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

Let's Find Common Ground

USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future

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5 • 2.7K Ratings

🗓️ 11 July 2024

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

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.

Transcript

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0:00.0	While our podcast is on break, we're sharing some of the most compelling stories and ideas
0:05.9	from Let's Find Common Ground over more than four years of podcasting.
0:12.4	And given America's fiercely divided partisan politics in this election year, we think this show has special relevance today.
0:19.0	It features two members of the House of Representatives.
0:22.0	One Democrat, the other Republican.
0:25.0	Unlike so many politicians, they work together to reach across the aisle
0:31.0	and find common ground on a range of issues.
0:34.2	I don't necessarily classify myself as a moderate or a centrist or any of the titles.
0:41.0	I think first and foremost, I'm a pragmatist. We all love our
0:44.2	country in our caucus and we want to try to find ways to come together and
0:48.9	accomplish that and by the way I say this is Republican, I want a healthy Democrat party in this country.
0:55.6	And I think Democrats want a healthy Republican party in this country. The This is Let's find Common Ground. I'm Ashley Miltite.
1:18.0	And I'm Richard Davies on this show The Powerful Case for Comp for compromise as a crucial ingredient in getting stuff done.
1:27.0	Democrat Abigail Spandberger and Republican Brian Fitzpatrick are both members of the Problem Solvers Caucus.
1:34.3	62 members of Congress evenly split between Republicans and Democrats.
1:39.8	Although you wouldn't know it from national media coverage of politics, the problem solvers meet frequently
1:46.4	when Congress is in session to discuss bipartisan legislation.
1:51.4	They're often successful in moving bills forward.
1:54.8	Abigail Spanberger represents the seventh congressional district in Virginia.
1:59.2	She isn't running for re-election to the House this year because she's decided to join the race for Governor of Virginia in 2025.
2:06.0	Brian Fitzpatrick is a Republican from Pennsylvania's first congressional district, which includes all of suburban Bucks County, north of Philadelphia.
2:17.0	We recorded our conversation nearly four years ago.
	...

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