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It’s Time for a Frank Conversation: Chris Shays & Barney Frank

July 9, 2019

Explore how a polarized Congress can get back to doing the people’s work.

Common Ground Committee, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering civil public discourse in politics, was honored to partner with co-host The Nantucket Project to welcome former Members of Congress Barney Frank and Christopher Shays to Irvington, NY. As groundbreaking Democratic and Republican representatives, Chairman Frank and Congressman Shays have firsthand experience in advancing bipartisan legislation. In this honest conversation, two veteran legislators shared an inside look at how bills get made in Washington, and how Congress can get back to doing the people’s work in politically polarized times.

It’s Time for a Frank Conversation.

with Former Congressional Members Chris Shays & Chairman Barney Frank

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Transcript: It’s Time for a Frank Conversation – Part I

Transcript: It’s Time for a Frank Conversation – Part II

Watch the Highlights

About the Speakers

Barney Frank
Panelist

Former Democratic Congressman Barney Frank served as a Representative from Massachusetts from 1981 to 2013. As Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, he was a leading co-sponsor of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, acting as a key deal maker between Republicans and Democrats to usher in a sweeping reform of the financial industry. An energetic supporter of civil rights, Mr. Frank was the first member of Congress to marry someone of the some sex while in office.

Christopher Shays
Panelist

Former Republican Congressman Christopher Shays served as a Representative from Connecticut from 1987 to 2009. A leader among centrist Republicans, he was recognized for his bipartisan leadership and rose to become a senior member of the Budget, Government Reform, Financial Services and Homeland Security Committees. He championed the creation of the 9/11 Commission and its recommended reforms; co-chaired the Commission on Wartime Contracting; and co-founded the Congressional National Service Caucus.

Bruce Bond
Moderator

Bruce Bond is the Co-founder and CEO of Common Ground Committee, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering civil public discourse in politics. A 30-year veteran of the information technology industry, he has worked with numerous successful start-up firms and as an executive for the world-renowned analyst firm Gartner, where he guided initiatives in thought leadership and research. Mr. Bond is a graduate of Princeton University, where he was a national-class distance runner and earned a bachelor’s degree in Politics.

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About Common Ground Committee

Common Ground Committee (CGC) (commongroundcommittee.org) is a nonpartisan, citizen-led organization that inspires action on polarizing issues by bringing prominent leaders with opposing views together in public forums to find common ground. Since its founding in 2009, CGC has held 14 forums featuring panelists who have reached over 200 points of consensus. Panelists have included such notables as David Petraeus, Susan Rice, John Kerry, Condoleezza Rice, Michael Steele, Donna Brazile and Larry Kudlow, exploring issues ranging from race and income inequality to foreign policy. CGC is also responsible for the “Let’s Find Common Ground” podcast and the Common Ground Scorecard, which scores politicians and candidates for public office on their likelihood to find common ground with the opposite party. Free of political agenda and financial influence, CGC has a singular focus on bringing light, not heat, to public discourse.

Details

Date:
July 9, 2019
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Details

Date:
July 9, 2019