Finding Common Ground on the State of Our Democracy Thursday, November 17, 2022 – 3pm PT/6 pm ET University of Southern California, Town and Gown Can Democrats and Republicans agree on how to strengthen democracy? Watch political veterans James Carville and Reince Priebus explore common ground. Pundits and historians viewed the November midterms as critical to the future of American democracy. But do liberals and conservatives agree on the emerging narrative, and the steps that must be taken to continue…

Finding Common Ground on Guns Tuesday, September 27, 2022 – 6:30pm ET George Washington University, Jack Morton Auditorium Watch a conversation with Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) and former Congressman Will Hurd (R-TX) on bipartisan paths to reduce gun violence. With mass shootings on the rise, a majority of Americans say gun policies are very important to their midterm vote. Yet despite Congress coming together to pass the first major gun safety legislation in 30 years, voters remain closely divided along…

Finding Common Ground on Election Reform Tuesday, June 7, 2022 – 7:30pm ET Watch the Recording Watch former DNC Chair Donna Brazile and former RNC Chair Michael Steele explore ways to find common ground on election reform. Free and fair elections are at the cornerstone of our democracy, yet many Americans feel disenfranchised about their ability to cast a ballot. Rising polarization in Congress has left voting rights legislation at a standstill. Common Ground Committee was honored to host a…

Finding Common Ground on Media, Politics & Polarization Sunday, April 24, 2022 8pm–9pm ET On Zoom Streaming Live How can the media play a role in decreasing polarization? Watch our conversation with two leading political journalists. Common Ground Committee and Bridge Alliance were honored to host a special virtual event to kick off the National Week of Conversation 2022. For decades, journalists Chris Wallace and Jonathan Karl have covered the political scene – from interviewing Vladimir Putin to covering President…

Turning Racism & Extremism Into Hope And Healing Monday, June 14, 2021   7pm–8pm ET On Zoom Streaming Live What does it take to combat hate? A race reconciliator and a former white supremacist who are changing hearts and minds weigh in. Common Ground Committee and sponsoring partners Bridge Alliance and MLK50 were honored to host a special virtual event to kick off the National Week of Conversation 2021. Our guest Daryl Davis, an award-winning Black musician, race reconciliator and renowned…

Finding Common Ground on the New Economy As the workforce transforms, what is government's role? Two of the political world's leading voices weigh in. Millions of students will soon graduate into a workforce radically altered by the pandemic and changes in technology and energy. What is government's role in this new economy? In partnership with BridgeND, the University of Notre Dame and The Rooney Center for the Study of American Democracy, Common Ground Committee was honored to welcome former Governor…

An all-star documentary cast discusses how Americans can come together in a time of strife Common Ground Committee, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering more progress and less division in politics, partnered with Bridge Alliance to host a discussion of the thought-provoking documentary Stars and Strife: A Film of Empathy and Hope. This virtual event featured some of today's leading movers and thinkers, from former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and business leader Katherine Gehl to economist David Smick and activist Hawk Newsome.…

Finding Common Ground on Facts, Fake News & The Media https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jDhmyeeOIk TWO TOP JOURNALISTS WEIGH IN ON THE ROLE OF MODERN MEDIA IN TODAY'S ERA OF DIVISIVE POLITICS Common Ground Committee, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering civil public discourse in politics, was honored to partner with the Columbia University School of Journalism to welcome New York Times correspondent Maggie Haberman and Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace to a public forum on the role we all play in moving forward…

Same family, different politics? Watch our webinar! In the midst of a pandemic and following a divisive election, this holiday season may seem more fraught than most. Get ready to lead happier, healthier conversations with family and friends who have different political views through this webinar hosted in partnership with Living Room Conversations and BridgeUSA. Learn actionable tips for holding more constructive discussions on tough issues (even at family gatherings where emotional stakes are high). From listening first to addressing shared…

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…

On Tuesday, March 19 Common Ground Committee hosted its 10th public forum, which brought together former Secretaries of State John Kerry (Democrat) and Condoleezza Rice (Republican) at the University of Notre Dame’s DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. The forum was titled “Finding Common Ground on America’s Role in the World”. Tickets became available 30 days before the event and were gone in 30 minutes. Watch the highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcrFAZkF-dc During the forum, Kerry and Rice came to points of consensus on the…

On August 7th, 2018, African American trauma surgeon Dr. Brian Williams was the featured speaker at our joint event with The Nantucket Project. Dr. Williams, who treated white police officers shot by a black sniper at a 2016 protest in Dallas, spoke to more than 50 guests. Dr. Williams talked about that incident and shared his own experiences with discrimination. He said racial healing is possible if we can recognize our own biases, have conversations between the races and genuinely listen…

On April 22, 2018, Common Ground Committee at The Haven in Charlottesville, Va presented our ninth public forum. Our panelists were Donna Brazile and Michael Steele. Moderating the forum was Wendi C. Thomas from The Christian Science Monitor. We are a citizen-led nonprofit organization focused on “Bringing Light Not Heat To Public Discourse.” We have no partisan political agenda and guard our financial independence.   Partnering with us for this event was the international, multi-Pulitzer Prize winning publication The Christian…

Common Ground Committee held its eighth public forum on Wednesday, October 11th to a capacity crowd at Middlebury College to “Find Common Ground on Economic Opportunity in the Trump Era.” Panelists featured were former Democratic Congressman Barney Frank (MA), and former Republican Governor of New Hampshire and White House Chief of Staff for George H.W. Bush, John Sununu The political science department at Middlebury College and Common Ground Committee together with The Christian Science Monitor co-presented the event. Gail Chaddock,…

Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYK2Ci9ZaPk The Common Ground Committee partnered with The Nantucket Project in Greenwich, Connecticut to host a Public Forum on civility in the public space. Media Coverage Nantucket Project Packs its Headquarters for Panel Discussion On Civility - Greenwich Free Press Greenwich discussion focuses on civility - Greenwich Time Event Gallery

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL8IPERNP7E Short video: Watch substantive agreement emerge between the honorable Barney Frank and Larry Kudlow during Common Ground Committee’s seventh public forum, “Finding Common Ground on Taxes”! Common Ground Committee held its seventh public forum on Sunday, July 31 on the topic, “Finding Common Ground on Taxes.” The forum took place at the Unitarian Meeting House in historic Nantucket, Massachusetts. The Honorable Barney Frank (D-MA), a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives debated Larry Kudlow, radio host and…

On October 27. 2014 at the 92nd St. Y in New York City, Larry Kudlow and Jared Bernstein offered different perspectives on the causes of widening income inequality and what policy actions might alleviate the problem and strengthen the American economy for the benefit of all its citizens. The audience was treated to two individuals who debated passionately, did not compromise on principles and yet actively worked for, and found, substantive points of agreement. Larry Kudlow and Jared Bernstein provided a…

Our growing national debt requires honest, substantive discussions about entitlement reform. The core drivers of the debt are entitlement spending, mainly Medicare and Social Security, and a more rapidly aging population. To dissect the complex issues and explore possible solutions in a spirit of civility, former Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell and former Senator Judd Gregg participated in a public forum in June 2013. Monitor editor John Yemma served as moderator while Monitor Washington correspondent Gail Chaddock laid out the framework…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgS0DUdIMTg In this December 2013 public forum with David Gergen, former senior advisor to President Reagan, and Chris Matthews, former staffer to House Speaker Tip O’Neill, we explored stories and insights about the two political rivals. The panelists illustrated how the shared experiences and personal relationships between the two were the keys to finding points of agreement in resolving major issues. The event was moderated by John Yemma, editor of the Christian Science Monitor. The history of bipartisan compromise between President…

The goal was to debate the facts with the ultimate challenge of identifying points of consensus without compromising core principles. What they agreed upon might surprise you. Here are their areas of common ground: The current tax system is too complex. We need a simple, fair tax code. Currently there are too many loopholes and too much incentive for tax avoidance. We need to raise revenues. Higher tax revenues are necessary in order to reduce the debt, even if Congress…

The U.S – China relationship is complex and of increasingly enormous importance as China’s economic and military power continues to grow. Some experts believe we are headed toward deepening cooperation, stability, and peace while others argue the relationship will be marked by deterioration, global competition and ultimate conflict. In 2011 The Common Ground Committee held its second public panel discussion entitled, “China: Threat or Opportunity.” The event was moderated by John Yemma, editor of the Christian Science Monitor, and brought…