DIALOGUE AND DISCOURSE: DEMOCRACY CHALLENGE PROMOTES COMPROMISE AND FOSTERS PUBLIC POLICY

DIALOGUE AND DISCOURSE

Democracy Challenge Promotes Compromise and Fosters Public Policy

BY MICHAEL VYSKOCIL YRK CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY BY LOVING MEMORIES PHOTOGRAPHY & DESIGN

One issue, two viewpoints, one solution. Through dialogue and discourse, the 2019 Democracy Challenge brought together two former Pennsylvania governors—Edward G. Rendell and Mark S. Schweiker—to take on the challenge of crafting a compromise that provides a pathway to legal employment for Pennsylvania’s undocumented immigrants. Over the course of the inaugural 60-minute Democracy Challenge, hosted by the York County Economic Alliance (YCEA), citizens from across YoCo and beyond gathered on Wednesday, September 18, at York College’s Waldner Center for the Performing Arts. They witnessed each leader take a position on the topic, establish a policy, debate the merits of the policy, and work with one another to reach a compromise. At the end of the evening, the former governors found that compromise, agreeing that immigration reform is needed and that states like Pennsylvania should seek a resolution calling the U.S. Congress to act on matters of immigration.

Why Now?

Why a Democracy Challenge?

In the face of ever-changing challenges and priorities that face our county, state, and country, the Democracy Challenge explored how a shift in politics is necessary to advance democracy. Public policy can be debated, created, and achieved through compromise — and the Democracy Challenge demonstrated this ideal.

“Immigration isn’t an issue that breaks Republican or Democrat. The issue is a quagmire; states cannot legally create a pathway to citizenship. Each state legislature needs to put the heat on the federal government to get something done. We also need citizen advocates...people who need to say, ‘We want this resolved,’” Rendell said during the course of the one-hour Democracy Challenge.

“As a former governor, I certainly believe that the states are the laboratories of our democracy. When an issue gets so complicated that a solution eludes the leaders in D.C., it’s often the innovative thinkers in our state capitals that begin to offer the kind of debate that leads to solutions,” Schweiker said. “This debate might just inspire leaders in Harrisburg to consider that, even with competing points of view, we can come together to create a solution that generates accountability and supports the economic vitality of the state.”

Reactions From

YoCo Leaders

YoCo’s great experiment in public policy compromise and conversation in the 21st century went beyond divisions between political parties to embrace possible policy solutions. Reactions from YoCo’s elected officials confirmed that a necessary shift in politics is needed and efforts such as the Democracy Challenge can help move the needle toward that ideal.

“It was great to see two political parties coming together in a bipartisan discussion with the ability to come to common ground,” said Vice President Commissioner Doug Hoke. “I think the Democracy Challenge set an example for elected officials and community leaders to witness how they can achieve this. I hope that Harrisburg and our congressional representatives listen to this dialogue because we need to have discussion about immigration.”

“My greatest takeaway from the Democracy Challenge is that even on the most difficult and challenging issues facing our country and our commonwealth, there is so much more that we agree on than disagree about,” said Sen. Kristin PhillipsHill (28th District, Senate of Pennsylvania). “When consensus is forged, it is somehow not viewed as noteworthy, and I have found in Harrisburg that there is more bipartisan consensus on major issues than you’ll read about in newspapers.”

Both Hoke and Phillips-Hill agree that having YoCo, the eighth largest county in Pennsylvania, as the host setting for this exercise in democracy is significant as well. “It was great seeing how this Democracy Challenge energizes the York County community to think about important issues and participate in conversation. It’s great for the people of York County,” Hoke said.

“The event was very beneficial for the greater York community to witness firsthand what I often see in Harrisburg,” added Phillips-Hill, “and that is civil, substantive policy discussion among people from different political persuasions and parts of the state working toward solutions.”

If You Missed It...

Watch the 2019 Democracy Challenge in its entirety on PCN (pcntv.com) or the PCN app (available with a subscription).