based on my own American Dream. I was raised in a blue-collar family; my dad was a union electrician, and my parents didn’t attend college. Because of a great education and a helping hand from others, I was fortunate enough to become a successful entrepreneur. Before age 40, I founded and led as chief executive two publicly traded companies that created thousands of jobs and were admired in the community. I’ve been blessed with a great family and the opportunity to give back through philanthropy and public service. As a progressive businessman, I’ve made it a priority to be solutions-oriented and have been consistently recognized as one of the most innovative and bipartisan members of Congress. I’ve done this by simultaneously celebrating the power of our free-market economy while also insisting that there is a role for government to set goals and rules of the road and take care of those who are left behind.

My focus is on preparing our country for the future. Technological innovation, automation and globalization are the most powerful forces in the world today. These forces have been enormously positive; they will continue to make life better, enhance productivity, solve some of the world’s most difficult problems and open societies. Sadly, these forces will also eliminate certain jobs and require workers to learn new skills more quickly. They will create security risks and strain our resources. We need to respond to these large-scale opportunities and challenges by thinking about policy from a fresh perspective. What are the resources we have, how do we compete and create jobs, how can we ensure that everyone has a fair chance, and how do we protect ourselves?

To do this, we need new infrastructure, which can be paid for using my bipartisan approach to infrastructure and international tax reform. We need to be smarter, fueled by more investment in science, education and research. We need new ideas on the future of jobs and work, one where we build a stronger and more vibrant middle class. We need to encourage a more just and inclusive form of capitalism and reduce barriers to small-business formation, start-ups, job creation, investment and growth. We need to strengthen our safety-net programs and create a new social contract. We need to reform the systems of education, health care and immigration, and encourage more volunteerism, impact investing and public service. And we need to take affirmative steps to reduce our security, fiscal and climate risks. This is what my campaign will be about.