Out of the ashes of the Second World War emerged a Utopia vision -- rather than solve problems through military means, we could maintain the peace by investing across borders and promoting human rights.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is one of the main advocates of this Utopian vision along with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
This heady mix of human rights and commercial engagement was on display recently. The alchemy of this post-War Utopist order saw human rights activist Chen Guangcheng make his way to the United States.
A recent U.S. Treasury-led award ceremony recognized the success of international infrastructure banks in advancing this vision. Given the broad support for international infrastructure banks, it was appropriately a bipartisan affair.
Treasury Secretary Geithner explained why a bipartisan group got together to honor these Infrastructure Banks:
Given the challenges facing the global economy today, our support for the Multilateral Development Banks has never been more important. Investments in these institutions are part of this Administration's strategy to strengthen economic growth.
He explained how these Infrastructure Banks:
fight hunger, poverty and disease around the globe, they also help open up new markets, support our manufacturing and service sectors, and create jobs in the United States. They have been as instrumental in reducing trade barriers and leveling the playing field for American businesses as the trade agreements we've negotiated.
Americans are increasingly sold on maintaining the peace through Infrastructure Bank-led growth at home including California Governor Jerry Brown, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
It is why President Barack Obama is a champion along with his Treasury Secretary of an American Infrastructure Bank along with Senators John Kerry, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Lindsey Graham and Mark Warner.
Republican and Democratic governors and mayors are increasingly advancing this concept as a way to weave our own country's economic fabric together and achieve high rates of economic growth.