Bruce A. Mazo – 50th Reunion Essay

Bruce A. Mazo

Spouse(s): Divorced

Child(ren): Two children (1977, 1980)

Grandchild(ren): Four grandchildren (2012, 2015, 2018, 2018)

Education: 1969 Yale, BS Admin. Sci. 1974 Stanford, MBA Finance

National Service: US Army Quartermaster 1LT, 1969–1972. Washington DC and Thailand

Career: 2010–Current: CEO & Owner, Secure Retirement Advisors LLC, Independent Fiduciary Financial Advisory. 1989–2010 Registered Representative & Investment Advisory Representative. Series 7. CFP, Certified Financial Planner

Avocations: Tennis, Cooking

College: Saybrook

“The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.” This Dante quote is on a poster I framed and put on my office wall in the year 2000. It was then the extent of my public political persona. I am using our 50th reunion class book for a do-over. Now I would replace Dante’s quote with what Burke (maybe) said: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” In our modern world, Dante’s words seem akin to false equivalency. Burke’s words are much closer to tikkun olam, a Jewish concept that is defined as acts of kindness to repair the world and which I support. I have been a full-time finance advisor for 30 years—long after earning my MBA in finance. So, my interest in tikkun olam is to help reverse the reduction of the middle class in our country. In my view, this decrease constitutes an existential threat to our country.

Maimonides, among the greatest Jewish scholars, said the highest of the eight levels of tzedakah, charitable giving, would enable the recipient to maintain or become self-sufficient and no longer need charity. We need a new policy direction to rebuild our middle class and therefore align much more closely with the eighth level. Neither the secular nor the Jewish parts of my education said that free markets are a religious, moral, or ethical imperative. Free markets and incentives work, but imperfectly. Our country became great partially because success is highly rewarded, and it must continue to be. The top portion of our population will not stop innovating or working or become indolent due to a new policy direction designed to build the middle class. In fact, the opposite is true. Our growth is already being sub-optimized due to the shortage of properly educated and trained people. A new direction is needed to remove or reduce barriers of many kinds and improve middle-class growth incentives. Many people who already have positive economic values and a strong work ethic need improved opportunities to support their families and better educate their children, thereby rebuilding the middle class. In her book, The March of Folly, Barbara Tuchman included policy mistakes various countries made, not just ours. To be included in her book, the mistake had to have been continued for more than the reign of one leader or administration. This reduction of our middle class qualifies. We must reverse this mistake. But why make this topic my 50th reunion essay? Some of us may be decision- or policy-makers. Others may have creative, specific policy ideas. Still others are, or may become, elected officials. Yale wanted us to show leadership, think critically, and express the courage of our convictions. If this essay is read by just one person who can make a difference, I hope that person finds a politically effective way for us and our country to make progress. And I will have helped.