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Aleksandra Efimova and Bill Daley

On Aug. 14, I had the pleasure of attending a fascinating discussion with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and William Daley, former Chief of Staff under President Obama and brother of Mayor Richard Daley.

Sponsored by the Economic Club of Chicago, the discussion focused on immigration reform, the current political campaign and the economy and was moderated by Andrea Mitchell, chief foreign affairs correspondent for NBC News.

It was personally touching to see William Daley return to his hometown of Chicago for the event, since I have known the Daley family for several years and have had the opportunity to meet him on numerous occasions. In fact, the first time I met William Daley was when we both were in Copenhagen representing Chicago as a potential host city for the 2016 Olympic Games.

The discussion centered on the upcoming Presidential election, which could greatly impact small business owners, such as myself.

Both Bloomberg and William Daley said they are frustrated that the candidates are refusing to discuss immigration reform, which they say is one of the best ways to improve the economy. “There is no way to help the economy as quickly and as cost-free as opening the borders to create jobs and create business,” Bloomberg said.

I found both Daley’s and Mr. Bloomberg’s views on immigration, health care, taxes, and the economy very enlightening, and I am looking forward to hearing more dynamic speakers at the next Economic Club of Chicago event.