Former Governors John Kasich and Steve Bullock on Democracy and Civic Discourse

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Two former governors, one Republican and one Democrat, considered moderates in their respective parties, discuss ways in which to have civil and civic discourse in an era of political divisiveness. 

Speaker bios:

John Kasich served as the 69th Governor of Ohio (2011-2019). He touts his accomplishments as "leading the Ohio Comeback, restoring Ohio’s fiscal stability, diversifying the state’s economy with more than 500,000 new private-sector jobs, expanding health care coverage for low-income Ohioans, protecting vulnerable residents, and championing a number of reforms to protect the environment." Kasich ran for President during the 2016 GOP primary. He was the last candidate to leave the race and finished third in the total delegate count. His message focused on unifying Americans rather than dividing them, championing the great potential of our citizens to make positive impacts in their own communities, a strong national defense and the importance of our international alliances. He previously served in Congress (1982-2000), where he was Chairman of the House Budget Committee and also served for 18 years on the Armed Services Committee. 

Steve Bullock was elected Montana’s 24th Governor, serving from 2013-2020. He worked with a Republican-majority legislature to improve access to health care, kick dark money out of state elections, make record investments in education, protect access to public lands, invest in infrastructure, and strengthen Montana’s economy. Bullock brought diverse interests together to address challenging issues, from sage grouse and forest management to the Main Street Montana Project. By executive action, he led the nation in preserving net neutrality and combating dark money. Nationally, Bullock was elected Chair of the National Governors Association, Western Governors Association and Democratic Governors Association. Bullock served as Montana’s attorney general from 2009-2013. As attorney general, Bullock defended Montana’s hundred-year ban on corporate campaign spending, gaining national prominence for leading the challenge to the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision.

• John Kasich
• Conversations Across Differences
• Steve Bullock
• Resilient Democracy
• Year of Democracy, Civic Empowerment, and Global Engagement
• 2024 elections
• Resilient Democracies