Promoting free speech and civility on college campuses

By Matt Sandgren & Devin Wiser | Monday, October 21, 2024

The eruption of protest has left many students wondering whether their voices can be heard through all the noise. As university administrators grapple with maintaining necessary order, a fundamental question remains: Can we protect free speech on campus while fostering an environment of respect?

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SARA EBERT2024
Both Trump and Harris called for ‘filibuster reform,’ but it would be a huge mistake

By Senator Gordon H. Smith and Martin B. Gold | Monday, October 7, 2024

Bare majorities should not be deciding questions of fundamental change for our country. The goal should be to pass broadly popular legislation, not the most extreme policy that can get through with the narrowest possible vote. The filibuster requires senators to pursue the former approach, at least if they want their bills to become law.

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SARA EBERT2023
Senators: We Can Still Find Common Ground in Principled Debate

By Senators Sheldon Whitehouse & Bill Cassidy | Thursday, August 1, 2024

America was founded by extraordinary individuals who engaged in spirited debate and then came together to build a more perfect union. That was true 248 years ago, and it is still our ideal today. Solution-oriented leaders who are willing to work across the aisle can work through differences through respectful, robust debate.

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SARA EBERT2023
The issue no one's talking about, but should be

By Gordon H. Smith | Friday, May 31, 2024

The filibuster is one of the few things left in political life that encourages cooperation. It’s a critical piece of what’s made the Senate what it is — a deliberative body that actually debates and improves legislation, not just a rubber stamp for whatever Senate leaders happen to put out.

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SARA EBERT2024
Searching for productive disagreement in a time of division

By Sens. Chris Coons (D-DL) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) | Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Neither of us is calling for a go-along-to-get-along attitude that ignores the very real divisions in our country. However, we are committed to rebuilding and strengthening America. We disagree, sometimes strongly, on the best approach to do that, but we both agree that failure is not an option.

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SARA EBERT2023
Partisanship's Threat to Business

By Bruce A. Percelay, Adam Hinds, Matt Sandgren, & Margaret Spellings | Friday, September 29, 2023

Business hates uncertainty. And there is no condition that can create more uncertainty than the deep divide in our country. Partisan politics has gone beyond Capitol Hill and has now leached into the business world. The question is, what can be done about it?

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SARA EBERT2023
Why ending the filibuster would be a bad idea

By Gordon Smith | Sunday, May 14, 2023

Many people — too many people, in my view — see the legislative filibuster through a situational lens. When it leads to outcomes you like, it’s great. When it leads to outcomes you don’t like, it’s terrible. This is the wrong way to think about the legislative filibuster.

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SARA EBERT2023
A renewed look at police reform: Trust, training, and accountability

By Matt Sandgren | Thursday, March 23, 2023

There could be a genuine opportunity this year for lawmakers to make meaningful progress on police reform. Misguided calls to defund the police, reduce the size of police forces, or curtail officers’ ability to respond to threatening situations are not the answer. Instead, conversations should focus on trust, training, and accountability.

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SARA EBERT2023
No filibuster, no Senate

By Martin B. Gold | Thursday, February 9, 2023

In their frustration with the filibuster, critics fail to grasp its true purpose. The filibuster is not an enemy to good governance but what makes it possible in the first place. It is a bulwark against polarization, a tool for bipartisanship and the defining characteristic of the U.S. Senate as an institution.  

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SARA EBERT2023