Three one-day meetings held at the Meridian International Center in Washington, DC in late 2009 and 2010 and co-sponsored with the Center for a New American Security addressed the topics of “Obama – One Year Later," "U.S. Global Policy: Challenges to Building a 21st Century Grand Strategy,” and “Technology, Finance, Innovation, and U.S. Global Policy.”  The three white papers from the three meetings were combined into one document.

Participants concluded that recognizing alternative models for a grand strategy for the United States is not an admission of "declinism" but rather a realistic approach to governance in the 21st century. The Obama Administration was encouraged to craft a globally competitive economic policy that focuses on innovation and the creation of wealth for future generations. Institutional flexibility, integrated economies, and entrepreneurial advances combined with governmental support were indicated as means to help the United States maintain its competitive edge.