Jane Coaston: Progressive/Conservative Summit: The Importance of Good-Faith Debate

A conservative, a progressive, and a libertarian walk onto a stage. They engage in robust discussion. No, that is not a joke. 2020 brought forth issues long plaguing the nation, from the inequalities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic to the election conspiracies fueled by polarizing social media platforms, if not politicians themselves. As Americans increasingly write off those they disagree with as “the other” on these and other issues, we lose vital opportunities to seek understanding and find areas of actionable common ground. The gap between left and right continues to swell, and fractures within the Democratic and Republican parties have forced Americans to ask: what’s now, and what’s next for these movements?

The Hauenstein Center, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, and the Progressive Women’s Alliance are proud to reconvene for the 2021 Progressive Conservative Summit. Jane Coaston, the host of The Argument podcast, sets the stage for good-faith debate on Friday evening. On Saturday, David French, senior editor at The Dispatch, and Matthew Yglesias, co-founder of Vox, examine what’s now and what’s next for conservatives and progressives alike. Panel sessions included discussions on the 2020 Census and Election results, offering thoughts for the shifting coalitions and cultural clashes among America’s left and right. The Summit concluded with a discussion between French, Yglesias, and Coaston.