Jun 26, 2017, 4:58 PM ETConference Presentation, Panel

Overcoming the Political Divide

Escalation of Dark Money: Independent expenditures surged from $60 million in 2004 to $1.6 billion recently; 80% of these non-party dollars fund negative advertising, exacerbating political divides.
Collapse of Competitive Districts: The number of competitive congressional seats dropped from 100 in 2004 to fewer than 30, forcing parties to adopt extreme ideological positions with no incentive to compromise.
Media Cycle Dynamics: The transition to 24-hour news cycles and algorithmic information silos reinforces existing biases, preventing rational discourse and cross-partisan understanding.
Primary System Incentives: The "reward system" for elected officials now penalizes compromise; 17% of Republican Senators lost seats for collaborating across the aisle, a trend absent in the 1990s.
Demographic Sorting: Districts have shifted ideologically due to self-sorting (e.g., West Virginia to deep red, Albuquerque to deep blue) rather than gerrymandering alone.
Presidential Approval Gap: Congress holds a 15% approval rating; leaders fail to connect with constituents regarding tangible issues like globalization and technology compared to "wonky" procedural debates.
Campaign Finance Paralysis: Incumbents spend excessive time fundraising rather than legislating due to the existential threat of Super PACs, creating a perception that politicians serve donors over voters.

Disclosure vs. Limitation: Montana passed the "Disclose Act" requiring 501(c) groups to reveal spending sources within 60 days of an election, effectively eliminating dark money in state races.
Restoring Earmarks: Panels suggest reinstating reformed congressional spending (earmarks) to incentivize legislators to build relationships and deliver tangible local benefits, fostering bipartisanship.
Mandatory Team Building: Proposals include mandatory multi-day legislative retreats or "15-hour flights to Kazakhstan" to force personal rapport among rival lawmakers.
National Primary Day: Establishing a uniform national primary date to reduce the influence of low-turnout, ideological primary electorates and focus attention on general elections.
Presidential Bipartisan Target: The theory that presidents should strive for a 60% national approval rating to necessitate legislative deals, rather than relying on a 50%+1 partisan majority.
Small Dollar Matching: A proposal to raise individual donation limits in exchange for public matching funds for small-dollar donations to amplify grassroots influence.
Disclosure Mandates for Ads: A suggestion that any candidate receiving over $100,000 in donations must verbally disclose those donors in every paid advertisement.

Polarization in the House: The House of Representatives exhibits significantly higher polarization than the Senate, largely attributed to gerrymandering, whereas Senate members face statewide electorates.
Rise of Female Candidacy: The 2016 election cycle triggered a surge in female candidates, with "Emily's List" recruitment jumping from 600 participants to 11,000 women.
Bipartisan Female Caucuses: Groups of women in the Senate (e.g., the "Gang of 20") have demonstrated higher rates of cross-partisan collaboration than their male counterparts.
Media Fragmentation: The rise of social media and direct constituent communication allows candidates to bypass traditional media gatekeepers, though this has also accelerated the spread of inflammatory rhetoric.
Legislative Success via Crisis: Significant bipartisan legislation (e.g., the 21st Century Cures Act, Children's Health Insurance Program) was historically passed only during periods of high urgency or crisis.
Shift in Base Loyalty: In the current cycle, Donald Trump failed to "pivot" to the center post-primary, successfully maintaining a strategy that appealed strictly to his base, breaking the traditional election playbook.
Cynicism as a Driver: Public skepticism regarding corruption is the primary driver of the current political environment, regardless of whether specific transactions are quid pro quo.

System Evolution: The current campaign finance debate is predicted to become irrelevant within 10–15 years as the internet enables direct constituent engagement that bypasses traditional money barriers.
2018 Outlook: There is optimism that the high level of civic engagement and the surge of new candidates (particularly women) will fundamentally alter the composition of Congress in the 2018 midterms.
Legislative Urgency: The current administration faces a "window of opportunity" to achieve bipartisan infrastructure and tax credits if the "asymmetry" with the Freedom Caucus is exploited quickly.
Reform Trajectory: Incremental progress, such as passing small bipartisan bills first, is identified as the necessary strategy to rebuild trust and overtake the prevailing culture of blame.
California Experiment: The new California top-two primary system is cited as a potential model for reducing polarization, though its long-term efficacy remains unproven for a decade.
Leadership Dependency: The success of bipartisanship is projected to depend heavily on presidential leadership that prioritizes "principle over dogma" rather than relying on the party system alone.