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Strong Floor, No Ceiling

Building a New Foundation for the American Dream

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Pub Date Nov 11 2025 | Archive Date Nov 11 2025


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Description

A Bold Plan to Rebuild the American Dream—for Everyone

We’re not just divided—we’re adrift. Strong Floor, No Ceiling presents a bold, radically moderate blueprint to reconnect our fractured country and restore belief in opportunity, fairness, and shared progress.

Entrepreneur, nonprofit leader, and public policy thinker Oliver B. Libby delivers a hopeful yet pragmatic path forward that blends innovation with tradition, growth with equity, and compassion with common sense. If you’re weary of the extremes and the noise and looking for a future grounded in real solutions, this book is your rallying point.

Inside, you’ll discover:

  • A new “Strong Floor” approach to healthcare, education, and infrastructure
  • How capital markets and innovation can coexist with social safety nets
  • A powerful call for civic renewal and shared national
  • Strategies to restore trust in institutions and elections
  • A practical framework for bipartisan progress
  • The launch of a Strong Floor/No Ceiling organization to support candidates who will lead on these principles


We should have a strong floor—made of access to education, healthcare, homes, jobs, capital, and justice—that all our citizens can stand atop. But we cannot afford this without celebrating success, entrepreneurship, and innovation—there should be no ceiling to our aspirations. These ideas may seem like they come from the opposite ends of the political spectrum, but they are fundamentally linked into the engine of the American Dream itself.

If you believe in fairness, freedom, and a future worth fighting for, now is the time to act.

A Bold Plan to Rebuild the American Dream—for Everyone

We’re not just divided—we’re adrift. Strong Floor, No Ceiling presents a bold, radically moderate blueprint to reconnect our fractured country...


Advance Praise

"You may not have heard of Oliver Libby, but he has a very good idea. Strong Floor, No Ceiling describes something like the old-fashioned America many of us still believe in: take care of everyone and cheer for those who succeed."

— Don Graham
Former Publisher of The Washington Post


"Oliver Libby is a voice from the radical center with a critical focus on the key societal and policy issues of our time. Oliver proposes smart and visionary ideas encouraging the collaboration among government, non-profits and government to develop practical and sustainable solutions."

— The Hon. Ann Veneman
Former United States Secretary of Agriculture, Former Executive Director, UNICEF


“In my district of Silicon Valley, nine out of ten young people still believe in the American Dream. But when I travel across the country, I meet equally talented young people who don’t share that same sense of possibility. Strong Floor, No Ceiling is a thoughtful look at how we can restore that hope.”

— Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA)


“At this moment when we Americans are not cooperating with each other, when we have scarce interest in plans to strengthen our government or save our democracy—here comes Oliver Libby with a book of strong, constructive thought for our country. He lays out a plan as large in scope, as fair, as consequential as the biggest in our past, and as far-reaching as we need today to get back on the path of healing and guarding our shared enterprise together. Each of us should read it and then ask ourselves: why shouldn’t we do something like this—together?”

— Peter C. Goldmark
Former Budget Director, New York State; former President, Rockefeller Foundation; former Executive Director, Port Authority of NY and NJ; former Publisher and CEO of the International Herald Tribune; former Director, Climate + Air Program, Environmental Defense Fund


“In Strong Floor, No Ceiling, Oliver Libby has written a civic manifesto for our time. This compelling book is clear-eyed about the challenges we face and plain-spoken about the many opportunities ahead if we work to strengthen the political center.”

— Sally Susman
Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Pfizer; author of WSJ Bestseller Breaking Through


“Oliver Libby’s vision for more equitable America—one that prioritizes and rewards civic-mindedness, innovation, and entrepreneurship—is inspiring. Strong Floor, No Ceiling puts forth a big-hearted and utterly pragmatic blueprint for a country where everyone has the opportunity to prosper.”

— Stephanie Mehta
CEO, Inc. and Fast Company


"Oliver's lifetime of service and leadership informs his masterful accounting of where we as a nation should be headed. Strong Floor, No Ceiling, presents a powerful roadmap for how America can ensure justice, fairness and limitless opportunity for all. This insightful analysis and vision should be required reading for political, economic, and cultural leaders as they rightfully search for a new governance paradigm to meet the challenges of this century."

— Congressman Max Rose
Former Member of Congress and Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Defense


“Oliver Libby has been dedicating much of his energies and time to encouraging and supporting young innovators and leaders in America and around the world in their, and his, efforts to have a positive impact. And now, in his book Strong Floor, No Ceiling, Oliver builds on his experience and knowledge to bring forward a powerful concept for the future of America—and perhaps also for societies elsewhere.”

— Maria Livanos Cattaui
Former Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Commerce


“In America’s bitterly divided political landscape, moderates have been crying out for an agenda they can unite behind that could heal our wounded country. Oliver Libby’s Strong Floor, No Ceiling gives them exactly what they’ve been hoping for and what the nation has needed.”

— Gautam Mukunda
Lecturer, Yale School of Management; author, Indispensable: When Leaders Really Matter and Picking Presidents: How To Make The Most Consequential Decision in the World


“The best leadership blends sound principles, practical action, and a deep empathy for people. Oliver Libby understands that society is better off if citizens have access to the basic tools of success which enable them to elevate their lives. Fairness and success are not opposing concepts; Oliver eloquently shows how vitally linked these ideas are in service of the American Dream.”

— Strauss Zelnick
Chairman and CEO, Take-Two Interactive Software; founder, ZMC


“Balanced, sensible, nonpartisan, aspirational. These are the words that come to mind while reading this book. It really should unite 80 percent of people on most of these recommendations. What a helpful contribution to our national dialogue about how to move forward in partisan times.”

— Kevin P. Ryan
Founder and CEO, AlleyCorp


"In a time of deep division, Oliver Libby offers a path forward grounded in dignity and purpose. Strong Floor, No Ceiling offers not just a plan but a pragmatic, moral framework to imagine an America that invests in the potential of all its citizens."

— Jacqueline Novogratz
Founder and CEO, Acumen


“In a time of deep division and disillusionment, Oliver Libby offers something rare: a bold yet practical plan that transcends partisanship. Strong Floor, No Ceiling is a deeply researched and passionately argued roadmap for rebuilding faith in the American Dream. Libby brings the mindset of a builder to the problems of American politics, reminding us that national renewal is possible—if we choose to meet the moment with clarity, courage, and common ground.”

— Seth Levine
Co-Founder and Partner, Foundry Venture Capital


“Working with Oliver Libby for years and reading this book, it is clear that he understands the key role of infrastructure and energy in America. Infrastructure and energy are where technology, jobs, and innovation drive profits. Oliver's vision for America, which joins these concepts, is indeed the foundation for a renewed American Dream.”

— Claire Broido Johnson
Co-Founder, SunRock Distributed Generation; former Co-Founder, SunEdison


“Oliver Libby writes from a place of deep respect for science—which stands to reason given his lineage in that space—and for the type of American government and system that would give us the best chance of beating major collective challenges like cancer, upgrading our healthcare system, and ensuring that Americans live longer, better, more prosperous, and healthy lives.”

— Siddhartha Mukherjee
NYT Bestselling Author


“Oliver has long been thinking big and building across sectors, with a rare ability to connect vision to action. In Strong Floor, No Ceiling, he lays out a bold, pragmatic philosophy that couldn’t be more timely—one that reclaims America’s role as a global leader by focusing on what truly makes us safer, more prosperous, and more free. This book reminds us that for the world to thrive, America needs a guiding purpose—and Oliver gives us one.”

— Steven Hill
Executive Secretary, International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law


"I enjoyed reading this thought-provoking book, which includes policy ideas that can help unify our nation, including the expansion of voluntary national service. As Army veteran and Governor of Maryland Wes Moore says ‘service will save us.’"

— Rye Barcott
CEO and Co-Founder, With Honor


“Most books about policy come at our nation’s problems from the ivory tower; not so Oliver Libby’s pragmatic, from-the-center-with-a-heart plan for America. Most Americans care about their families, their work, and making sure they can make ends meet when they go to the supermarket to put food on the table. Oliver Libby connects these kitchen table issues with a sweeping plan to rebuild the American Dream that I think people can get behind.”

— Joe Kelley
Senior Vice President Retail Divisions, The Kroger Company


Strong Floor, No Ceiling lays out a confident, forward-looking vision for America. Grounded in personal history and practical experience, Libby shows how innovation—AI in particular—can strengthen both opportunity and responsibility. A timely reminder of what our country has achieved—and can continue to achieve when it leads with clarity and purpose to sustain the American Dream.”

— David Eun
Tech Entrepreneur, Advisor, and Board Director; former Chief Innovation Officer, Samsung Electronics


“A bold and refreshingly practical plan that invites genuine support from both the left and the right. Oliver lays out a vision so rooted in common sense and shared values that you’ll find yourself nodding in agreement, page after page. A timely and deeply thoughtful achievement.”

— Scott Salmirs
President and CEO, ABM Industries


Strong Floor, No Ceiling is more than a book—it’s a timely and compelling call to reimagine America’s social contract with clarity, compassion, and purpose. As an executive who grew up poor in an immigrant family, I found the book’s focus on equity, civic responsibility, and structural reform both refreshing and essential. Oliver Libby invites us to help build a more just America—one where the future belongs to all of us, not just the privileged few.”

— Esteban López, MD
Former Senior Executive, Google and Blue Cross Blue Shield; board director, NASDAQ-listed companies | Health Equity Advocate


“An ambitious book. Libby scans the horizon of American frustration and presents a comprehensive strategy designed to restore hope during an era defined by deep cynicism.”

— Marc J. Dunkelman
Fellow at Brown University’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs


"Oliver Libby writes a thoughtful book that brings hope back to America; he understands from his experience at Resolution and working with colleges across the country that higher education is a key battleground in the fight for America’s future.”

— Russ Kavalhuna
President, Henry Ford College


Strong Floor, No Ceiling presents a bold vision for American society that is both ambitious and refreshingly practical. The novelty of Libby’s approach is in his fusion of seemingly disparate approaches and in his common-sense connection of a core we can all agree on. If you want to believe the American dream can live on, you need to read this!”

— George Tsiatis
Co-Founder and CEO, The Resolution Project


“In Strong Floor, No Ceiling, Oliver Libby provides a blueprint anyone interested in the future success of our Nation should read. From healthcare to defense, he gives insight into how innovation and leadership can converge to solve our most pressing challenges. His clarity and vision couple with practical optimism make this a must-read for policymakers, entrepreneurs, and anyone committed to building a stronger future.”

— Zach Iscol
Marine combat veteran and Senior Government Executive


“If you want a book that is just more screaming, more finger pointing, more excuse making, this isn’t it. But if you want real world, practical solutions to so many of our problems from health care to immigration to defense to the economy to education and so many more—solutions that can be implemented in the crazy world we live in from someone who has real, useful experience in government, in business and in technology—then dive right in. You’ll be very glad you did.”

— Bradley Tusk


"Oliver Libby and I have worked together for more than twenty years, and I know him personally as a partner, colleague, and friend. He is a man of integrity; his enthusiasm for his country and for making government more effective is deeply genuine. Strong Floor, No Ceiling is a thoughtful and timely vision for our country. It is perhaps most powerful because readers do not have to agree with every policy Oliver recommends—I certainly do not. But common-sense policies that make government work for all? That is something Oliver and I agree on wholeheartedly."

— Eric Hatzimemos
Co-Founder, Chairman, & CEO, H/L Ventures

"You may not have heard of Oliver Libby, but he has a very good idea. Strong Floor, No Ceiling describes something like the old-fashioned America many of us still believe in: take care of everyone...


Available Editions

EDITION Paperback
ISBN 9781642257014
PRICE $19.99 (USD)
PAGES 344

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Average rating from 13 members


Featured Reviews

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I have never heard of Oliver Libby before reading Strong Floor, No Ceiling, but he has a very good ideas. He's a voice from the radical center with a critical focus on the keys societal and policy issues of our time. Strong Floor, puts forth a big-hearted and utterly pregmatic blueprint for a country where everyone has the opportunity to prosper.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the early ARC for my honest review.

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This is a thoughtful and much-needed book advocating for common-sense, moderate solutions to current political debates. Of course, moderate solutions will mean some disagreement from both major political parties and some agreement with both political parties. I don’t agree with Libby on everything (which didn’t impact my rating of the book), and his views on some topics are simplistic (AI, abortion, and education). But that’s understandable given the incredibly broad scope of this book. You can’t be an expert on everything! I applaud Libby for seeking reasonable middle ground on subjects where it’s often warranted. Maybe someday he’ll run for office and get my vote.

Thank you to NetGalley and Advantage Books for the free eARC. I post this review with my honest opinions.

This review is crossposted to Goodreads. It will be posted to Amazon and Instagram closer to publication.

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The author offers an inspiring vision for a fairer, more equitable future. I appreciated the educational value, but sadly, I do not see a world where all his insightful analyses could ever align.
Thank you to Advantage Books and Oliver B. Libby for the gifted advanced reader copy provided by Netgalley. All opinions of the book are my own and given voluntarily.

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Mr. Libby writes a thoughtful, step by step vision of creating a better political the government. Most are common sense - easily doable and would make the changes our country desperately needs.

Unfortunately I don't see our country coming together to even attempt such a common sense plan.

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This book could not have been more timely. More and more, I watch people vote against themselves and their neighbors. If we established building blocks for us all, we could move forward successfully and together. Trust in the government is at an all-time low, and it becomes more and more apparent how broken we have become, but the foundation is there, and if we heed the advice in this book, we can maybe get there—definitely an enlightening read.

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I'm not sure what office Oliver B. Libby is running for, but clearly he's got political ambitions, and this is certain to be a founding document in his political ideology. That being said - he's clearly a smart, thoughtful person, and he has some interesting ideas. I found this book to be an intriguing presentation of some very common-sense, broad brush issues. Recommended reading for people who feel frustrated by our current political mess.

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This book has great ideas for how to get America over the hump of the separation of Republicans and Democrats. Mr. Libby’s ideas align very much with most moderates. I agree that moderates do need to be louder than the far right and the far left.
Some of his ideas I agree with and others I would modify and believe not everyone would agree with.

Overall this book was enlightening and I hope that they next election someone takes some of the ideas from his book and use them for their platform or maybe Mr. Libby will run for office himself.

Thank you NetGalley and Advantage for this eARC for my honest review.

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Author Oliver B. Libby tackles controversial, complex issues such as climate change, immigration, education, healthcare, infrastructure, and justice from a "radical center" approach in his book Strong Floor, No Ceiling. Many of his ideas make sense but won't appeal to everyone.

Libby shares a John Maynard Keynes quote that sums it up succinctly, "The political problem of mankind is to combine three things: Economic Efficiency, Social Justice, and Individual Liberty."

The chapters on healthcare and education resonated the most with me. In the US, a person's zip code, rather than their genetic code, determines life expectancy. Healthy people are an investment in our economy. Ralph Waldo Emerson's quote is applicable, "The first wealth is health."

Education lights the way. We need an educated populace with critical reasoning skills. Unfortunately, our schools are woefully underfunded, and our teachers need to be respected and paid better in order to attract talent.

Overall, an insightful and inspirational book to achieve collective impact.

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This book had many good ideas and was well written. There seems to be a great demand for a reasonable, moderate point of view in politics - but few voices. I’m glad this author had the courage to put his thoughts and ideas in this book. I was not familiar with the author, but I would like to hear more.

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This book offers an inspiring vision for a fairer future. The author's clear passion is evident. I found the book's insights to be very interesting. Although I found this book to be a great read, I'm unsure if it could work with the way the world is so divided. However, this is a book for all that want to have a look at the possible future of politics. Recommended reading for those frustrated by the current political climate.
Thank you to Advantage Books and Oliver B. Libby for providing the reader copy. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

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An ambitious, centrist blueprint for revitalizing the American Dream. Oliver argues that the nation is drifting—plagued by inequality, polarization, and declining trust in institutions—and proposes a balanced model in which every American is guaranteed a solid foundation (“the strong floor”) while retaining limitless potential for success (“no ceiling”).

The book outlines comprehensive reforms across healthcare, education, infrastructure, energy, immigration, justice, defense, and the economy. Oliver emphasizes that these systems are interconnected: strong healthcare improves productivity; education powers innovation; infrastructure drives economic capacity; immigration strengthens national dynamism. Each chapter blends data, policy analysis, and real-world stories to show how modernizing these systems can expand opportunity for all.

A standout portion of the book focuses on “preparing the ground”: a universal year of national service, rebuilding a shared information ecosystem, and major electoral reforms to restore faith in democracy. These proposals reflect Oliver’s belief that policy alone cannot succeed without cultural renewal.

What differentiates the book is its “radical moderation”—a practical, evidence-based approach that rejects ideological extremes. Oliver blends compassion with economic pragmatism, calling for a nation that protects its most vulnerable while unleashing innovation and entrepreneurship.

Ultimately, Strong Floor, No Ceiling is both hopeful and pragmatic, offering a roadmap for an America that invests in every citizen’s potential. It is a call to rebuild the social contract with fairness, dignity, and shared purpose at its core.

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This book is full of good ideas but how can they be implemented? Government, business and nonprofits all need to work together and how will that possibly happen?

Libby notes that only 27% believe the American Dream is still a possibility. I understand. He has a plan but I guess I am a pessimist when it comes to books like this one. Great ideas but how can it be implemented? Yes, equal opportunity for work, healthcare, etc. is a lofty plan. Just get this book in the hands of every government official and billionaire entrepreneur and make them read it? Then somehow encourage them to actually do what Libby suggests?

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