Episodes

  • Finding Common Ground in a Divided Congress: Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R) and Abigail Spanberger (D)

    Finding Common Ground in a Divided Congress: Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R) and Abigail Spanberger (D)
    Jul 11 2024
    This episode makes a powerful case for compromise and pragmatism as crucial ingredients in passing laws and getting things done. Our guests are Democrat Abigail Spanberger and Republican Brian Fitzpatrick, who are both members of the Problem Solvers Caucus: 62 Members of Congress, evenly split between Republicans and Democrats. Although you wouldn’t know it from national media coverage, The Problem Solvers meet frequently when Congress is in session to discuss bipartisan legislation. They’re often successful in moving bills forward. We hear a substantive, compelling, personal conversation with two lawmakers who work together and put country before party. We first recorded our conversation nearly four years ago. Despite their party labels they agree with each other much more than you might think.
    Show more Show less
    29 mins
  • Public Schools: Talking Across the Divide. Becky Pringle and Gisele Huff

    Public Schools: Talking Across the Divide. Becky Pringle and Gisele Huff
    Jun 20 2024
    Almost everyone has an opinion about public education, especially in the years since the COVID pandemic when the physical closure of schools and online schooling became highly controversial. The vast majority of American students attend public school, but the numbers are falling, partially because of growing financial support for school choice and the changing views of many parents. According to a Gallup poll last year, nearly two-thirds of Americans were dissatisfied with the quality of education students receive in kindergarten through 12th grade. In this podcast episode, we bring together two respected education leaders with different views about public schooling. Becky Pringle was a middle school science teacher for three decades, and is now President of the NEA - The National Education Association, the nation’s largest teachers union. Gisele Huff is a philanthropist, expert on education reform, and a longtime supporter of school choice and charter schools.
    Show more Show less
    23 mins
  • Pro-Life and Pro-Choice Leaders Together in the Same Room: Reverend Anne Fowler and Francis Hogan

    Pro-Life and Pro-Choice Leaders Together in the Same Room: Reverend Anne Fowler and Francis Hogan
    Jun 6 2024
    Abortion is one of the most passionate, divisive, and emotional issues in the 2024 election campaign. The debate is often dominated by extremes on both sides. But what if passionate pro-life and pro-choice movement leaders could get together in the same room and learn how to disagree better? That is exactly what happened in Massachusetts, beginning in the mid 1990's. Leaders on both sides held secret discussions over the course of several years . These wrenching conversations began in the mid 1990’s at a very difficult time— after two women were murdered by an anti-abortion extremist in Brookline, Massachusetts. We hear from The Reverend Anne Fowler, an Episcopal Priest who served on the board of directors for the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, and lawyer Fran Hogan, who's been President of Women Affirming Life. They’re among the six women profiled in the 2023 documentary, "The Abortion Talks". This interview was first published last year.
    Show more Show less
    28 mins
  • How The Media Rage Machine Divides America: Chris Stirewalt

    How The Media Rage Machine Divides America: Chris Stirewalt
    May 23 2024
    From cars to entertainment, technology to retailing, most large industries have faced huge changes in the past thirty years. But none more so than the news business. Since 2000, countless numbers of local and regional newspapers went bust. Those that did survive fired a big percentage of their reporters and slimmed down. The past two decades also saw the rise of social media and highly opinionated online journalism, slanted well to the left or right of the political spectrum. Local reporting of how our towns, cities and states are run has died out in many parts of the country. Political journalist Chris Stirewalt is our guest in this episode. He is a contributing editor and regular columnist at the conservative news site, The Dispatch. Chris wrote the book, "Broken News: Why The Media Rage Machine Divides America and How to Fight Back." Find more episodes of "Let's Find Common Ground" here. Learn more about The Common Ground Scorecard here.
    Show more Show less
    28 mins
  • Why Trump is Popular in Small-Town America: Salena Zito

    Why Trump is Popular in Small-Town America: Salena Zito
    May 9 2024
    Unlike the vast majority of journalists who cover American politics, Salena Zito lives far away from the centers of power and wealth. She writes about small-town America and the parts of the country that much of the media doesn’t cover. Zito's commitment to understanding the heartland of America is evident in her frequent trips along the nation’s back roads. She drives thousands of miles, avoiding interstates and major cities, to grasp the pulse of rural and small-town AmericaHer insights about American voters are especially valuable in this election year. In this podcast, we learn why so many people who live in rural and small-town America support Donald Trump and the populist coalition that reshaped the Republican Party. Salena Zito writes columns and reports on politics for the Washington Examiner, the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, and the New York Post. She is coauthor of "The Great Revolt: Inside the Populist Coalition Reshaping American Politics.”
    Show more Show less
    27 mins
  • Bipartisan Trust and Common Ground in Congress: Reps. Dusty Johnson (R) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D)

    Bipartisan Trust and Common Ground in Congress: Reps. Dusty Johnson (R) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D)
    Apr 25 2024
    More than 50 Members of Congress have announced that they’re not running for reelection in 2024. Many cite political dysfunction and angry divisive rhetoric as reasons behind their decision to quit. Retiring Democratic Senator Joe Manchin recently told CNN: “Every one of us should be ashamed of what we’re living through now in the 118th Congress.” But there are constructive examples of cooperation. On the next episode of "Let's Find Common Ground", we host a lively conversation with Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Illinois) and Dusty Johnson (R-South Dakota). Both argue that finding common ground is a crucial ingredient in governing and making progress on solving the biggest challenges facing the nation. Johnson and Krishamoorthi also speak of their work together as Members of the bipartisan House Select Committee on China.
    Show more Show less
    30 mins
  • Curiosity, Not Compliance: Bridge Building In The Workplace: Simon Greer

    Curiosity, Not Compliance: Bridge Building In The Workplace: Simon Greer
    Apr 11 2024
    Many Americans are exhausted by polarization and hyper-partisanship. Bitter divides are not just a problem for election campaigns and public institutions; they’re also damaging the workplace. Employee morale at many businesses and nonprofits has plunged— impacted by tribalism, culture wars, and political divides. CEOs are often in a tough spot. Some have banned talking politics at the office. Or they’ve taken a public stand on an issue of the day in an effort to ‘do the right thing.’ But that can end up pleasing some employees while alienating others. In this episode of 'Let's Find Common Ground,' we have the privilege of hearing from Simon Greer, the visionary founder of Bridging the Gap. This organization is dedicated to equipping college students with the skills to communicate effectively across differences. Simon's work extends beyond the campus, as he also consults with numerous organizations grappling with these same challenges within their workforces. His efforts offer a beacon of hope in the face of workplace polarization.
    Show more Show less
    31 mins
  • 2024 Election Politics: How Divided Are We Really? Kate Carney and John Geer

    2024 Election Politics: How Divided Are We Really? Kate Carney and John Geer
    Mar 28 2024
    Partisan divides are as deep as ever. Most Americans are exhausted by the dysfunction and divisions in American politics. Some scholars claim the country is on the brink of civil war. But several recent polls suggest that clear majorities of voters agree on many issues. We dive into the data from two different groups that study American attitudes and beliefs. Kate Carney is chief of staff for the nonpartisan research organization, More in Common. Her work aims to help build strong communities for a strong country. John Geer is a professor of political science and leads the Vanderbilt Project on Unity & American Democracy. He discusses findings from Vanderbilt’s which tracks trust in institutions and democracy. Hear some of their surprising findings on this episode of "Let's Find Common Ground".
    Show more Show less
    24 mins