Come hear from Michael Thorning, Director of Structural Democracy at the Bipartisan Policy Center, give a keynote address on political polariaztion and its policy consequences. His work has spanned democracy, governance, and elections, including creating the Healthy Congress Index, co-leading task forces on federal oversight, and engaging the business community in elections issues.
As polarization has increased, bipartisanship has transformed from norm to anachronym in the minds of many observers. Should bipartisanship represent a normative value or a utilitarian strategy for accomplishing policy and political outcomes? In this keynote, Thorning will discuss bipartisanship, political polarization, and their policy consequences.
About the Speaker
Michael Thorning is Director of Structural Democracy at the Bipartisan Policy Centery. At BPC, Thorning’s work has spanned democracy, governance and elections, including creating the Healthy Congress Index, co-leading task forces on federal oversight, spearheading work to modernize Congress, and engaging the business community in elections issues. Prior to joining BPC, Thorning worked on Capitol Hill for Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall, where he focused on campaign finance and election reform, Senate rules and congressional reform, and judiciary, civil rights, and civil liberties issues. While working for Bingaman, he also coordinated the senator’s social media outreach. In 2014, Thorning served as co-chair of the Senate GLASS Caucus, the association of LGBT Senate staff and allies. Thorning has been a fellow of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies at American University and is a member of the guest faculty of the University of New Mexico. Thorning earned his B.A. in political science with honors from the University of New Mexico and served as a Fred R. Harris Congressional Intern.