United We Sit Divided We Fail
LWVCO | Published on 3/3/2021
During LWVCO’s Dec. 2020 webinar Promoting Civil Discourse in Politics, State Rep. Jeni James Arndt told of growing up with a Democratic mother and a Republican father and their dynamic family conversations. She’s accustomed to hearing both sides so she sits with the Republicans in the Legislature. She suggested to a past Speaker of the House that they integrate by seating the Democrats, Republicans & Independents together so they can get to know each other. She even went so far as to suggest joint lunch or dining rooms. Neither idea went anywhere.
LWVGV's Legislative Committee loved Rep. Arndt's approach and proposed that every League member write a letter to every State Legislator and member of Congress representing them (5 letters) asking that they (like Rep. Arndt) sit with members of the other party.