The Optimistic American - Audio Edition

Jun 28, 2023

In this episode of The Optimistic American, Paul Johnson is joined by former Senate President and current Alaska Senator Cathy Giessel.

They discuss the role of divisiveness in America today, the existing partisan system that discriminates against candidates and voters not registered in the one of the two major parties, and reform efforts that work to give voters choices. This episode talks with the Republican Majority Leader in the Alaska legislature about how the reform is working in Alaska and how it promotes collaboration – and cooperation – between lawmakers with different political views.

• The current season of The Optimistic American is dedicated to the reforms that are going on in America that can help heal the ongoing divisions.
• Alaska Senator Cathy Giessel is the Republican and Majority Leader in Alaska who can tell how the reforms that removed partisan primaries and implemented rank choice voting actually work.
• The divisiveness in the U.S. is the highest Paul has seen in his 40 years watching the political system.
• Senator Giessel breaks down how a partisan primary system and an open primary system with a top four work. With partisan primaries, 85% of incumbents are in safe seats that are gerrymandered to stop competition in the general election. In an open primary system, every voter gets to vote for or against their representative.
• At first, Senator Giessel was reluctant about the ranked choice voting – she explains why that was the case.
• Senator Giessel shares her experience in regard to how the role of and the interaction with voters changed with the two systems.
• Paul, who ran in both an open primary system for mayor and a closed partisan primary for governor, pointed out that candidates in the open primary have to speak to all voters, even those registered in the other party. In closed primary systems, they only have to speak to members of their own party. He believes that talking to people they don’t necessarily agree with is the single most important thing that educates leaders.
• In Alaska, today’s legislature operates differently than it did before. Senator Giessel touches upon the changes that have taken place and how Democrats and Republicans have been able to work together despite some major differences in the open primary system.
• According to Senator Giessel, the open primary and the rank choice systems have really reduced negative campaigning because when you have multiple candidates in a runoff, going negative hurts the person leveling the negative information.
• Senator Giessel points out that the open primary in Alaska has promoted collaboration and cooperation between lawmakers.

Mentioned in This Episode:

optamerican.com

Addictive Ideologies: Finding Meaning and Agency When Politics Fail You by Dr Emily Bashah and Hon Paul Johnson

The Optimistic American on YouTube

Cathy Giessel

Alexander Hamilton

Thomas Jefferson

Mo Udall