The American Middle

Global I.Q. Podcast

The political polarization of America in 2022 is not a new phenomenon, but what is often missing is the political will to find a middle ground. Even while in fierce opposition to the policies of President Ronald Reagan, who was swept into office in a landslide, Democrat House Speaker Tip O’Neill said, “In the best interest of America, the hand of cooperation ought to go out.” Last year, the Pew Research Center found that 86% of Trump supporters and 89% of Biden supporters wanted their elected official to address the needs of all Americans “even if it means disappointing some of his supporters.” Join us for the Mike Rawlings Endowed Lecture as Democrat Mayor Mike Rawlings, Republican and former Texas Speaker of the House Joe Straus, and Rudy Bush of the Dallas Morning News discuss how to slow the polarization of our electorate and find a middle ground where opposition does not become obstruction. About our Speakers: The Honorable Mike Rawlings was the longest serving Mayor of Dallas (2011-2019) in over 50 years. This annual lecture was created to honor him for his service to our city, and especially for his success in raising the city’s international prominence. Rawlings is a founding partner of CIC Partners, its current vice-chairman, and has been with the firm since its inception in 2004. He is a graduate of Boston College. The Honorable Joe Straus served as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives from 2009 until 2019, the longest-serving Republican Speaker in Texas history. A native of San Antonio and a fifth-generation Texan, Speaker Straus began attending Republican meetings as a child with his mother, Joci Straus, who played a key role in building the Texas Republican Party in the second half of the 20th century. A graduate of Vanderbilt University, Speaker Straus served in the administrations of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. He represented northeaster Bexar County in the Texas House for 14 years. About the Moderator: Rudolph Bush became editorial page editor and vice president at the Dallas Morning News in 2022 after serving as deputy editorial page editor. He previously served as deputy editorial page editor, Dallas City Hall and investigative reporter, and city desk news editor. Bush covered crime and the federal courts at the Chicago Tribune and later became a national correspondent in the newspaper’s Washington Bureau. He has an M.A. and an M.B.A. from the University of Dallas, where he served as the director of journalism from 2014-2022.