Partners in Hard Times is a story about a world constrained by OPEC’s tight-fisted control over oil and concomitant rise in prices. Attempts to shift to alternative power sources failed due to lack of coordination across industries and countries. The global economy is sluggish. The US has maintained its position as the global leader through sweeping education reforms that have improved science and math rankings and by addressing seemingly impossible issues in transportation and healthcare through strategic public-private partnerships.
