A break down about civility and the upcoming MinnPost Festival

[00:00:12] [SPEAKER_01]: Welcome to The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky, a weekly podcast that breaks down politics, policy, and current affairs. I'm Becky Scherr. And I'm Michael Brodkorb.

[00:00:21] [SPEAKER_01]: We are here today with a rare two guest episode. We will be kicking things off by welcoming Tanner Kerr, Executive Director at MinnPost to discuss the upcoming MinnPost Festival on September 28th.

[00:00:30] [SPEAKER_01]: We will celebrate National Voter Registration Day and early voting celebrating in MinnPost, later this week. Then we will hit on the recent plot and foil the temp to assassinate former President Donald Trump.

[00:00:41] [SPEAKER_01]: We will be joined by Jake Loche, Executive Director of the Citizens League to help us discuss why it's more important than ever to focus on what unites us rather than what divides us. Thanks for joining us and enjoy the show.

[00:00:52] [SPEAKER_01]: So we are excited to be too welcome, Tanner Kerr here to the breakdown today. Tanner, you reached out a couple of months or two ago inviting the breakdown with Brad Corp and Becky to the upcoming MinnPost Festival and we are so honored and so excited about this event.

[00:01:07] [SPEAKER_01]: So we are really excited to hear more about all of the planning that got has gone into it and what we can anticipate because this is obviously more than just our little podcast.

[00:01:18] [SPEAKER_01]: It is Saturday, September 28th at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in downtown Minneapolis. Talk to us a little bit about how the event is going to go and what we can expect.

[00:01:29] [SPEAKER_02]: Yes, I will thank you for having me. I don't think you should be so humble about you're not your little show your big show. We're excited to have you all there as part of this day.

[00:01:38] [SPEAKER_02]: MinnPost Festival, this is now I think our fourth year doing it but it keeps growing every single year and it is festival around people and ideas shaping Minnesota's future a chance for minnSotans who as I put it I can this is in a real swear minnSotans who give a damn about the future of our state coming together and digging into these ideas hearing the voices and perspectives of minnSotans and national voices as well.

[00:02:07] [SPEAKER_02]: Looking out obviously politics is big media is big culture is big but as we do with minnPost you're around. We try to focus not just on the drama of the moment, but also what are the stakes what are the consequences particularly the big election year like this we're excited to have you both there I feel like you should talk about what your part of it is going to be that was sent to the ones who were actually putting it together.

[00:02:28] [SPEAKER_01]: Sure, so we are welcoming John Rulo and former senator state senator Michelle Benson both of engasana podcast before and we are our title of our episode is turning the tide reviving the Republican vision in Minnesota.

[00:02:44] [SPEAKER_01]: And this is something we talked to you a little bit about on the front end when we were forming formulating what the show would look like.

[00:02:50] [SPEAKER_01]: But something Michael and I have talked a lot about over the years or over the last two years of this podcast and we come from a highly partisan background but don't really feel like the party represents us nor has the party been largely successful on a statewide scale so Michael if you and I maybe hit on a little bit about what we can.

[00:03:07] [SPEAKER_05]: What we plan to chat about I'm really excited about this because Becky as you noted this is something that's really been heart and soul this podcast since we started it and having the opportunity to do it in post live show in person.

[00:03:19] [SPEAKER_05]: It's going to be really exciting, but I think it's important in substantive because even though we're both partisans we've had a lot of Democrats on this show we've had a lot of people that we've got we call independence and centrist and we've had a lot of Republicans and one of the things I think we're both big advocates of.

[00:03:33] [SPEAKER_05]: is a vibrant at least two party system we don't really have that right now and we have one functioning I think political party another one that's struggling to find its footing and so I really hope.

[00:03:44] [SPEAKER_05]: That we can have a really well rounded conversation with former senator bensit in john rollow who are principal conservatives who want Republicans to win and I think it's going to be a.

[00:03:55] [SPEAKER_05]: Incredible amount of experience, but then offering some insight is to where the party goes we've had a lot of discussions with them about messaging and messaging from our background specie that seems to be.

[00:04:05] [SPEAKER_05]: The big rub that we have right now is is some of the messaging and I'm looking forward to having that discussion in person some Q and A questions and then I also think it's good because I honestly think that.

[00:04:16] [SPEAKER_05]: Most menestotans want there to be a vibrant to party system I truly do even if they're not supportive of Republicans and not supportive of Democrats I still think that they want a vibrant to party system and so I think this type of.

[00:04:46] [SPEAKER_02]: House spicy this conversation could be that's a part of a full day starts around noon and goes into the evening we've got a full slate a full schedule you could check out the full schedule at mimposed to dot com slash.

[00:05:00] [SPEAKER_02]: Festival passes are available they're all excess passes I think this is this pinned on your ex profile there is a special discount code for fans followers and haters we don't want to.

[00:05:13] [SPEAKER_05]: And I think that's why I think they're alive.

[00:05:15] [SPEAKER_05]: I don't you normally advertise ramen to be ahead of time, but there's good I'm going to be there.

[00:05:19] [SPEAKER_02]: Colleard young things could get extra spicy then yes using the code break down all one word code breakdown for 40% off and all excess pass to the festival we've a lot of other great conversations we've got the attorney general key that was this is going to be there.

[00:05:37] [SPEAKER_02]: I'll be interviewed by CNN's.

[00:05:42] [SPEAKER_02]: Work votes a sink Paul native who's coming back home for the event good conversation with.

[00:05:49] [SPEAKER_02]: State Demangl for Susan Brower and head of explore Minnesota Lauren Bennett begin to talking about the future of Minnesota and the lack population growth will that actually take to get more minisodes to move to Minnesota.

[00:06:05] [SPEAKER_02]: And I think this is I may be breaking this news here, but we're announcing Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flannins.

[00:06:10] [SPEAKER_02]: Flannigans going to be there for one on one hey our state government reporter Peter Kellahan with got many ampeless mayor Jacob fries going to be there talking about downtown and how these effects from downtown emanate across the city and actually across the region at state as well.

[00:06:25] [SPEAKER_02]: We got Jake Losch is going to be there moderating a conversation about and cross different scientists campuses which I think is not just about college campuses but about civility.

[00:06:35] [SPEAKER_02]: How we come together across difference across the state so it's a huge day with there's even more in the line if you should check it out.

[00:06:43] [SPEAKER_02]: Look at David wrote pollitzer prize money journalist David wrote is coming talking about his new book returny begins looking at form a president trump's relationship with the DOJ and the FBI that's yeah state national voices come together.

[00:06:55] [SPEAKER_02]: It's going to be a great day and a way for people to connect there's a social hour that's going to take place for you to connect with again it's a mixer for people who give a damn this is your chance that you can find your people here at mimpos festival all the details min post fest min post dot com slash festival use that code breakdown all one word to unlock a 40% discount.

[00:07:18] [SPEAKER_02]: And that past gets you you can go see any and all of those speakers that you just listen to that right yes and all you can come and go throughout the day all at Westminster church in downtown Minneapolis.

[00:07:31] [SPEAKER_01]: Perfect kind of did want to bring up because I'm sorry my god I'll go ahead because we do have Jake coming on citizens league has been a partner with been post on this.

[00:07:38] [SPEAKER_01]: Tactos a little bit about some of the sponsors and partnerships in the great folks that are helping you all put up this on.

[00:07:44] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah we've got it's a full a Schmurgers board of sponsor logos that you can see on the site but a lot of great partners who've got working with axios or a nice night foundation other I should stop naming names because I'm not going to be able to name all of them off the top of my head and I want anybody to feel left out.

[00:08:00] [SPEAKER_02]: I'll let's listen yes all on the website but citizens league is a great promotional partner it's great to have Jake moderating this conversation they're actually a jacan i've been emailing today about it's going to be looking to table in the common area.

[00:08:14] [SPEAKER_02]: And actually engaging people and post we have some interactive engagements as well in terms of how people feel about polarization how they interact with people who are different from them or planning to vote differently than they are.

[00:08:26] [SPEAKER_02]: We're going to be talking about this election and again not just a horse race of this election but what do people think the stakes of the election are what do we think will actually happen afterward and what it means with a potentially new balance of power here in Minnesota and Washington.

[00:08:39] [SPEAKER_02]: And how do people feel about that so it's a really good opportunity for people to not only connect and hear from.

[00:08:46] [SPEAKER_02]: Interesting people in ideas about our future but also share their own ideas to connect with other people are gole with this festival or gole with men post overall is to be trusted guy to what's going on and that people leave feeling empowered.

[00:08:58] [SPEAKER_02]: And able to participate be active participate active participants in sheet are stayed in nation national future.

[00:09:06] [SPEAKER_05]: It's great thank you again for the opportunity to be there work so excited and we will hope to have you back prior to the festival again to talk about more developments and more news but we thank you so much for being here today okay.

[00:09:17] [SPEAKER_02]: Thank you both and I'll just vote one last blow mimposed dot com slash festival code break down all one word.

[00:09:25] [SPEAKER_02]: Perfect 40% off to tickets so thanks you both and that will see you soon.

[00:09:29] [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you again yeah back in that was great it's so great no I'm so excited all you.

[00:09:36] [SPEAKER_05]: That's what I need anything but yes I didn't start me in post oh yeah no it was fantastic I'm on and I think that was also our first live stream guest.

[00:09:46] [SPEAKER_05]: Yeah pop up pop up pop it in pop it out we're trying out new things we're trying out new things all things to you figure out the text side yes map apps.

[00:09:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks where we next we are now today September 17th is national voter registration day.

[00:10:02] [SPEAKER_05]: Are you registered to vote.

[00:10:04] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm registered to vote I just vote on the primary.

[00:10:07] [SPEAKER_05]: Oh you too congratulations.

[00:10:08] [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you yes still yet to be determined to voting for in the general that I have voted at my home if you are unsure if you are registered to vote your current location with your current information you can go to minnesotavote.gov.

[00:10:23] [SPEAKER_01]: Find out your registration status or registered about there.

[00:10:28] [SPEAKER_05]: Fantastic I hope everyone registered to vote to part the independent and who you're going to vote for everyone needs to vote.

[00:10:33] [SPEAKER_01]: Absolutely.

[00:10:34] [SPEAKER_01]: Absolutely and I talk about this all the time down ballot it's how many races every year do we hear at the minnesota legislature are determined by five ten twelve votes it really does matter.

[00:10:47] [SPEAKER_01]: You can also at minnesotavote.gov I'm sorry.

[00:10:51] [SPEAKER_01]: Kind of who is on your ballot you can look at a sample ballot do some research on the candidates in your area all the way down from school board city council.

[00:10:58] [SPEAKER_01]: State let or state house if you have county commission races congress and of course the leo incentive race that's going on.

[00:11:07] [SPEAKER_01]: And then the topic check it will obviously be talking more about this as we go forward did want to make one last plug though Friday this upcoming Friday September 20 this is start early voting in minnesota.

[00:11:17] [SPEAKER_01]: You can vote early without an excuse in person or via mail again minnesotavote.gov feel like we're channeling our lovely Steve Simon here you can go there to figure out where you vote in person to request a ballot to be milk your homes who can vote free mail.

[00:11:33] [SPEAKER_01]: It's a great little website. We encourage you to check it out.

[00:11:36] [SPEAKER_05]: Are you a we've established as your a voter are you an early voter?

[00:11:42] [SPEAKER_01]: See I do I'm a big proponent of early voting at something that republicans are just slowly getting on board with democrats have been crushing the early vote game for a long time now.

[00:11:52] [SPEAKER_01]: I like voting on election day there has been times that i've early voted if i wasn't going to be out of town or working on a campaign that just makes it really tough to get to the polls.

[00:12:01] [SPEAKER_01]: I not too proud to admit i have cried in a voting booth a timer too because i've been so exhausted and tired and passionate about the candidate work for and being able to go and has to balance for somebody you work for.

[00:12:18] [SPEAKER_01]: I love election day it's it's a rush to me and man omanaminer but it is exhilarating and fun i like to go and think the folks that are working on election day it is a very thankless job.

[00:12:31] [SPEAKER_01]: If you have the opportunity or have the availability of highly recommended either being an election judge or going and actually working at the polls because they need poll workers everywhere guarantee your area needs a poll worker if you have the ability.

[00:12:46] [SPEAKER_05]: Yes a couple points i would say a couple points i would say i am an i'm an election we have nice comment here back from shana Watson Becky is the best kind of nerd of course she is.

[00:12:57] [SPEAKER_05]: I love that absolutely the best kind of nerd a couple points out of it and thanks to shana Watson with majority in the middle for that i'm calling you and her that is pretty high praise i may fan of making sure that minisotans have every available option to vote.

[00:13:12] [SPEAKER_05]: But i like voting on election day just because in i used to in the past i would sometimes vote i would vote absentee because i was usually busy on election day but in the past in the last decade plus or even more i voted in person because i like to go get an ideas to what's going on at the ballot box and still voting the day of.

[00:13:33] [SPEAKER_05]: I also don't like to vote too early in case there's some development or something so i'm a i'm glad minisotans have every option they can to vote early in person mail in all that stuff that we have in the state but my preference is to vote.

[00:13:50] [SPEAKER_01]: In person on election day because i'm like get some additional information and with yeah we are going to be joining here shortly by jkloosh but in the meantime i have a couple things that i think we need to talk about one.

[00:14:04] [SPEAKER_01]: It's football season we've chatted a little bit about it i bragged a lot last week you did your turn.

[00:14:12] [SPEAKER_05]: Again you can't stop the micolmentum it's just it's fantastic and by the way i just came up with that i did not think about that in advance i hope it sounds as good outside of my head is it does inside my head but yeah i'm tied now i'm tied for first place in the breakdown of brakora meki pick a meek i am so excited about that be and in that one week how did that one week feel.

[00:14:35] [SPEAKER_01]: It's great i expect to be on top again i will take you up tied for first here but we got a lot of time left.

[00:14:43] [SPEAKER_05]: You have to step up your trash talking because i don't think you got as much mileage out of that one week to turn on top that you're going to get and i hope you don't get the second opportunity.

[00:14:51] [SPEAKER_05]: I will just be as vicious as i can this week with the trash talking because i'm dominating in fantasy leagues and i feel great about it before you say anything yes i know my daughter did beat me yesterday and our family league i'm frustrated by that but i'm glad that i have.

[00:15:09] [SPEAKER_05]: Children are playing in fantasy leagues and they're getting some opportunities to succeed although it's temporary temporary success but again i love fantasy and i like winning i like winning so much and i'm going to throw myself under the bus here and i'm surprised you didn't do it i like winning so much that i.

[00:15:28] [SPEAKER_01]: voted against the Vikings this week i thought i want that freaking point i want the 40 come on bikens versus the 49ers come on it's a pretty easy point to get my i know apparently the Vikings haven't lost to the 49ers at home in 30 years.

[00:15:49] [SPEAKER_01]: Okay i didn't know that staff that would have been helpful to know a few days ago there was only there were only two people in our breakdown league that selected the Vikings you and Spencer crew.

[00:16:01] [SPEAKER_01]: The died heart i would say i i really thought i was going to get that point and i was ready to make my argument when you were going to come on and say listen man i wanted the point i want to win the league more than i felt the support for.

[00:16:13] [SPEAKER_01]: For the Vikings and man on man that little bit my face did you pick the packers to.

[00:16:20] [SPEAKER_01]: That's terrible i think the packers i think that like seven of the 16 points and i'm looking to this week yeah it was it was really sad to be fair i think that you got like not i was our entire it was a pretty rough week overall.

[00:16:34] [SPEAKER_05]: That for me and by the way i was at the Vikings game on Sunday it was a little to see it was miserable it was so hot at the Vikings game i was there my son we had an absolute blast.

[00:16:47] [SPEAKER_05]: And i will say something i've known that was interesting a lot of Vikings a lot of 40 nine or spans at the game on Sunday probably the most of the visiting team that i've seen.

[00:16:59] [SPEAKER_05]: And aside from a packer's game that i've ever seen and it was they were there of noxious they lost and some of them are only on the way out but it was so hot oh my gosh he was such a hot day so hot one.

[00:17:12] [SPEAKER_01]: Speaking of i have to read this me my side the other day.

[00:17:16] [SPEAKER_01]: It says September is the best time of year you can finally turn off the turn the ACF and turn the heat on at seven a.m. turn that off by 10 a.m. so you can open the window at noon and close it those at two a.m. so you can turn the AC back on until nine p.m.

[00:17:29] [SPEAKER_01]: And man on man does hope just not that where we are right now it's all beautiful in the morning and in the evening.

[00:17:36] [SPEAKER_01]: And freaking eighty five over the heat man i'm over it.

[00:17:39] [SPEAKER_05]: It was really rough on Sunday it was the hottest game i've ever been inside any venue i've been there i've been there with for a Taylor Swift concert i've been there for other events it was just gross it was absolutely gross and but the Vikings one you pick in fact that you picked a 40 hundred even better.

[00:17:56] [SPEAKER_05]: That's just just add a little icing to the cake.

[00:17:59] [SPEAKER_05]: You got a baseball there is that a stress ball for you i'd like to hold that's just something to hold on to you because i just get angry no i'm just joking no i just something to help me fidget.

[00:18:07] [SPEAKER_05]: Yeah i'm a baseball bat kind of football toss it round time stuff a lot during the days but yeah thanks for pointing that out now i feel self conscious.

[00:18:16] [SPEAKER_01]: No i like it you would get along great with my son he does not discriminate a golf ball baseball football basketball he can identify them all little over to very obsessed it's pretty adorable i can identify him too.

[00:18:29] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah oh that is great yes i can identify him too very proud of you.

[00:18:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks yes yes.

[00:18:38] [SPEAKER_01]: So grateful so as we get into fall here you still feel good about all of your leagues your fantasy leagues gonna.

[00:18:44] [SPEAKER_05]: Yes i feel good about all my first i'm in first place in in the in our league i'm tied in the other league i play with it home i'm in great spot i'm in the driver seat plus i'm the commissioner in i have managerial in the families i'm.

[00:18:59] [SPEAKER_05]: No i just have oversight in both leagues to make sure that it's fair i'm just about making sure that people are having fun times whether it's providing you an opportunity to make a terrible pick or having an opportunity for my daughter to knock me off.

[00:19:13] [SPEAKER_05]: You can't see that's fun i want to add just one more note on something that occurred yesterday and i'm just thinking about this now i was going to tweet this up but i forgot to do yesterday you don't happen yesterday.

[00:19:24] [SPEAKER_05]: No i don't know your friend i don't know nothing's in thought to me i passed the brimly cocoon line yesterday you know what the brimly cocoon line is.

[00:19:32] [SPEAKER_05]: I do not you know who will for brimly is okay boy so will for brimly isn't actor you see number four roston he did like old male commercials big beer he was this actor that played in the movie cocoon and it came out in 8586 and he looks super old in the movie and what people have figured out yes at Shannon Watson is great.

[00:19:55] [SPEAKER_05]: He also did diabetes commercials he did ends he was on sign fell he was in the firm he played a real good so the brimly cocoon line is figuring out how old because in the movie will for brimly plays someone who's a senior citizen.

[00:20:09] [SPEAKER_05]: Who and that i don't want to ruin the movie but there's the aliens come down he's in cocoon in reality brimly cocoon will for brimly was only 50 years old nine months in some days so a couple years ago i figured out.

[00:20:23] [SPEAKER_05]: From spending too much time on social media that there is something called the brimly cocoon line what it does is it puts out these in the twitter account brimly cocoon line you so a couple years ago i put it in my calendar and i passed the brimly cocoon line yesterday.

[00:20:38] [SPEAKER_05]: And i feel great and my so last night when i said it my kids were looking at pictures of will for brimly they're like dad he looked way younger than will for brimly self just wanted to point it out i'll be sharing later but it was a big day my life.

[00:20:50] [SPEAKER_01]: And very pleased for you that seems like a really big a good and you don't that i made it that part of the yes and you don't know who will for brimly i just looked him up he does look familiar.

[00:21:01] [SPEAKER_05]: Yes looks familiar i'll send you the link you can tack in the time many years from now i'm not going to play in a gauge in any bit of ages and any type of HR violations here but i've ventured us say.

[00:21:14] [SPEAKER_05]: You're probably not turning 50 for more than a decade.

[00:21:18] [SPEAKER_05]: Just over yeah that's fantastic man will hopefully still be here in some form hey we're happy to feed that's right exactly.

[00:21:28] [SPEAKER_01]: Wow we're waiting for Jake you just jump in and with him whenever he jumps on here we still got a couple minutes before he is joining us i just want to follow up on a little bit of news that came from last week so we obviously broke down at the debate between comllet Harrison Donald Trump.

[00:21:43] [SPEAKER_01]: And we're speculating whether there was going to be a second one so we're technically be Donald Trump's third presidential debate of this season the second rematch between the two of them and Donald Trump said no.

[00:21:55] [SPEAKER_01]: And you have some thoughts on that.

[00:21:57] [SPEAKER_05]: I think it's ridiculous first of all he's absolutely skipping debates he's absolutely tricking on it debate as someone who's more tricking suit before and this is something i can be an expert on he's absolutely skipping debates i think it's.

[00:22:09] [SPEAKER_05]: Two he agreed to but he only did one with comllets the vice president in i'd states and not many and i think that's sad it's disappointing.

[00:22:18] [SPEAKER_05]: I will say to you i'm a big believer in any type of event that can where there can be some sense of the semblance of democracy where two sides are fighting i have said before we've our to i've articulated this to you before back he.

[00:22:31] [SPEAKER_05]: That i think campaigns can be as well they frequently say is that state legislatures are lab of stories of democracy i think campaigns can be too i think they can be great opportunities for people to have a vigorous back in fourths and debates.

[00:22:44] [SPEAKER_05]: And i think debates can do that and it's just said that's not going to happen again this election cycle and so i'm disappointed in it.

[00:22:50] [SPEAKER_05]: I'm disappointed because i really and i'm really excited that jake is going to be on because one of the things i think we're trying to do is really try to appear to our appeal as Lincoln spoke of appealing to our better angels.

[00:23:01] [SPEAKER_05]: And people out there and talking and it's really does tell into our conversation tune with jake because i think anything any opportunity that happens.

[00:23:10] [SPEAKER_05]: For people to sit across the table as democrats and republicans and watch rejoin event and people leave that stage together is great also say do something that since my kids have been my kids we've watched all the presidential debates vice presidential debates partisan debates on each side over last four or five years.

[00:23:26] [SPEAKER_05]: And to raise my kids civic iq and there's civic awareness and it's just disappointing and back yet i'll have to say i think it really dovetails into.

[00:23:36] [SPEAKER_05]: What you do with the citizen we can what our next guest will talk about it suddenly because just finding opportunities for people to come together and as i now.

[00:23:44] [SPEAKER_05]: Have had that super partisan hyper partisan background but now as i've gotten older in the last few years and now past the brimly cocoon i i cannot begin to tell you how excited i am.

[00:23:54] [SPEAKER_05]: For opportunities for people just to be partisan but to be partisan together and to the if throw the elbows but not actually throw the elbows and so i'm just a little disappointed about.

[00:24:05] [SPEAKER_01]: And and i don't disagree i like the debates i like the opportunities for cannon and to share of course.

[00:24:13] [SPEAKER_01]: Trump's statement that i read not official statement the comment i think in an interview or to report there was he says only loser sicker rematch and he doesn't need one.

[00:24:24] [SPEAKER_01]: One thing i would encourage because while we did get another sit down and interview with comllihara s i think there is always the opportunity for her to share more because.

[00:24:32] [SPEAKER_01]: She has not had the platform for the length of time that former president Donald Trump has.

[00:24:37] [SPEAKER_01]: I am a big proponent of if there is an ask or an invite for a debate and one candidate says no one wants as yes.

[00:24:45] [SPEAKER_01]: Give it to the one who says yes give it to the one who wants to if she wants an hour long on NBC or Fox news to talk about her policy positions.

[00:24:53] [SPEAKER_01]: Not in a wall like a combat a it doesn't need to be i don't mean that needs to go up and somebody else needs to play the role of the aggressor or anything of that sort.

[00:25:03] [SPEAKER_01]: But I think this i think this is a legislative level i've done this with and i've worked for congressional candidates go get your time just because we're important doesn't want to have that time go get that time and i am a big one another i hope she.

[00:25:15] [SPEAKER_01]: Does continue to do interviews get out there along with governor walls who i've like some of the little barbs from rshallows in in the morning hot dish lately about walls not taking questions these days but that's story for another day that's right jake is here she regimen let's bring him in.

[00:25:33] [SPEAKER_05]: See if I can do this.

[00:25:36] [SPEAKER_05]: There he is just like that.

[00:25:38] [SPEAKER_01]: Welcome.

[00:25:40] [SPEAKER_01]: Hello hello so jake welcome to the breakdown with bra corp and back you were really excited to have you here as a quick throwback i have to of course mention that.

[00:25:50] [SPEAKER_01]: Doing the math was a little a little scary but about 13 years ago the three of us were all working at the Minnesota Senate together which is while that it's been 13 years.

[00:26:00] [SPEAKER_01]: Um pretty crazy but jake so you're now executive director over at the citizens league you've had an incredible resume working for.

[00:26:08] [SPEAKER_01]: Issue campaigns organizations men not serving on the board of citizens league before now becoming the executive director and i've had the privilege of for the last nine ten months here being on the board of directors so.

[00:26:20] [SPEAKER_01]: It's been really exciting to watch you work and to be a part of this organization and we're here to chat a little bit with you about a kind of topic topic but done tailing off a tough topic so.

[00:26:32] [SPEAKER_01]: When we make line I were chatting about how we wanted to address this you were the perfect guest that in mind for both of us as we all know over the weekend there was an individual who laid and wait targeting former president Donald Trump during his round of golf.

[00:26:46] [SPEAKER_01]: Thankfully he was discovered arrested plans were interrupted but this is the second time in the last couple of months that we have had somebody taking aim at the former president life so Michael and I spent a lot of time during after the first assassination attempt.

[00:27:00] [SPEAKER_01]: And have had many conversations over the last few years about the need to turn down the temperature and the rhetoric in politics and as somebody who's been in an out of politics over the last deputy or so yourself you understand the high stress high tension world.

[00:27:17] [SPEAKER_01]: That this all is so I want to start by simply asking.

[00:27:22] [SPEAKER_01]: Are you surprised of where we've gotten and that this is what's occurring in the state of politics.

[00:27:28] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, it's a good question. First thank you both for the invite to join you today. I it's a thrill thrill to be here with you and I really appreciate the chance to talk about it.

[00:27:37] [SPEAKER_03]: I guess the answer to your questions simply is no I'm not terribly surprised that this is where we've gotten because I think first let's be clear violence in political violence in any way shape or form is important and it should be condemned in every way the capital attacks in.

[00:27:51] [SPEAKER_03]: On January 6th we're political violence assassination attempts are political violence and they're all wrong and we need to do everything that we can't to fight them.

[00:27:58] [SPEAKER_03]: But the reality is we have to ask ourselves why we got here and how we got here and it's not like we just suddenly woke up in some angry divisive violent America right there's.

[00:28:08] [SPEAKER_03]: There are reasons that we've allowed it to get this way and I think.

[00:28:12] [SPEAKER_03]: Unfortunately, we now have the burden or the responsibility depending on how you look at it collectively to figure out how to dig ourselves out of this whole because where do we go from here.

[00:28:20] [SPEAKER_03]: The state of political discourse in this country is pretty sad to be honest and I think.

[00:28:25] [SPEAKER_03]: We find ourselves in a time period where even things like talking about civility or having a conversation with somebody who disagrees with you is viewed as a dirty word.

[00:28:33] [SPEAKER_03]: And I that's a really tough spot to be especially sitting at an organization where we try really hard to increase civic engagement and.

[00:28:40] [SPEAKER_03]: Provide people the opportunities to do just that to hear from people who have a different perspective than them.

[00:28:45] [SPEAKER_03]: But we live in political bubbles these days and it's uncommon for people to actually take the time in the intention to seek out a different perspective.

[00:28:53] [SPEAKER_01]: We spoke with Tanner Coral at Minpo St earlier in the episode and he was mentioning some of the work you guys are doing with them in post festival but talked a little bit about a table year.

[00:29:02] [SPEAKER_01]: We're just emailing about this table and having some conversations about just that so talk to us a little bit about.

[00:29:08] [SPEAKER_01]: Your work at the league and how you have transitioned from partisan politics to wanting to cultivate these civil conversations even with people you disagree with.

[00:29:19] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, I got my start in Republican politics right I at one point in my life I thought that was going to be my career track and I was going to be a partisan Republican hack just like many of us have done a stint in that partisan politics.

[00:29:31] [SPEAKER_03]: And thought that's where we might want to be I worked for the Republican party. I was in 2010 I spent a lot of time running around the state pounding lawn signs and walking in parades.

[00:29:41] [SPEAKER_03]: And then like you mentioned Becky worked at the Senate in 2011 as a legislative assistant.

[00:29:46] [SPEAKER_03]: And I think pretty clearly I started to realize that my own personal politics maybe weren't as far right or not even far right just maybe not as much in a line with with any political party as I personally thought I left the legislature then.

[00:29:57] [SPEAKER_03]: To go work on the vote no campaign on the marriage amendment which my boss at the time had voted in favor of putting on the ballot and I went to work against it.

[00:30:05] [SPEAKER_03]: But that campaign really was for me personally a turning point I think we built a really intentional and purposeful campaign that we knew we had 18 months to defeat an amendment and no state before.

[00:30:16] [SPEAKER_03]: Had ever accomplished that had ever done that we also benefited from the time and new research and how we talked about the issue but I think that was a really significant part of that campaign and something that I've taken with me through whatever job that I've had.

[00:30:29] [SPEAKER_03]: You have to meet people where they are and you have to show interest you have to show you're never going to change a person's mind or even be able to engage in a real conversation if you start out with shame or attacks or aggression or anger or how can you be so stupid to think that way.

[00:30:41] [SPEAKER_03]: To ask honest questions you have to really truly put the time in the effort to have a conversation with somebody and understand look we all have our own lived experiences that have shaped who we are and why we believe what we believe.

[00:30:52] [SPEAKER_03]: And the idea that somebody has a different belief than you just because they have a different life that that's not inherently wrong or bad in any way but it is our responsibility to actually take the time and ask honest questions to understand another person's point of view.

[00:31:06] [SPEAKER_03]: I've done I did some lobbying.

[00:31:09] [SPEAKER_03]: I worked in PR.

[00:31:10] [SPEAKER_03]: I most recently was the communications and public engagement director for Minda at the State Department of Transportation before starting at the league.

[00:31:17] [SPEAKER_03]: And all of those jobs are very different but I think a common thread is them is that I had to work with people who had different political beliefs.

[00:31:23] [SPEAKER_03]: I had to work with people who had different backgrounds and different ideas about how to be successful and I had to figure out how to move forward how to find solutions how to pass bills with bipartisan authors how to work for state agency with 5000 people.

[00:31:33] [SPEAKER_03]: Sure it may be in the democratic administration but that doesn't mean that everybody who works there has the same political beliefs and how do we still move forward and get work done.

[00:31:42] [SPEAKER_03]: That to me is the core of what we should be focusing on and it's what I think the citizens league for we've been around for 72 years more than 72 years now and that's always been core to our work nonpartisan fact based civil discussion.

[00:31:55] [SPEAKER_03]: Where we have opportunities for people to hear from different perspectives and different sides and shape their own opinions but a big part of civic engagement, a big part of being an active citizen in the United States.

[00:32:04] [SPEAKER_03]: I think is taking the time to learn and listen and unfortunately that's just it's not exist in a lot of political conversations today where everything is a warm mentality us versus them we must win they must lose at all costs and when we have that type of political rhetoric and we just keep in that downward spiral.

[00:32:23] [SPEAKER_03]: It's really no surprise that we've ended up in this spot and it's really sad it's really disappointing and I honestly I have I have days where it's really hard to do this work because it's not anybody actually care.

[00:32:32] [SPEAKER_03]: Does anybody want to find any common ground is anybody want to work together and I fundamentally believe people do and you see it all over the place there are organizations and people and elected officials doing really great work trying to make that happen.

[00:32:44] [SPEAKER_03]: But it's an uphill battle when political parties and candidates and elected officials continue to spur out more and more divisive rhetoric and attacks on the other side just to try and score points or win an election.

[00:32:55] [SPEAKER_05]: Absolutely and by the way I just have to say I'm so impressed with what you're doing what both of you're doing but take as a guest you're just it's so critically important and when back in.

[00:33:06] [SPEAKER_05]: When we heard the news of what happened again we back in I and she suggested you it was like just perfect it was absolutely what I think to be because I think in particularly I don't want to speak for Becky but my perspective is that.

[00:33:19] [SPEAKER_05]: Having done this podcast for the last couple years and almost two years now one of the things that we have to do when we're doing a podcast we have to pause we have to listen.

[00:33:27] [SPEAKER_05]: We have had sets on and I have to tell you having to listen and pause and listen to the other side and have a discussion is a very important exercise and I'm so thankful that.

[00:33:39] [SPEAKER_05]: I had this opportunity with Becky over the last couple years because it is really rewired my thinking in terms of particularly just about discussions and it's very difficult for me to now not being environment where people don't listen because.

[00:33:53] [SPEAKER_05]: So much of what Becky and I have to do on this podcast is listen to people and have discussions because we want people to come on and talk even if we disagree on political issues on food takes on football or other stuff.

[00:34:06] [SPEAKER_05]: We're having people on and it's difficult to listen to Becky sometimes talk about her football and her food takes but it's important to listen.

[00:34:12] [SPEAKER_05]: What I would say to you is so I just want to say to you both I really admire what you both are doing in different capacities with the citizenly because I think it's more important than ever and I'm so excited to have you on and to promote.

[00:34:27] [SPEAKER_05]: Jake what you do and Becky what you do on on the board because I think it's so important that people know that and know that it exists.

[00:34:34] [SPEAKER_05]: I have a question for you about and it's a question I kind of go to but I want to get your take start with you Jake but back to you social media.

[00:34:41] [SPEAKER_05]: Social media is is really I'd become more and more of a real of someone who believes that kind of tunnel vision that social media connects us but it allows people to silo conversations.

[00:34:54] [SPEAKER_05]: Do you think aside from the introduction of certain partisans in the last few years no as decade or so what role do you think social media has had.

[00:35:03] [SPEAKER_05]: And if you think it's had a role in any suggestions on what people could do to have a better communication and relationship with social media.

[00:35:14] [SPEAKER_03]: It's a double-edged sword for sure social media is great in so many ways it's made us more connected it's made easier to find information it's put things at our fingertips in ways that we never knew before but when I think about it and I even just my own usage of social media which where.

[00:35:28] [SPEAKER_03]: I think God it wasn't really that prevalent when I was in college because I would regret and probably have to delete a lot of things we all grow up right.

[00:35:36] [SPEAKER_03]: But actually I looked at some numbers on this we we had an event just last week with the Center for World Policy and Development where we talked about youth mental health and social media came up in that conversation as well.

[00:35:47] [SPEAKER_03]: But but the reality is the statistics are something that are important here 70% of adult social media users in the United States generally say that they don't or rarely if ever comment on political or social issues when we think about it in that sort of.

[00:36:02] [SPEAKER_03]: I think that's a very important thing to do is to make a social media that become social media and when we naturally in social media you choose who you follow right like you make a political bubble around yourself of people you follow.

[00:36:12] [SPEAKER_03]: And who you pay attention to you know what you often end up seeing only things from the most extreme viewpoints on either side the people who are actively talking and commenting about politics.

[00:36:20] [SPEAKER_03]: On the very online people who have opinions about everything and their first reaction is to post something.

[00:36:27] [SPEAKER_03]: Bombastic or whatever online for clicks and rage bait it's a problem and I think that the reality is.

[00:36:33] [SPEAKER_03]: It's not just the existence of social media right social media platforms have a responsibility but I also am a firm believer in free speech right I will fight for you right to say whatever you want to say even if I find it important.

[00:36:44] [SPEAKER_03]: I also think that people sometimes forget that free speech comes with that doesn't mean that there are not consequences to your speech right you can say whatever the heck you want.

[00:36:52] [SPEAKER_03]: You also need to be prepared to accept the consequences of those at the same time though I think like.

[00:36:57] [SPEAKER_03]: One of the hard parts about social media for me is it then often drives our media cycle so it's not just whether you're on the platforms or not but how off it it's not uncommon to see a news story or a headline talk about what some person on the internet said what some crazy tweet said or what some commentary was.

[00:37:12] [SPEAKER_03]: That then drives the news that we're consuming whether or not you use social media you're stuck with it I think that there's it really it comes back to the same idea of you have to make a decision that you're going to.

[00:37:23] [SPEAKER_03]: First you're on political bubble in a way right you're going to seek out new sources and people who are talking about things in a different way than you you're going to.

[00:37:31] [SPEAKER_03]: Fight the urge to not follow or not comment on something and actually read or listen or click through to the actual link don't just read the 240 character tweet about it read the story right.

[00:37:43] [SPEAKER_03]: But unfortunately that's a lot of responsibility that sometimes people don't take that don't have the time or the energy to do you think about it like 15 years ago even you really couldn't find out that much about people right you have talked to somebody to understand what they thought how they felt about an issue where they.

[00:38:08] [SPEAKER_03]: Get a little bit of a little bit of a step for them to understand what they thought about the how.

[00:38:25] [SPEAKER_03]: A little bit of a little bit of a feeling I don't know about.

[00:38:29] [SPEAKER_03]: real challenge and a hindrance to any sort of real debate or dialogue.

[00:38:33] [SPEAKER_05]: And one point I just want to quickly make on that is, as the Vikings game on Sunday came out

[00:38:38] [SPEAKER_05]: of the Vikings game and just felt what a, and that was the news that just come out then

[00:38:45] [SPEAKER_05]: of what had happened to former President Trump. And one of the things that I don't, I think is

[00:38:50] [SPEAKER_05]: the worst, is crisis or tragedy social media because there's, I think there's people making

[00:38:56] [SPEAKER_05]: accusations, there's people that want to pile on. And I'm sorry, as someone who is supporting

[00:39:01] [SPEAKER_05]: is not supporting Trump this election cycle, I certainly don't want any harm to happen to him.

[00:39:06] [SPEAKER_05]: And I but I also don't want to go out and add to the fired right away. And there just seems to be

[00:39:11] [SPEAKER_05]: this connectivity. I can't stress enough to people how much importance to talk to people.

[00:39:16] [SPEAKER_05]: And how much it is for people to have phase-to-phase non-social media conversations.

[00:39:21] [SPEAKER_03]: And we don't want to talk to people because we don't trust each other anymore.

[00:39:24] [SPEAKER_03]: I think that to me, when I think a lot about the work and where the citizens league is and

[00:39:30] [SPEAKER_03]: the work that we're trying to do and what our organization has stood for over the last seven decades,

[00:39:35] [SPEAKER_03]: it comes so much of it is based in basic trust. And there was some, there was a study done last

[00:39:41] [SPEAKER_03]: summer I want to say that really got into, it was run by with the University of Chicago

[00:39:46] [SPEAKER_03]: and an organization called Starts with us that I would encourage you look for and follow the work

[00:39:50] [SPEAKER_03]: that they're doing. But one of the things that they showed in that study was Americans still

[00:39:56] [SPEAKER_03]: tend to agree on a lot of really core values. Regardless of where you fall in the political spectrum,

[00:40:01] [SPEAKER_03]: and this isn't news we've heard this before. But what's different is that we no longer trust

[00:40:05] [SPEAKER_03]: the other side shares those values. So if we're starting to talk about a conversation or engage

[00:40:10] [SPEAKER_03]: with somebody and we're not even believing or trusting that they have good intentions,

[00:40:16] [SPEAKER_03]: they have the same passion and love for country and desire to have safe communities and

[00:40:23] [SPEAKER_03]: safe schools and good jobs available. All of these core things that unite us in many ways,

[00:40:29] [SPEAKER_03]: they're there. But we choose to focus on the 20% that we disagree versus the 75% or 80%

[00:40:36] [SPEAKER_03]: where we might have similarities. And don't get me wrong, there's a quote that I love and I actually

[00:40:40] [SPEAKER_03]: wrote it down because I wanted to make sure that I got it right. A country born by breaking with a king

[00:40:44] [SPEAKER_03]: in herense descent is a birthright. This is descent to bait passion for our beliefs. This is something

[00:40:51] [SPEAKER_03]: that's always been core to the DNA of this country and we should encourage it. Thoughtful debate

[00:40:56] [SPEAKER_03]: passion at defense of your beliefs in your opinions. That's good. We should, I want to encourage that

[00:41:01] [SPEAKER_03]: and we talk about that a lot with citizens league. When we talk about finding common ground or

[00:41:05] [SPEAKER_03]: working together or multi-partisan approaches to work, that doesn't mean come to the Mushroom

[00:41:10] [SPEAKER_03]: Ittle and give up everything you believe. It actually means the opposite. Bring your strongly

[00:41:14] [SPEAKER_03]: held beliefs. Tell us about them. Why do you believe that? And where did you come, how did you

[00:41:18] [SPEAKER_03]: come to that perspective? What about your life shapes that for you? All I ask is that you also

[00:41:24] [SPEAKER_03]: understand and come into that conversation, understanding the other person or the other people in

[00:41:29] [SPEAKER_03]: have the exact same thing. They feel the same passion. They feel the same

[00:41:32] [SPEAKER_03]: deep, strongly held beliefs. Why? Ask questions. Be curious. Curiosity to me is a huge part of our

[00:41:40] [SPEAKER_03]: civic responsibility in our civic duty and there's not enough of it because it's easy enough to just

[00:41:44] [SPEAKER_03]: talk to people who think like us and shame everybody else. How could you possibly think or believe that?

[00:41:48] [SPEAKER_03]: If you're doing that, you're going to probably continue to lose elections because 50% of the

[00:41:52] [SPEAKER_03]: population does feel differently than you. Probably more. Damage right.

[00:41:57] [SPEAKER_01]: Michael and we just talked about this a couple weeks ago about up an episode of Ted Lasseau,

[00:42:03] [SPEAKER_01]: where he talked and encouraged folks to be curious. And I think that is something that we've lost a lot

[00:42:09] [SPEAKER_01]: in so many thoughts running through my mind right now. But I did want to applaud because I think

[00:42:14] [SPEAKER_01]: that we can look back to that vote note, the support of gay marriage campaign that you are on

[00:42:19] [SPEAKER_01]: with so much. It should be studied time and time again because I think in particular, the way

[00:42:25] [SPEAKER_01]: loving conversations around those social issues too, I think is something that is incredibly

[00:42:31] [SPEAKER_01]: lacking. We don't have conversations about tax policy or education policy but when it comes

[00:42:36] [SPEAKER_01]: to things like that where it's real people's everyday life and who they are and some folks

[00:42:43] [SPEAKER_01]: basically saying that they don't exist in a way of life is not existent. We talked

[00:42:48] [SPEAKER_01]: we had the pleasure of having Lee thinking on and talking with her about some of her legislation

[00:42:52] [SPEAKER_01]: and having that conversation as well. I just think the way that campaign was run and having

[00:42:57] [SPEAKER_01]: those conversations and highlighting the parents and the sisters and the teachers and loved ones

[00:43:02] [SPEAKER_01]: in these lives was so compelling and something that we talk a lot about of that is missing

[00:43:08] [SPEAKER_01]: from politics in particular on the Republican side is the storytelling and really bringing that

[00:43:14] [SPEAKER_01]: humanity back to our politics and our policies because it's so easy to look at facts and

[00:43:20] [SPEAKER_01]: figures and stats and studies and all of that and that has the time in a place to be at the

[00:43:25] [SPEAKER_01]: forefront of our conversations but when we forget about the people who are impacted, when we forget

[00:43:30] [SPEAKER_01]: about the people whose jobs are made more difficult, their parenting is made more difficult,

[00:43:36] [SPEAKER_01]: their inability to provide for themselves or their families, whatever their family might look like.

[00:43:41] [SPEAKER_01]: It's just we lose that humanity and we just come from such a place of hatred and it's so

[00:43:48] [SPEAKER_01]: frustrating and tough and really then perpetuates what we see on the social media of that hate

[00:43:54] [SPEAKER_01]: like you said, the echo chamber right? When you if you want to lean in and ignore all of the

[00:43:59] [SPEAKER_01]: opposing viewpoints it's so easy to do that. I'm sure we all have friends or family members

[00:44:05] [SPEAKER_01]: in our social feed who just retweet, reshare, post all of those kind of things and you just want

[00:44:12] [SPEAKER_01]: to shake them and say let's sit down and have a conversation because even if you're not

[00:44:16] [SPEAKER_01]: going to change your mind just bringing in a different viewpoint it has been such a privilege

[00:44:21] [SPEAKER_01]: for us to have these conversations over the last two years, not that my policies have changed

[00:44:25] [SPEAKER_01]: at all but just how much more I've learned about things than I think it's funny to me that I

[00:44:33] [SPEAKER_01]: feel like the conversations we have with even some of the hyperpartisans, the folks who

[00:44:39] [SPEAKER_01]: have lived and died for the last decade or two in partisan politics, they get it. They get the

[00:44:45] [SPEAKER_01]: conversation side of things that are needed sometimes and it's just those people on the periphery

[00:44:48] [SPEAKER_01]: who missed that and and it is something I hope to bring back and brings me to my next question

[00:44:54] [SPEAKER_01]: because I want to bring it back to the citizens' legal and more time. This in-sync mission statement

[00:44:58] [SPEAKER_01]: is empowering people to engage in civic life and public policy to make Minnesota a better place

[00:45:03] [SPEAKER_01]: to live and work for everyone. In your experience and in your work now can you let's give

[00:45:08] [SPEAKER_01]: folks a little bit of something to take away of maybe, oh they can bring this into their

[00:45:14] [SPEAKER_01]: day-to-day life, how they can lean away from what divides us, lean into what united us and

[00:45:20] [SPEAKER_01]: try to make things a little bit better and bring down that you can still be four-year

[00:45:25] [SPEAKER_01]: candidate or four-year policy or four-year party but in a way that helps us all move forward

[00:45:31] [SPEAKER_01]: and hopefully changes things whether it's in five ten years or twenty we got to end the cycle.

[00:45:40] [SPEAKER_03]: We have to keep trying, right? We have to keep... we can't give up. I can't, yeah,

[00:45:44] [SPEAKER_03]: I've gone through ups and downs about how I feel about politics and whether I want to even

[00:45:48] [SPEAKER_03]: continue work in this space because sometimes it's really damn depressing to be honest with you

[00:45:52] [SPEAKER_03]: but we can't give up. That's not who we are that's not who I think people of Minnesota

[00:45:58] [SPEAKER_03]: are the United States, are we care about this place and we want to make it better. I think at the

[00:46:02] [SPEAKER_03]: citizens league we try really hard to model that Becky I think that's one thing that we've always

[00:46:07] [SPEAKER_03]: upheld as a value so in all of our we have we've been over the last years since I've started in the

[00:46:11] [SPEAKER_03]: job we've been trying to do a lot more public events we have won this evening for anyone who's

[00:46:15] [SPEAKER_03]: listening and wants to come learn more about paid leave join us at that weather brewery in Saint Paul

[00:46:20] [SPEAKER_03]: I'll do a little pitch there starting at four o'clock but we really I think see our role not as

[00:46:25] [SPEAKER_03]: necessarily coming up with some brand new tool for conversation right there are dozens of

[00:46:29] [SPEAKER_03]: organizations and good elected and people who are trying to do this work and we want to amplify

[00:46:34] [SPEAKER_03]: that we share it we put that content out there and make sure that people see it but we take it into

[00:46:39] [SPEAKER_03]: our events and our conversation so whether it's a policy project that we're doing we just launched a

[00:46:44] [SPEAKER_03]: new one exploring public service and how we can support and strengthen folks working in public

[00:46:48] [SPEAKER_03]: service and those career opportunities with the league of Minnesota cities and the association

[00:46:52] [SPEAKER_03]: Minnesota counties so through those conversations through our public events intentionally

[00:46:57] [SPEAKER_03]: seeking out people who have different perspectives and modeling the kind of behavior we want people

[00:47:01] [SPEAKER_03]: to take out into their day to day lives I think at the end of the day though there's no organization

[00:47:06] [SPEAKER_03]: that's going to be able to do this for you it's a responsibility that we have to take on as individuals

[00:47:10] [SPEAKER_03]: that we're gonna say I'm sick and tired of this this type of dialogue in discourse isn't getting

[00:47:15] [SPEAKER_03]: us anywhere there's a better way to do it and I'm gonna take on the responsibility of seeking out

[00:47:20] [SPEAKER_03]: different new source reading an author I might not have seen before listening to a podcast I

[00:47:25] [SPEAKER_03]: might not agree with right meeting with a legislator whether I support them or there are so many

[00:47:30] [SPEAKER_03]: easy things that you can come up with but at the end of the day I put a lot of it on each one

[00:47:34] [SPEAKER_03]: of us as individuals to take the responsibility to say I'm tired of this and we don't have to do

[00:47:38] [SPEAKER_03]: it anymore this isn't politics doesn't have to be this ugly vitriolic place there's always

[00:47:44] [SPEAKER_03]: going to be passionate defense of beliefs and debate and dialogue that's what makes us strong

[00:47:48] [SPEAKER_03]: I think one of the hard parts for me over my own career is as someone who felt like I used to

[00:47:53] [SPEAKER_03]: have a political home in a political party I don't anymore because neither one really reflects my

[00:47:58] [SPEAKER_03]: own beliefs and that's a good two thirds of the population generally over the years pulled say

[00:48:03] [SPEAKER_03]: the neither party fully represents them anymore I don't get me started I could do a whole

[00:48:07] [SPEAKER_03]: other podcast on the binary political system and where I think that's led us but ultimately it

[00:48:12] [SPEAKER_03]: doesn't have to be a party it doesn't have to be an organization that you have to be something

[00:48:15] [SPEAKER_03]: you align yourself with it's a task that we all choose to take on because we believe we can do this

[00:48:20] [SPEAKER_03]: better and we're going to do our own little part to make it happen I could sit and listen to

[00:48:26] [SPEAKER_05]: you guys talk about this for days because I think it's so important and I have to say it's due again

[00:48:31] [SPEAKER_05]: yes of course we will and I have said it both of you that this is it's so important and I've even

[00:48:36] [SPEAKER_05]: hasn't been to speak up because I want to make sure you get all the time both of you guys can

[00:48:39] [SPEAKER_05]: to talk about stuff it's so important and I just will have to say to you both it is so important

[00:48:43] [SPEAKER_05]: what you're both doing and Jake in your after sleeping and doing the things it's so important

[00:48:47] [SPEAKER_05]: my again I'll throw it back to you Jake and then and back you two if you want to try and what tools

[00:48:52] [SPEAKER_05]: and resources that you have or suggestions you have for people to have conversations about politics

[00:48:57] [SPEAKER_05]: or about issues from the standpoint that people can those can be safe conversations I have found

[00:49:03] [SPEAKER_05]: as someone who's step back into doing something more partisan for the registration of the selection

[00:49:08] [SPEAKER_05]: I have found situations where it's really challenging to have some conversations when you're

[00:49:13] [SPEAKER_05]: approaching it from a different perspective what tools and resources or approaches best

[00:49:17] [SPEAKER_05]: strategies do you guys do in your lives when you're having conversations on issues or partisan

[00:49:21] [SPEAKER_05]: politics that you can maybe give to our listeners as how to approach it in thoughtful way it's a

[00:49:26] [SPEAKER_03]: great question and I don't know that there's any silver bullet to that solution because it's going

[00:49:30] [SPEAKER_03]: to depend on each individual person and who you might be talking to Becky I don't want to necessarily

[00:49:34] [SPEAKER_03]: cut you off if you were about to say something but I would start with as I mentioned before there

[00:49:39] [SPEAKER_03]: are a number of organizations both nationally and locally that are doing work in the space and

[00:49:44] [SPEAKER_03]: have a lot of resources and ideas one thing that I really was following closely and really

[00:49:48] [SPEAKER_03]: appreciated was Governor Spencer Cox of Utah when he was chair of the National Governors Association

[00:49:53] [SPEAKER_03]: they had an initiative called disagree better which I really loved because it really got to the

[00:49:57] [SPEAKER_03]: core of this conversation that I feel is so important which is disagreement isn't bad it's just

[00:50:03] [SPEAKER_03]: that we need to do it better right because we disagree does not mean we're more more on the

[00:50:07] [SPEAKER_03]: means me and you disagreeing is human nature it's it is a very basic experience that we all have

[00:50:14] [SPEAKER_03]: but we've turned it into a thing where if you disagree with me you are my enemy that is often

[00:50:19] [SPEAKER_03]: the quick jump we make as individuals as political parties whatever it might be in discourse today

[00:50:25] [SPEAKER_03]: and so I think some of it is fighting our own instincts, our own urges right where we're like

[00:50:30] [SPEAKER_03]: oh you disagree with me we're never going to see eye to eye I don't want to talk to you anymore

[00:50:33] [SPEAKER_03]: you're not on my team we are on the same team yeah sure there's different factions there's

[00:50:38] [SPEAKER_03]: different it doesn't but we're on the same team we're menaceones were Americans with whatever

[00:50:43] [SPEAKER_03]: community you might want to talk about we're on the same team and we're all trying to make the

[00:50:48] [SPEAKER_03]: best place to live that we can be I think some of the resources that I really think other organizations

[00:50:52] [SPEAKER_03]: brave arrangements does a lot of trainings bridge USA is a youth led kind of movement trying to

[00:50:59] [SPEAKER_03]: work on political partisanship closer to home the Center for Common Good at the University of

[00:51:03] [SPEAKER_03]: St. Thomas the Humphrey School at the U of M has a lot of programming on this so much of it is just

[00:51:10] [SPEAKER_03]: actually stopping and I would say when I get into those types of conversations intense

[00:51:16] [SPEAKER_03]: conversation somebody I disagree with somebody I'm really having a hard time understanding how they

[00:51:20] [SPEAKER_03]: are feeling what they're feeling I just try and stop myself right like I'm going to be wanting

[00:51:25] [SPEAKER_03]: to tell you all the reasons that you're wrong or all the things that I think that are different

[00:51:29] [SPEAKER_03]: and that isn't always the right thing to do right so not always the right time replace for that

[00:51:33] [SPEAKER_03]: ask a question just keep asking questions because most of the time people are really interested in

[00:51:38] [SPEAKER_03]: talking about themselves right that is we all like to do that we talk about ourselves that was

[00:51:43] [SPEAKER_03]: and this was one of the things that that key we're talking a little bit about minutes of

[00:51:46] [SPEAKER_03]: as united and if I have a minute I'll just go back to that that was core to our campaign right

[00:51:50] [SPEAKER_03]: was pairing people up with a shared identity so we had phone banks where Catholics talked to Catholics

[00:51:55] [SPEAKER_03]: and Republicans talked to Republicans because they could understand each other's experiences better right

[00:51:59] [SPEAKER_03]: if you're a progressive Democrat who's grown up in South Minneapolis and you bet that's the life

[00:52:05] [SPEAKER_03]: you've lived talking to a conservative Republican and greater Minnesota there's not going to be an

[00:52:09] [SPEAKER_03]: enormous amount in common I'm not saying you can't talk to each other but it might be a lot more

[00:52:13] [SPEAKER_03]: difficult to understand each other and that conversation is going to take longer it should happen

[00:52:17] [SPEAKER_03]: don't get me wrong I love those types of conversations but when you can relate to somebody

[00:52:22] [SPEAKER_03]: and you can find a common thread it's so much easier to have that conversation I said on the

[00:52:27] [SPEAKER_03]: phone with people in that campaign and you started out by asking a question like why did you get married

[00:52:34] [SPEAKER_03]: and I would sit on the phone of people for 20 30 minutes talking about marriage we didn't even

[00:52:38] [SPEAKER_03]: start talking about the amendment or whether they should vote no but like strangers talking to me

[00:52:43] [SPEAKER_03]: a stranger about their marriage someone with personal things in a person's life people are willing

[00:52:48] [SPEAKER_03]: to talk about themselves if they believe that you genuinely are curious and want to know but it's

[00:52:53] [SPEAKER_03]: also pretty quickly it's pretty easy to tell whether a person you're talking to is genuinely

[00:52:57] [SPEAKER_03]: curious about what you believe in what you think or if they're just there to tell you that you're wrong

[00:53:01] [SPEAKER_03]: and I think holding ourselves accountable to that genuine curiosity and our conversations is

[00:53:06] [SPEAKER_01]: what's missing from most of these discussions today and I completely agree on I think it goes back

[00:53:12] [SPEAKER_01]: to your earlier comment of meeting people where they are because I think there are ways to

[00:53:18] [SPEAKER_01]: also have those conversations and that will help encourage conversations down the line right to

[00:53:27] [SPEAKER_01]: have the conversations and to ask the questions so when you meet somebody similar in a few months

[00:53:32] [SPEAKER_01]: your better able to have that conversation and asking the questions of how do you get there why do

[00:53:39] [SPEAKER_01]: you believe and so many different things too I feel like so many people don't truly understand

[00:53:45] [SPEAKER_01]: why they believe what they believe and so it gives them some introspection of maybe it's not

[00:53:50] [SPEAKER_01]: and maybe going to change their mind in any way but it forces them to go home and think a little

[00:53:55] [SPEAKER_01]: bit more of maybe this is a short-sighted thing maybe this is something that was just ingrained in me

[00:54:00] [SPEAKER_01]: from Xy and Z teacher parent or whoever that might be and again any conversation that you can have

[00:54:08] [SPEAKER_01]: that leaves you or the other person a little bit more curious to learn or read more I had my

[00:54:13] [SPEAKER_01]: favorite teacher in high school I will say is probably a absolutely fling liberal I believe

[00:54:20] [SPEAKER_01]: it's actually her birthday today too and friends that there are Facebook still but she it was during

[00:54:24] [SPEAKER_01]: it was during the height of Bush going over Apparachia going over seas and looking for

[00:54:33] [SPEAKER_01]: weapons and mass destruction but was he really did we trust him it was all of the stuff going on

[00:54:37] [SPEAKER_01]: and so much of what we hear is teachers just a great trying to impose all of their views

[00:54:44] [SPEAKER_01]: and she constantly said read everything you can get your hands on listen to everything you can

[00:54:50] [SPEAKER_01]: watch everything that you can inform your own opinions and it really ingrained in me a desire to do

[00:54:57] [SPEAKER_01]: that and to learn more and to figure out what I believe and why I believe that and just those

[00:55:01] [SPEAKER_01]: conversations I have the lovely opportunity to have some far left friends in my life and

[00:55:08] [SPEAKER_01]: far even in my wedding party they could not have been a bigger wider political spectrum

[00:55:14] [SPEAKER_01]: but we've had the conversations and we've understood that it's okay and we're also human and

[00:55:20] [SPEAKER_01]: good people even now we have different core beliefs in a variety of ways so this was really exciting

[00:55:26] [SPEAKER_01]: I certainly want you to come back because we love having these conversations and you're the two

[00:55:32] [SPEAKER_01]: parties the two parties system and the need for that that's actually our conversation at them in post

[00:55:36] [SPEAKER_01]: festivals who are really excited about that but also our viewpoints personally of being a little

[00:55:42] [SPEAKER_01]: politically homeless ourselves and not really identifying with the party that we spent so much time

[00:55:46] [SPEAKER_01]: and energy supporting and working in more conversations thank you so much this was incredible

[00:55:53] [SPEAKER_03]: thank you I really appreciate the chance to talk and join you today it was great

[00:55:56] [SPEAKER_03]: understanding is a two way street that's I think it was an Eleanor Roosevelt quote and

[00:56:01] [SPEAKER_03]: it means it's a very simple way to put it right you can't expect to understand another person's

[00:56:05] [SPEAKER_03]: point of view and you can't expect them to understand yours if you're not both willing to put

[00:56:09] [SPEAKER_05]: in that effort you both this has been just remarkable and I want to thank you Jake for coming on

[00:56:17] [SPEAKER_05]: and Becky Jake for your leadership Becky also is for yours with the citizen league and I will also

[00:56:21] [SPEAKER_05]: say it was so important to do something that kind of reset my thinking on what's occurred in the

[00:56:27] [SPEAKER_05]: last few days and Jake you couldn't have better better person to help drain that discussion up

[00:56:32] [SPEAKER_05]: it is so important what you both are doing in different capacities it's so important and I couldn't be

[00:56:37] [SPEAKER_05]: prouder of seeing the work that you guys are doing and whatever we can do whatever I can do

[00:56:42] [SPEAKER_05]: to help promote the citizen league and more civility and finding what binds us please don't

[00:56:48] [SPEAKER_05]: hesitate to let me know I want to thank our viewers and listeners for another episode of the

[00:56:53] [SPEAKER_05]: breakdown with broad covering Becky before you go show some love for your favorite podcast I

[00:56:58] [SPEAKER_05]: leave your news review on Apple podcast or the podcast where you listen the breakdown with broad

[00:57:02] [SPEAKER_05]: covered Becky will be back soon thank you so much have a great day bye