Civil Conversations: Restoring Civility to the Debt Discussion

As political discussion has devolved more and more into hyperbole and vitriol over the past few years, solutions to the critical issues that face the nation – including our mounting deficits and national debt – have proven elusive. How to bring this discussion back to substantive issues, as opposed to partisan rhetoric?

On October 9, as part of her Civil Conversations Project, Krista Tippett of American Public Media’s radio show On Being moderated a discussion at Brookings with Senior Fellow Alice Rivlin, former director of the Office of Management and Budget and Congressional Budget Office and Pete Domenici, former Republican senator from New Mexico and a senior fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Both renowned for their work on budget issues, they have created a bipartisan alliance, and discussed what they have learned, what is happening below the radar of partisan rancor, and what is at stake as the nation grapples with the debt crisis and political stalemate. Brookings Managing Director William J. Antholis delivered opening remarks. After the discussion, panelists took questions from the audience. 

You can follow the conversation on this event on Twitter at hashtag #CCP2012.