Gridlock Break

Gridlock Break Signing Off Aug 26, 2021

Gridlock Break is signing off. Thank you to all our guests and thank you to our audience for listening. Continue following No Labels on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Sadek Wahba Discusses the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework Jul 23, 2021

Sadek Wahba is the founder and managing partner of I Squared Capital, an independent multi-billion dollar global infrastructure investment company. In this episode, he discusses how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework will create new jobs, as well as the economic impact of both the bipartisan agreement and the Democratic spending package.

An Inside Look at the IRS with Commissioner Charles Rettig Jul 16, 2021

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

No Labels National Co-Chairs Discuss a Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Jul 15, 2021

Steve Hanke Discusses the True Cost of the First 100 Days of Spending May 20, 2021

Steve Hanke is a professor of applied economics and founder and co-director of the Institute for Applied Economics, Global Health, and the Study of Business Enterprise at the Johns Hopkins University. He is also director of the Troubled Currencies Project at the Cato Institute and a senior fellow at Cato’s Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives. He discusses what he feels the true cost of President Biden’s first 100 days of spending to be and how it will impact the economy.

Ben Ginsberg on New Voting Bills Apr 29, 2021

Ben Ginsberg is a nationally known elections lawyer. He served as national counsel to the Bush-Cheney presidential campaigns in the 2000 and 2004 election cycles and played a central role in the 2000 Florida recount. He was also appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as co-chair of the bipartisan Presidential Commission on Election Administration. In this episode he discusses the voting bills that are being considered in the states.

Philip K. Howard on Biden's Infrastructure Plan Apr 21, 2021

Philip K. Howard is a lawyer and author who has written extensively on government and legal reform. He is also the founder of Common Good, a nonpartisan national coalition dedicated to restoring common sense to America by simplifying government. In this episode, he discusses President Biden’s proposed infrastructure plan.

Thomas Kahn Discusses the Budget Apr 14, 2021

Thomas Kahn is a Faculty Fellow at American University, an adjunct professor at George Washington University, and a senior consultant at the Cormac Group, a Washington public affairs group. In this episode, he discusses the federal budget, his area of expertise after serving for twenty years as staff director and chief counsel of the House Budget Committee.

Mark Zandi: A Conversation on Economic Outlook Apr 08, 2021

In this episode, we hear from Dr. Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Analytics, where he directs economic research. He is also the lead director of Reinvestment Fund, one of the nation’s largest community development financial institutions, which makes investments in underserved communities. He discusses the rising risk of inflation and upcoming spending bills.

John Hope Bryant: A Conversation on Building America Apr 01, 2021

John Hope Bryant is an accomplished author, entrepreneur, and the founder of Operation Hope. The organization is the largest not-for-profit and best-in-class provider of financial literacy, financial inclusion, and economic empowerment tools and services in the United States for youth and adults. In this episode, he discusses his thoughts on the economic challenges facing disadvantaged communities across America.

Warren Mosler: Modern Monetary Theory Mar 16, 2021

Warren Mosler is an economist and the father of Modern Monetary Theory. His best-known contention is that a sovereign government operating in an environment without fixed exchange rates can never become “insolvent” because they can always provide more of their currency to pay their debts. It leads to the conclusion that budget deficits and government borrowing are not in and of themselves causes for concerns. It’s a controversial view that challenges most conventional economic thinking. In this episode, Mosler discusses his ideas and how they apply to the most important debates playing out in DC.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Steven Pearlstein Discusses the Left's 'Progressive Paradise' and the Partisanship of Covid Relief Mar 05, 2021

Hear from Steven Pearlstein, who recently wrote his final column for the Washington Post, where he had spent three decades. He devoted his final column to discussing the growing belief on the left that the old rules of economics no longer apply and why he worries that America may learn the hard way, that they do. He also talks about why the current COVID-19 relief negotiations are unfolding in such a partisan fashion.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Lawrence H. Summers on the COVID Relief Bill Mar 02, 2021

Lawrence H. Summers is an economist who previously served as Chief Economist of the World Bank, Secretary of the Treasury during the Clinton Administration, and director of the National Economic Council in the Obama Administration, as well as president of Harvard University, where he is now a professor. In this episode, he discusses the COVID-19 relief bill, potential infrastructure spending, and his recent Op-Ed in the Washington Post.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

John Anzalone, Lead Pollster for Biden 2020 Feb 19, 2021

John Anzalone is one of the nation’s top pollsters and messaging strategists. He was most recently the chief pollster for President-elect Joe Biden, marking his fourth presidential campaign. In this conversation, he discusses the latest thinking from the White House on a COVID-19 relief bill, and some recent results of opinion polling.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Frank Luntz: This is the Moment for the Problem Solvers Feb 12, 2021

Frank Luntz is an American political and communications consultant, pollster, and pundit. His focus groups often highlight the use of language, as his book 'Words That Work' did, in conveying a message. Today, he’ll discuss recent polling he has done and why he believes this is the best opportunity the Problem Solvers Caucus has to accomplishing anything in Congress.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Moving Forward with Bipartisanship with Ari Fleischer Feb 05, 2021

Ari Fleischer was previously the White House Press Secretary under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2003. In this episode, he discusses the role the media is playing in pushing Americans apart and what No Labels can do to bring us back together, especially as Congress debated a new COVID-19 relief deal.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Dr. Michael Osterholm Provides a COVID-19 Update Jan 23, 2021

Dr. Michael Osterholm is the Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota and one of the country’s top infectious disease experts. In this episode, he’ll discuss the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and recent spikes in infection numbers.

No Labels Round Table: What's Next for Congress? Jan 20, 2021

In this episode, we hear from leaders of No Labels and others as they discuss what is next for Congress. We’re joined by: Bill Galston, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institute, former Congressman Tom Davis, Steve Pearlstein, a business and economics columnist with the Washington Post, and AB Stoddard, columnist and associate editor at RealClear Politics.

In a broad consensus that this is No Labels’ moment. Because the new House and Senate will be governed by such small margins, bipartisan groups like the Problem Solvers Caucus will be essential. As Dr. Galston points out, few presidents have come into office with the kinds of challenges facing Joe Biden and he’ll need all the help he can get from congressional Democrats and Republicans committed to working with him to solve problems.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Thomas Friedman Thinks 'We are in a Third Promethean Moment' Jan 07, 2021

Tom Friedman describes this as a “Promethean Moment,” a moment that destabilizes and changes the world around us. He says the Right/Left party politics that have existed for 250 years are in the process of becoming obsolete as globalization and technology have sped up exponentially.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

No Labels Celebrates 10th Anniversary Jan 01, 2021

Ten years ago, No Labels began a journey to build the bipartisan governing coalition capable of solving America’s toughest problems. In this episode, hear from the leaders and elected officials who built this movement.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach Answers Your Vaccine Questions Dec 17, 2020

Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach is president of Samaritan Health Initiatives, Inc. and an adjunct professor at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. He was formerly the Commissioner of the United States Food and Drug Administration from 2006–2009. In this episode, he will discuss COVID-19 vaccines and answer questions on their development, implementation, and impact.

Dr. von Eschenbach marvels at the speed at which COVID-19 vaccines were created. Where it could previously take 15 years to develop a vaccine, these came in less than a year. It was possible thanks to tremendous scientific advances, as well as several regulatory changes that cleared the way for these treatments to come to market faster.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Dr. Margaret Hamburg, Former Commissioner of the FDA Dec 10, 2020

We hear from Dr. Margaret Hamburg, an internationally recognized leader in public health and medicine. She currently serves as foreign secretary of the National Academy of Medicine and chair of the NTI | bio Advisory Group. She is a former Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), having served for almost six years. In this episode, she discusses the development of COVID-19 vaccines and the distribution and access to those vaccines once they have been developed.

Dr. Hamburg explains that the real bright spot in the COVID-19 pandemic has been the mobilization of the medical research community to advance the development of vaccines in such a short time. The fastest vaccine development to date was for mumps, taking four years; in less than a year, two COVID-19 vaccines have been submitted for approval. Additionally, Dr. Hamburg notes the surprisingly high percentage of efficacy for both submissions, which was certainly not expected.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

What Should Happen in the First 100 Days of the New Congress? Dec 01, 2020

In this episode, we open up the conversation to No Labels’ members to discuss what they think should be the top priorities for No Labels in the first hundred days of the new Biden Administration and the new Congress. It will be no surprise that the new president’s first task will be the containment of COVID-19, but No Labels is in a unique position to help determine what comes next.

In the next Congress No Labels’ bipartisan coalition in the House and the Senate could emerge as the pivotal swing bloc. Democrats will have an even smaller majority in the House. While party control of the Senate will not be determined until the January 5 Georgia runoffs, the majority party will have no more than between 50-52 seats. The implication of this new legislative math is clear:

In 2021, Washington will either solve problems on a bipartisan basis or they won’t solve them at all.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

DHZdbuLxesohh4gBLMb1

Divided We Stand: Democrats and Republicans Diverge on U.S. Foreign Policy Nov 24, 2020

Dina Smeltz and Craig Kafura are both experts on public opinion and foreign policy with the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. They will discuss their recent report about American views on foreign policy in the age of COVID-19.

Smeltz and Kafura say voters do not generally choose a candidate on the basis of foreign policy, but that’s starting to change amid the global COVID-19 pandemic. As indicated by the title of their report, Divided We Stand, Democrats and Republicans do not generally agree on issues of foreign policy. But Smeltz and Kafura do see a few areas of common ground between the parties, including a widespread belief that foreign trade is important to the American economy and a fear that COVID-19 will lead to the end of globalization.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

The Responsibility of State Governance with David Crane Nov 20, 2020

David Crane is a lecturer in Public Policy at Stanford University and the founder and president of Govern for California, which is working to bring a more pragmatic approach to state government. In this episode, he discusses the work of Govern for California and the critical, but often under-appreciated, effect that local and state government has on our lives.

David Crane explains that when he began in state government advising Arnold Schwarzenegger, he was stunned by how little he knew about the state legislature, its role, and its relationship with the governorship. He goes on to note the vital need for people, companies and organizations to know the names of the state legislators who represent them on a local level. Although so many of us fixate on national politics, local politicians often have the most impact on our lives because they control and provide the social services that impact us daily.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

A Look at America's Foreign Policy with General H.R. McMaster Nov 05, 2020

In this episode, we’ll hear from General H.R. McMaster, who served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army for thirty-four years before retiring as a Lieutenant General in June 2018, after which he served as President Trump’s National Security Advisor. He is now a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. Today, he will discuss his recent book, Battlegrounds, which examines the most critical security and foreign policy challenges facing the US.

General McMaster explains that he wrote Battlegrounds in an attempt to bring Americans together in a time of increasing divisiveness that he thinks weakens our country. In the post-cold War era, he claims we have lost our strategic confidence. Americans falsely believed we could indefinitely maintain an era of military dominance, and over the last thirty years, we have transitioned to a pessimistic view of our position in the world. He says going forward, our leaders, at every level, will need a greater emphasis on understanding history in moving forward politically and militarily.

Follow General McMaster on Instagram and on Twitter.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Challenges to Scientific Consensus on COVID-19 with Dr. Arturo Casadevall and Dr. Nigel Paneth Nov 03, 2020

Dr. Casadevall is the chair of the Molecular Microbiology & Immunology department at Johns Hopkins University. And Dr. Panth is a Professor of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Pediatrics at Michigan State University. Today, they will discuss their recent Op-Ed in the Wall Street Journal, in which they explore why it is often so hard for scientists to reach consensus about COVID-19.

In their Wall Street Journal Op-Ed, the doctors asked two questions: What are the standards of evidence in medicine and how do they apply in the particular case of convalescent plasma for treating COVID-19? The gold standard in medical research is of course experimentation and double blind clinical trials. But as the doctors argue, we should be more open to the benefits of medical care born of observation, especially, as in the case of COVID, where greater speed is needed to find treatments.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

A Lesson in Negotiation with William Ury Oct 29, 2020

William Ury, a co-founder of Harvard’s Program on Negotiation and one of the world’s leading experts on mediation discusses his impression of the country's current problem-solving methods and what needs to change.

William Ury notes that a key to productive problem solving is finding solutions that work for both parties, and in the case of national issues, he calls it a “win-win-win” - a win for both sides of the aisle is a win for the country as well. He believes achieving these win-win-wins requires leaders to build bridges across aisles and avoid personal anger. But it also requires the engagement of what he calls “the third side” which is born of his insight that it takes two sides to fight, but that it often takes a third side to stop the fighting.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Managing the COVID-19 Pandemic with Johnese Spisso, President of UCLA Health Oct 27, 2020

Johnese Spisso is the President of UCLA Health, CEO of UCLA Hospital System, and Associate Vice Chancellor of UCLA Health Sciences. In this episode, she discusses her experiences managing a major hospital system through the COVID-19 crisis, and her outlook for the fall.

Ms. Spisso explains that successfully managing a pandemic relies on the three S’s: sufficient staffing of hospitals and healthcare facilities; the right supplies or PPE to keep patients, staff, and families safe; and a hospital’s ability for surge capacity. In the case of COVID-19, she details the stress of training staff and preparing facilities in light of changing information regarding the transmission of the disease. Now UCLA and other hospital system will have to apply these difficult lessons as America reckons with a potential resurgence of COVID-19 in the fall.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

A Conversation with Howard University President Wayne Frederick on the Changing Landscape of Higher Education Oct 22, 2020

Dr. Wayne Frederick was appointed president of Howard University in 2014, before which he had served as Provost and Chief Academic Officer of the university. He is also the Chair of Surgery. Today, he will discuss the role Howard University is playing in the racial climate in the country and in higher education.

Dr. Frederick discusses the unique challenges and objectives of Howard University in representing the black community and educating students who might otherwise not have access to higher education. He goes on to explain how Howard is attempting to rethink the education plan in order to minimize student debt, with an increase in the minimum credits necessary per semester and reconsidering requirements to graduate.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Dr. Mark Duggan and Dr. Andrew Johnston Discuss the Hidden Tax Bill Approaching for Businesses Oct 20, 2020

Dr. Mark Duggan is a Senior Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, focusing much of his research on the healthcare sector. And Dr. Andrew Johnston is an assistant professor of economics at University of California, Merced. Today, they will discuss the Op-Ed they recently co-authored in the Wall Street Journal on a big and hidden tax bill that could be coming for businesses at the worst possible time.

Earlier this year, COVID-19 crushed the US economy and caused our unemployment rate to spike from a sixty year low to the worst rate since the Great Depression. Unemployment Insurance – which was significantly expanded in the CARES Act – was a lifeline for millions of workers, but soon businesses could be hit with a big state tax increase to cover the cost. But as you just heard Doctors Duggan and Johnston explain, there are tax policy reforms states could and should embrace to prevent struggling businesses from getting a big tax hit just as they are trying to get back on their feet.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

General David Petraeus Discusses Strategic Leadership Oct 15, 2020

David Petraeus is a retired United States Army General, having served in the military for 37 years. During that time, he was commander of U.S. Central Command and led combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. After retiring from the service, he served as director of the CIA during the Obama Administration. He is now chairman of the KKR Global Institute. Today, he discusses what kind of strategic leadership is needed to run and manage successful organizations.

General Petraeus identifies four tasks of a strategic leader: (1) First and foremost, get the big ideas and strategies right. (2) Communicate those big ideas throughout your organization. (3) Oversee the implementation of big ideas. (4) Determining how to refine the big ideas and adopt new ones. According to Petraeus, this last task is often overlooked and can make the difference between a currently successful organization and a continuously successful one.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

General George W. Casey Discusses Civil-Military Relations Oct 12, 2020

George Casey retired as a four star general after having served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army and Commanding General of the Multi-National Force in Iraq. Today he will discuss the state of civil - military relationships, and the stress they are currently under in America.

General Casey reminds us that American democracy has always necessitated a separation of military command and civilian control. He also notes that there is a misconception of the military's role in domestic politics and the transition of power between presidents. Although the president has the right to deploy the military in situations of civil unrest, Casey and other military leaders have expressed concerns about the use of this power in recent months.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Political Reporters Eleanor Clift and Joe Concha Oct 09, 2020

Eleanor Clift is a political reporter, a columnist for The Daily Beast, and a contributor to MSNBC. And Joe Concha is a reporter for The Hill. Today, they will discuss the upcoming election, Supreme Court nomination, and the role that news consumption and bipartisanship play in our nation’s discourse.

Both Eleanor Clift and Joe Concha look back wistfully to times of compromise, during the Carter and Obama administrations. Concha notes that politicians on the fringes get the most air time on cable news shows, and therefore become the most powerful figures in their parties. And we just heard how more American unfortunately live in their own information bubbles. They just read the headlines they want, and have their views confirmed by their preferred media and likeminded friends.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

No Labels Youth Congress Oct 01, 2020

No Labels convenes a group of young Americans looking to unite those who would rather solve problems than endure toxic partisanship. This is the first of many meetings with young people to hear their voice and share their concerns with other future leaders of America.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Larry Diamond Examines the Threats Around the World to Democracy Sep 29, 2020

Larry Diamond is a professor of Sociology and Political Science at Stanford University and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. He also supervises the democracy program at the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law at Stanford. Today, he will discuss the global assault that has continued for several years on liberal democracies everywhere.

Larry Diamond warns against the dangers of political parties delegitimizing their opponents. He explains that these are warning signs in the fraying of Americans’ shared commitment to liberal democracy. He goes on to explain that there is also a danger, as displayed by President Trump, of using every ounce of legally available power while ignoring the customs of political compromise. According to Diamond, democratic stability relies on a “system of mutual security,” with each side recognizing that they need to exercise forbearance, meaning just because they can do something, it does not mean they should.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Former Congressman John Delaney Discusses Overcoming Divisiveness Sep 23, 2020

John Delaney represented Maryland in the US House of Representatives from 2013 to 2019. In 2017, he launched a bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. Before running for Congress, he co-founded two publicly traded companies focused on making loans more readily available for small businesses. Today, he discusses the need for bipartisanship at this uniquely divisive and difficult moment in American history.

As awful as the current crisis is, John Delaney believes it will produce positive developments, even if they require painful changes in the process. He believes that the impact that No Labels can cultivate, especially on economic and healthcare policies, is vital to that transition. Among the changes he envisions are the digitization of many common practices, internet commerce, and the rise of telehealth, which he says had previously been prevented by what he claims are unnecessary regulations.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Arthur Brooks on Leadership and Happiness Sep 21, 2020

Arthur Brooks is a professor at Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School. He served as president of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), a conservative think tank, for ten years before that. He is the author of 11 books, including two New York Times best sellers, The Road to Freedom, and The Conservative Heart. Today, he discusses his work at Harvard, specifically his class entitled, “Leadership and Happiness.”

Before joining AEI, Arthur Brooks was a behavioral social scientist at Syracuse University, researching the psychology of wellbeing. In his class at Harvard Business School, he teaches that people can be happier if they: (1) understand human happiness, (2) manage their own happiness, and (3) share the principles they know to create an ecosystem of happiness around them. He reiterates the ancient philosophical belief that the basis of happiness is love, and the opposite of love is not hate, but fear. He maintains that the reason we have so much unhappiness in the United States right now is because we are in a fear-based moment in American politics and culture.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Dr. Mark McClellan Provides an Update on COVID-19 Sep 18, 2020

Dr. Mark McClellan is the director of the Robert J Margolis Center for Health Policy and a professor of Business, Medicine and Health Policy at Duke University. He was previously with the Brookings Institution and the commissioner of the United States Food and Drug Administration under President George W. Bush. Today, he will discuss the COVID-19 pandemic and how health agencies are responding the crisis.

Dr. McClellan discusses the innovation currently happening in both the public and private sectors to create affordable and accessible COVID screening tests, which he claims is the quickest way out of the crisis. He also notes that his center at Duke is working with public health officials to share reliable information about the development of vaccines, a need that he says stems from the American public’s distrust of government leadership.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Dr. George Rutherford Discusses Trends in COVID-19 Transmission Sep 16, 2020

Dr. George Rutherford is the director of the Institute for Global Health and the head of the Division of Prevention Medicine and Public Health at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine. He is also a professor at the School of Public Health at the University of California Berkeley. He has also been very involved in California’s COVID-19 response, and has published a number of articles on the topic. Today, he will discuss the trends in COVID-19 transmission.

Dr. Rutherford explains that it is a dangerous misconception that outdoor activity is a safeguard for preventing the spread of COVID-19. Without social distancing, masks, and limiting group sizes, the risk can still be dangerous. Another contentious issue with which Dr. Rutherford is dealing is the reopening of schools. Under the age of ten, children are less likely to contract and transmit COVID-19, so as students enter middle school age, the issue becomes more difficult. As we’ve seen in some prison systems, herd immunity rests somewhere between 60 and 70 percent, which is ten times the infection rate we are currently experiencing, so it’s not something on which we should rely as we move forward.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Frank Luntz Focus Group Sep 11, 2020

Frank Luntz hits the ground running by asking the No Labels group whether they believe this presidential election is the worst this country has seen. Overwhelmingly, the answer is yes. He then goes on to ask whether those assembled would support a “Clean Campaign Pledge” on the Presidential or Senate level. The responses given are mixed, but the majority of responses seem to be pessimistic about the candidates’ abilities or willingness to abide by a pledge even if it is promised.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

POLITICO Cofounder John Harris on the 2020 Election Sep 09, 2020

John Harris co-founded the news organization Politico in 2007 and served as its editor in chief until 2019. He was previously a political reporter for The Washington Post and the author of an acclaimed book about President Bill Clinton. Today, he will give his insight into the upcoming presidential election.

John Harris notes that congressional Democrats had electoral success in the 2018 midterms by focusing on issues and raising up their rhetoric. But he sees the current Democratic presidential ticket focused more on the deficiencies of Donald Trump, a strategy that did not work for Hillary Clinton in 2016. He unfortunately thinks both parties will continue to focus on rallying their base and attacking the other side, unless there is a landslide election, which he does not expect in 2020.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner Shares His Perspectives on COVID-19, Economic Recovery, and Social Unrest Sep 02, 2020

Sylvester Turner is serving in his second term as mayor of Houston, after first being elected in 2015. Turner served for 27 years in the Texas House of Representative and ran his own boutique law firm, Barnes and Turner. Today, he will discuss how political priorities have shifted since he took office five years ago, how Houston is combating its COVID-19 outbreak.

Mayor Turner notes that pension and budget issues were a huge priority in Houston when he took office, but with Hurricane Harvey and other natural disasters in the few years after, the city government has had to redirect efforts. Now with COVID-19 and the racial unrest that soon followed, Mayor Turner is dealing with a truly unprecedented set of challenges. But he believes Houston will rebound because it is the energy capital of the world and home to the world’s largest medical center, creating a natural ecosystem for innovation.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Former Secretary of the Treasury Robert Rubin on the Economic Recovery after COVID-19 Aug 31, 2020

Robert Rubin was the Secretary of the Treasury and Director of the National Economic Council under President Bill Clinton. He had a distinguished career in finance, joining Goldman Sachs in 1966 and eventually becoming co-chairman. Under the Clinton Administration, he served as the He is also a founder of The Hamilton Project, an economic policy think tank out of the Brookings Institution. Today, he will discuss the economic outlook in the post-COVID world.

Secretary Rubin says it might take until the end of 2022 for the US economy to return to where it was pre pandemic. As he notes, this is both a global economic crisis, and a humanitarian and health crisis, which will complicate the recovery. He also agrees with recent comments from former Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner that the Federal Reserve acted responsibly in their strong response to the COVID pandemic. It was much more far reaching response than the one in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, but Rubin believes it is necessary.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Update from No Labels Leadership Aug 28, 2020

As election day nears, any of the three possible results - a Democratic sweep, a Republican sweep, or a split government - could be problematic. No Labels is committed to the maintenance of a bipartisan partnership to avoid gridlock. Today, leaders within the No Labels organization will discuss how the mission of No Labels is changing with the field, plans to continue their work in November and beyond, and how the organization can support those in office.

As No Labels continues their strategy to combat bipartisanship, the organization's leaders share their three phase plan: (1) The House Problem Solvers Caucus, which has already brought together dozens of congressmen and women; (2) For the first time, there is a group of eight Senators who will work with the House Problem Solvers Caucus, modeled on the “gang” friendship of Senators Lieberman and McCain; and (3) Building up the congressional staff base of bipartisan workers, and considering the possibility of working to elect a Problem Solver president in 2024.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Tim Phillips, CEO of Beyond Conflict, on the Science Behind Polarization Aug 26, 2020

Tim Phillips is the founder and CEO of Beyond Conflict, a non-profit organization that works with leaders to address conflict and promote social change around the world. Since its founding in 1992, Beyond Conflict has worked to support peace talks and paths to democracy in 75 countries. The organization has also become a leader in the effort to catalyze the field of Neuroscience and Social Conflict. Today, Tim will discuss the work Beyond Conflict is doing to combat polarization.

Tim Phillips discusses the shift from a polarization of ideas to a polarization of identity, and how that shift is truly toxic. He believes that the shift from “You and I” to “Us vs. Them” threatens American democracy and the trust citizens have in the country’s institutions. Beyond Conflict has spent years studying the trends of this political shift through the lens of behavioral science. In their work with researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, they began studying toxic political polarization in the same vein as a public health threat, focusing on three factors: dehumanization, like and dislike, and disagreement on contentious issues.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

David French on the Polarization in America Aug 24, 2020

David French attorney, political commentator, and author. A fellow at the National Review Institute and a staff writer for National Review from 2015 to 2019, French currently serves as senior editor of The Dispatch, a fact-based digital media company, that endeavors to provide both sides of any given position. In 2020, he published Divided We Fall: America's Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation. Today, he will discuss the polarization he studies in his book and why short-term solutions seem improbable.

In a recent article, David French called the political climate a “new fundamentalism.” A fundamentalist, he explains, often has no existential humility or uncertainty, and that’s what we now see in politics. He similarly highlights three recent political trends: The Big Sword - Americans have begun in the last few decades to intentionally live around like-minded neighbors; The Law of Group Polarization - when like-minded people gather, they reinforce those shared opinions to an extreme; Overton Windows - while the Overton Window concept is the range of policies politically acceptable to the mainstream population at a given time, there are now two separate windows for either party in the case of many issues.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Admiral William McRaven on Leadership Aug 21, 2020

Admiral William McRaven is a retired United States Navy SEAL and four-star admiral who last served as the ninth commander of the United States Special Operations Command. Following that, he was the chancellor of The University of Texas System from 2015 to 2018. Today, he will discuss leadership in a time of great crisis and American national security concerns for the future.

Admiral McRaven believes that leadership in a time of crisis is no different than in calmer times: You need to set a goal, and you need to motivate those below you to accomplish that goal. But Admiral McRaven is adamant that leadership is also about responsibility and accountability. A good leader should take responsibility for all decisions made by those below them. Unfortunately, that kind of leadership is often in short supply in our politics today.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Former Attorneys General Doug Gansler and Jon Bruning Aug 19, 2020

Bruning served as Attorney General of Nebraska from 2002 to 2014, the youngest Attorney General in the nation when he took office. He is now the Managing Partner of Bruning Law Group. Today, they will discuss the role of the Attorney General, specifically in the upcoming election.

There are three unusual factors to the upcoming election: (1) the dangerous level of polarization (2) COVID-19’s impact on voter turnout; and (3) the impact of the racial unrest and protests, specifically on Joe Biden’s choice of a running mate. You just heard Doug Gansler and Jon Bruning discuss all these factors and why their bipartisan relationship could and should be a model for others in politics.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Dr. Art Laffer on Taxes, the Government, and the Economy Aug 17, 2020

Dr. Art Laffer has been called the Father of Supply Side Economics. He was a member of President Reagan’s Economic Policy Advisory Board, and is perhaps best known for developing the Laffer curve, an illustration of the idea that there is some tax rate between 0% and 100% that will result in maximum tax revenue for the government. He served as economic advisor to Donald Trump during his 2016 campaign, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019. Today, he will discuss how the economic climate has been affected by COVID-19.

Dr. Laffer discusses two economic principles he thinks are necessary in order to understand the current economic situation. Firstly, government spending requires taxation and redistribution of resources. Secondly, he believes that redistribution always reduces income and production and therefore even though some taxation is required – especially to help those suffering hardship – government should endeavor to keep taxes as low as they can.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Grover Norquist Discusses the Most Effective Forms of Bipartisanship Aug 14, 2020

Grover Norquist is president of Americans for Tax Reform, or ATR, a taxpayer advocacy group he founded in 1985 at President Reagan’s request. ATR organizes the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, which asks all candidates to commit themselves to oppose all net tax increases. Norquist also chairs the DC-based Wednesday Meeting, a weekly gathering of more than 150 elected officials, political activists, and conservative movement leaders. Today, he shares his views on the most effective forms of bipartisanship.

Grover Norquist argues that true bipartisanship is not best represented when moderate Republicans and moderate Democrats work together, since they are not that far apart ideologically, but rather when liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans work to find a solution. Some examples are criminal justice reform and civil forfeiture where liberals and conservatives can find common cause even if it is for different reasons.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Sir Clive Gillinson Discusses the Impact COVID-19 has had on the Arts Aug 12, 2020

Sir Clive Gillinson is a British cellist and arts administrator. He is best known for his long tenure as the Managing Director of the London Symphony Orchestra from 1984 to 2005, and his current position as Executive and Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall. Today, he will discuss the arts community, how they have been affected by COVID-19, and how they hope to recover.

Sir Clive Gillinson notes that Carnegie Hall is not merely home to a prestigious arts venue, but also maintains extensive educational programming, reaching roughly 800,000 individuals annually. Carnegie Hall has had to cancel all in-person programming through at least January of 2021 and has been streaming performances in the meantime. Unfortunately, arts venues will be among the last parts of our economy to reopen.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

No Labels National Co-Chairs Chris Stadler and Howard Marks Discuss Weathering the COVID-19 Economy Aug 10, 2020

Howard Marks and Chris Stadler are the National Co-Chairs of No Labels. Howard is the Director and Co-Chairman of Oaktree Capital Management, a global investment management firm with headquarters in Los Angeles. Chris Stadler is a Managing Partner at CVC Capital Partners, based in New York.

Howard Marks and Chris Stadler focus a lot on the disconnect between the stock market and the economy. As they note, the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department have infused the market with unprecedented stimulus, which was necessary to keep the economy afloat but has also inflated the price of various assets. But as Marks notes, the markets have the ability to go from flawless to hopeless and back again very quickly, so expect plenty of volatility ahead.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Lonnie Bunch, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Discusses the Impact of COVID-19 and Racial Turmoil in America Aug 07, 2020

Lonnie Bunch III is a historian and curator who now serves as the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. He was previously the founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Today, he will discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Smithsonian Institution and the current racial turmoil in America.

Secretary Bunch is hopeful that this could be a moment of possibility, not unlike other times of unrest that have pushed the country forward. For perhaps the first time, a diverse array of people are acknowledging racism as a universal problem, not just a black problem. But as a historian, he is worried about the effort to completely disregard the contributions of consequential figures like President Woodrow Wilson, who also embraced racist beliefs in their time.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Political Consultant Frank Luntz Discusses Social Unrest, The Economy, and COVID-19 Aug 05, 2020

Frank Luntz is an American political and communications consultant, pollster, and pundit and the author of Words That Work. His well-known focus groups often highlight the importance of language in shaping public opinion and policy. Today, he will discuss the social unrest in America, the economy, the COVID-19 pandemic and the disappointing leadership coming from both political parties at the moment.

Frank Luntz notes a few unprecedented developments in public opinion. Racial equality protests are broadly supported across racial groups in a way they never were in the past. And the medical profession has approval ratings in the 70s, making it one of the few institutions seen positively at the moment. Before this crisis, President Trump was receiving high marks from the public on the economy, but now that has collapsed along with his overall approval rating.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Oscar Munoz, Executive Chairman of United Airlines, Discusses the Future of Travel Aug 03, 2020

Oscar Munoz is the executive chairman of United Airlines, having previously served as CEO from 2015 to 2019. Today, he will discuss how United and the airline industry have navigated the economic and health challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and what to expect from the industry moving forward.

Oscar Munoz says airlines were the first industry to feel the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic because of the global nature of both the disease and the industry. However, he proudly notes the efforts of the United family to transport personal protective equipment and medical professionals around the world during this crisis. Shockingly, the industry is operating at roughly 10% of what it should be at this time of year and Munoz does not expect a sustained turnaround for the industry until a vaccine is available.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

The Mayor's Perspective: Mayor David Holt of Oklahoma City and Mayor Bryan Barnett of Rochester Hills, MI Jul 31, 2020

David Holt became mayor of Oklahoma City in 2018, voted in with 78% of the vote. Before taking office, he served in the Oklahoma State Senate for eight years. And Bryan Barnett has served as mayor of Rochester Hills, Michigan since 2006. He also serves as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Today, they will discuss the challenges of serving as mayors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mayor Holt explains that Oklahoma City began to experience COVID-19 rather late in comparison to other cities and states, and that allowed for a faster and stricter response early on that explains their lower case numbers. Mayor Barnett laments the reality that whether you wear a mask or not seems to be an advertisement for your political allegiances. Both he and Mayor Holt claim that politics at the local level does not have the same partisanship and they wish that attiude was more often embraced in DC.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Alan Dershowitz Discusses His Beliefs on Attacks on Free Expression Jul 29, 2020

Alan Dershowitz is a lawyer and a scholar of constitutional and criminal law. At the age of 28, he became the youngest person awarded a full professorship at Harvard when he began teaching at Harvard Law School. He retired in 2013 after almost 50 years. He has also been part of a number of high-profile cases, including those involving OJ Simpson and Harvey Weinstein, and Donald Trump’s impeachment. Today, he discusses what he believes to be dangerous attacks on free expression nationwide.

Alan Dershowitz discusses the recent Op-Ed in the New York Times by Senator Tom Cotton that led to the resignations of two of the paper’s editors. He notes the trend among media outlets of banning commentators or authors who might have controversial opinions. He sees a similar trend in universities. He goes on to note the dangers of the seeming elimination of free speech and due process that continue to go uninvestigated by the media.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Vice President Dan Quayle Answers Questions About Making Progress Through Bipartisanship Jul 27, 2020

Dan Quayle was elected to represent Indiana in Congress in 1976 and in the Senate in 1980. In 1988, he ran as George H.W. Bush’s running mate, and served as vice president until 1993. Since 1999, he has been Chairman of Global Investments at the private equity firm, Cerberus Capital Management. Today, he will discuss the bipartisanship on which he relied while in office, his foreign policy concerns in a post-COVID world, and the alienation in politics today.

Vice President Quayle is concerned by the decline of globalism and the tension growing in the relationship between the US and China. As the world becomes increasingly nationalistic, he thinks the competition between the two countries will also increase. In a similar vein, he expresses a concern about the division that has become normalized in politics, both between the two parties as well as between the executive and legislative branches.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Senator Joe Lieberman on the Importance of Compromise and Bipartisanship Jul 24, 2020

Joe Lieberman represented Connecticut in the Senate from 1989 to 2013. In 2000, he ran as Al Gore’s Vice Presidential running mate on the Democratic ticket. Now, he serves as the national chairman of No Labels. Today, he will discuss the critical importance of bipartisanship at this moment in American history.

Senator Lieberman emphasizes the importance of compromise in U.S. history, beginning with the Constitutional Convention and the famed Connecticut Compromise which created the US House and Senate. It’s a lesson that both he and No Labels believe our leaders urgently need to relearn today.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Richard Epstein Evaluates the Government's Response to COVID-19 Jul 22, 2020

Richard Epstein is the Inaugural Laurence A. Tisch Professor at NYU School of Law. He has served as the Peter and Kirstin Bedford Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution since 2000. His newest book, The Dubious Morality of the Modern Administrative State, was published by the Manhattan Institute in November 2019. Today, he will discuss the impact of COVID-19 on higher education and the questionable assumptions that have been drawn from many COVID-19 models.

Professor Epstein believes Americans have largely been given a false choise between either entirely shutting down our economy or letting COVID-19 run rampant through the population. He believes there is a much wider array of outcomes depdendent on variables we don’t yet fully understand. But overall, he believes the country should have a bias toward trying to safely reopen as fast as possible.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Founder of BET, Robert Johnson, Discusses the Future of America and Economic Equality Jul 20, 2020

Robert Johnson co-founded Black Entertainment Television (BET) in 1979, which became the first black-owned company on the New York Stock Exchange. He also founded RLJ Companies, a holding company that invests in a number of different sectors. Today, he will discuss the current racial unrest, the future for black Americans, and the economic impact of COVID-19 on the black community.

Robert Johnson contends that the killing of George Floyd and police brutality will shape the attitude of black Americans towards this country for some time to come, specifically their place in either political party. He also notes that businesses run by black Americans often hover on the edge of financial failure and he believes minority owned businesses need a lot more help than they have been getting from the federal government.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

MLB Managers Dave Roberts and Bruce Bochy on the Future of Baseball Jul 17, 2020

Bruce Bochy won three World Series titles between 2010 and 2014 as manager for the San Francisco Giants. And Dave “Doc” Roberts is the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has led the team to win the National League West every year since he took over the position in 2015. Today, they will discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic and the heated debate over racial justice have affected major league sports, specifically baseball.

Well it looks like the shortened 2020 baseball season will be more of a sprint than the usual 162 game marathon. It took a lot of contentious negotiations between players and owners to even get to this point and Dave Roberts saw parallels between the polarized debates in Washington. Both Roberts and Bochy are world-class managers but suddenly they need to manage a lot more than baseball, including a new discussion around racial justice that will require a lot of listening and understanding.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Harold Kim Discusses Liability Concerns Emerging Around COVID-19 Jul 15, 2020

Harold Kim is the president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform. Before assuming the role, he served as Executive Vice President of the Institute and was also special assistant to the President in the White House Office of Legislative Affairs under President George W. Bush. Today, he will discuss the liability concerns emerging amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Harold Kim says he is hearing concerns about COVID-19 liability from so many different sectors, with specific worries about medical claims, exposure claims, product liability, and securities litigation. He think it is essential to our economy for Washington to set clear national standards about the responsibilities of businesses to protect workers and customers and the conditions under which people have a right to sue.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan Discusses How the PGA is Navigating COVID-19 and Debates Over Racial Justice Jul 13, 2020

Jay Monahan became the fourth commissioner of the PGA Tour in January of 2017 and has worked for the Tour since 2008. Today, he explains the history of the PGA Tour, how it is navigating the COVID-crisis and debates over racial justice, and how it plans to safely get players back out on the links.

COVID-19 has impacted sports in so many ways and the PGA Tour is no exception. It had to cancel over 14 events this spring and now even as the sport returns, it will be under very different conditions. The current plan is to return without fans for an extended period of time, and with intensive testing and precautions for players. Instead of the usual crowd of 30,000 to 70,000 at an event, upcoming events could now garner crowds of just professional players and crews of only 800. This is the new world of sports in 2020.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

John Kasich Discusses the Importance of Bipartisanship During COVID-19 and Beyond Jul 10, 2020

John Kasich served as governor of Ohio from 2011 to 2019 after having served nine terms in the US House of Representatives. He ran for the Republican nomination for president in both 2000 and 2016. Since he left office, he has joined CNN as a contributor. Today, he will discuss the bipartisan work he is doing throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and his frustration about the lack of national political leadership.

Governor Kasich describes the COVID-19 pandemic as a black swan event and he thinks it requires us to look at the fragile nature of our most complex systems like health, transportation and commerce. He also stresses the need for budgetary restructuring of the federal government, as he sees our debt, climate change and mental health being the three most critical challenges facing America in the years ahead.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Janet Napolitano Discusses the Responses to COVID-19 by Local Governments and the Federal Government Jul 08, 2020

Janet Napolitano served as governor of Arizona from 2003 to 2009, and then as Secretary of Homeland Security from 2009 to 2013 in the Obama Administration. Since 2013, she has served as president of the University of California system, the first woman to hold that role. Today, she will discuss the various responses to the COVID-19 crisis from state governments, from federal agencies, and from university systems.

Governor Napolitano can see the current national health crisis from a number of perspectives: as a former state leader, as a national security expert, and as a university system president. In moving forward, she believes it is vital to clarify the roles of different federal government agencies and their relationships to one another. She also stresses the importance of maintaining state government rights, as she says the president simply does not have the authority to mandate all state responses to the crisis.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Lawrence Summers Discusses Economic Trends in the COVID-19 Era Jul 06, 2020

Lawrence Summers previously served as Chief Economist of the World Bank, Secretary of the Treasury in the Clinton Administration, and director of the National Economic Council in the Obama Administration. He also served as president of Harvard University, where he is now a professor. Today, he discusses economic trends in the COVID-19 era.

You just heard Lawrence Summers talk about how so many economic trends have been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. He sees our chief economic problem as excessive savings that have a difficulty being absorbed except at inflated prices. And he sees a major change ahead for the economy as both individuals and companies focus more on resilience of systems and supply chains, rather than just efficiency.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Follow No Labels and Gridlock Break Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

German Ambassador Emily Haber Discusses the German Experience Fighting COVID-19 Jul 03, 2020

Ambassador Emily Haber has been German Ambassador to the United States since June 2018. Prior to her transfer to Washington, DC, she served in various leadership functions at the Foreign Office in Berlin. In 2009, she was appointed Political Director and, in 2011, State Secretary, the first woman to hold either post. Today, she will discuss the German government’s approach to the COVID-19 pandemic and what they are doing to protect their citizens and economy.

Ambassador Haber explains that Germany did have a head start on testing and fortifying its hospital infrastructure, and additionally had a pandemic plan in place. As a consequence, the country only had to close those businesses that were client facing. But Germany is staying vigilant because the decisions made by other European countries will inevitably affect the course of the virus in Germany in the months ahead.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Chief Gary Ludwig Discusses COVID-19's Impact on Frontline Workers Jul 01, 2020

Chief Gary Ludwig has managed two metropolitan EMS systems (Memphis and St. Louis), and has pioneered many concepts which are now standard practice in fire and EMS systems nationwide. He currently serves as the fire chief of Champaign, Illinois and is President and Chairman of the Board of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. Today, he will discuss the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on frontline workers, in particular, on firefighters.

Firefighters are the largest provider of emergency medical services in the country. Throughout this pandemic, they have been treating and transporting COVID-19 patients with extreme levels of exposure. Over 50 firefighters have died as a result of having contracted COVID-19 on the job. Chief Ludwig notes that the economic fallout from the virus is hitting fire departments hard, and there could be as many as 30,000 firefighter layoffs unless Congress steps up to support local governments soon.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Dr. James Canton, Global Futurist and Social Scientist, on Global Trends Jun 29, 2020

Dr. James Canton is a renowned global futurist, social scientist and author, who has advised three White House Administrations and over 100 companies. As a former Apple Computer executive and high tech entrepreneur, he is a longtime forecaster of the key trends and technologies that have shaped our world. Dr. Canton is CEO and Chairman of the Institute for Global Futures and today, he’ll discuss what comes next for technology in the post-pandemic era.

Dr. Canton is confident that the US can have an economic renaissance in the post-COVID era driven by new technology. But to seize that promise, he says we will need to: embrace entirely virtual organizations; rebuild the trust of the general public, rethink a biosecurity future plan; and develop new approaches to employee health and wellness. He also cautions that any of these priorities could threaten our privacy, so it will be essential to develop approaches that protect our freedoms.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Former FAA Administrator Michael Huerta Jun 26, 2020

Michael Huerta was the administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration from 2013-2018. He also held senior positions in the Department of Transportation during the Clinton Administration. Today, he will discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the travel industry, specifically air travel, and what consequences and safety measures we can expect to see in the future.

Flights are down over 60% and passengers are down 90%. And we are not likely to see a rapid rebound. For companies facing economic downturn, travel is often one of the first things cut and one of the last things to return. The same can be said for families whose finances have been affected. According to Michael Huerta, public confidence in the safety of air travel will not be restored until there is a vaccine.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity, Discusses the State of Affordable Housing in America Jun 22, 2020

Jonathan Reckford has been the CEO of Habitat for Humanity since 2005. Before that, he served as an executive at Circuit City and the Walt Disney Company, as well as an executive pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Minnesota. Under his leadership, Habitat for Humanity has grown from serving 25,000 families per year to serving over 300,000. Today, he will discuss worldwide housing issues amid this generational health and economic crisis.

Jonathan Reckford believes affordable housing has often been a forgotten social need that the COVID-19 crisis has made even more urgent. Without space, internet, food delivery, and the ability to socially distance and shelter in place, many low-income families find it almost impossible to stay safe. Reckford believes it is time for a national commitment to solve this problem.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Representative Emanuel Cleaver Discusses How America Can Address Racial Inequality Jun 19, 2020

Emanuel Cleaver has represented Missouri in the US House of Representatives since 2005. Previously, he was mayor of Kansas City, as well as the pastor of St. James United Methodist Church. Today, he will discuss several ideas he believes can combat systemic racism and inequality and expand opportunities in communities nationwide.

Representative Emmanuel Cleaver began his career in the civil rights movement, working for Dr. Martin Luther King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference. And as you heard, he’s using his experience to push Congress to adopt significant measures to combat the racial inequality made so plain in the wake of George Floyd’s killing. At its founding, America made a promise of full equality to all its people. It’s a promise that not yet been kept.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to solve America’s toughest problems.

Anne-Marie Slaughter and Glen Weyl Discuss their Roadmap to Pandemic Resilience Jun 15, 2020

Anne-Marie Slaughter is the CEO of New America, a think and action tank dedicated to renewing the promise of America, and a Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University. From 2009–2011, she served as director of policy planning for the United States Department of State, the first woman to hold that position. Glen Weyl is a political economist and social technologist whose work focuses on harnessing computers and markets to create a radically equal and cooperative society. He is the Founder and Chairman of the Radical x Change Foundation, a Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research and a lecturer at Princeton University. Today, Slaughter and Weyl will discuss the recently released Roadmap to Pandemic Resilience, published by Harvard’s Edmond. J Safra Center for Ethics.

You just heard Anne-Marie Slaughter and Glen Weyl describe the Safra Center’s promotion of a TTSI approach - Testing, Tracing, and Supported Isolation. They believe that the only way to successfully contain COVID-19 is to ramp up testing, increase contact tracing and isolate those who have been exposed or infected. Although this will need to be done in a way that respects civil liberties, this is our best shot to save lives until a vaccine is available.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to stop the virus, save lives and get Americans back to work.

Mark Penn Discusses the Results of the May 2020 Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll Jun 12, 2020

For decades, Mark Penn has been one of America’s foremost experts on measuring and shaping public opinion. He is the founder of The Stagwell Group, a private equity fund, who previously held senior executive roles with Microsoft and WPP. He also led or served as a senior advisor on campaigns of President Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Today, he takes the pulse of America amid the historic COVID-19 pandemic.

Mark Penn runs through recent polling on a number of questions related to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as questions related to the upcoming election. In discussing the latter, he notes President Trump had been slowly improving his job approval rating for 11 months. But that approval has started to dip amid the COVID-19 crisis and the aftermath of the tragic George Floyd killing. President Trump is seen as increasingly partisan and Joe Biden’s approval is on the rise.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to stop the virus, save lives and get Americans back to work.

Jeff Currie of Goldman Sachs Discusses the Energy Markets and what can be Learned from the Reopening of China’s Economy Jun 08, 2020

Dr. Jeff Currie is global head of Commodities Research at Goldman Sachs, where he has held various positions since 1996. His research helps the firm and its clients with corporate risk management programs, short and long- term commodity investment strategies and asset allocation. Today, he will discuss the energy markets, recent trends in the oil industry, what can be learned from the reopening of China’s economy, and developments that have arisen from the COVID-19 epidemic.

Dr. Currie explains how the recent pandemic has caused a drop in oil prices ten times larger than the drop experienced during the 2008 recession, and for understandable reasons. Oil enables globalization and facilitates social contact, two things this pandemic has inhibited the most. Dr. Currie believes the industrial need for oil will return as economies reopen, as will the need for oil to enable commuting, but jet oil needs will likely diminish as businesses realize the convenience afforded by video conferencing.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to stop the virus, save lives and get Americans back to work.

Mark Cuban Discusses the Need for Leadership and Understanding Jun 05, 2020

Mark Cuban is an entrepreneur, television personality and investor. He is the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, co-owner of 2929 Entertainment, and one of the main “shark” investors on ABC’s Shark Tank. Today, he’ll discuss the kind of leadership he thinks we need, both in government and business, to get us through this national and international crisis.

Mark Cuban explains that, right now, we find ourselves in the midst of two pandemics: a viral one and a social one. At a moment like this, he says people who lead businesses need one thing above all from government leaders: certainty. However, he says that is nowhere to be found. So he says he feels a responsibility to take on a broader leadership role not just across his businesses but across society.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to stop the virus, save lives and get Americans back to work.

Dr. David Skorton discusses the effect of this pandemic on healthcare enterprises throughout the country Jun 03, 2020

Dr. David J. Skorton is president and CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges, a not-for-profit institution that represents the nation’s medical schools, teaching hospitals, and academic societies. Dr. Skorton previously served as the 13th secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, and the president of the University of Iowa and Cornell University. Today, he discusses the effect of this pandemic on healthcare enterprises throughout the country, and what he thinks it will take for society to return to normal.

Dr. Skorton talks about how hospitals were blindsided by a disease we still do not fully understand. And until recently, there was no agreed upon treatment plan for patients sick with COVID-19. But Dr. Skorton is optimistic about the timeline for future testing and treatment, including new antiviral medicines, antigen tests that could allow for results in as few as 15 minutes, and a vaccine that could conceivably be available to the public as early as this January.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to stop the virus, save lives and get Americans back to work.

Dr. Richard Besser, President and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Jun 01, 2020

Dr. Richard Besser is the president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the United States' largest philanthropy focused solely on health and health care. Besser is the former acting director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and ABC News’ former chief health and medical editor. He was recently named to a multi-state council by Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey aimed at restoring the regional economy. Today, he discusses what his foundation is doing throughout this pandemic and how his experience developing emergency response preparedness at CDC has influenced his response now.

As Dr. Besser explains, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has been working for 50 years to improve the life expectancies and health of low income Americans. But now, they’ve pivoted to providing more short term aid to just get people through this crisis. While regional shutdowns and social distancing are necessary, Dr. Besser says the burden of these policies is hitting low income people the hardest. He says it is time for government at every level to take a more tailored approach to help those most impacted by this crisis.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to stop the virus, save lives and get Americans back to work.

John Barry, Author of The Great Influenza, Discusses Similarities and Differences Between Coronavirus and the 1918 Pandemic May 29, 2020

John Barry is the author of the 2004 book The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History, a comprehensive study of the 1918 Influenza pandemic, which has gained a resurgence in light of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. He has authored two recent OpEds in The New York Times in which he compares the subject of his book with our current health crisis, and enumerates some of the lessons we can learn from that outbreak and apply to our handling of COVID-19, which he discusses today.

Mr. Barry is hesitant to equate the 1918 pandemic with our current outbreak, as the differences are important when comparing how the diseases progress. For one, the overwhelming number of victims of the influenza of 1918 were between the ages of 20 and 40, while a majority of those affected by COVID-19 have been over 65. Additionally, COVID is thought to be much more transmissible than influenza was, but not as deadly. Mr. Barry stresses, though, that two lessons can be learned from the first pandemic: that social distancing does, and clear has, worked. And that honesty and transparency from the federal government are vital, a factor he notes, that has not been valued in the current situation.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to stop the virus, save lives and get Americans back to work.

Scientists to Stop COVID-19 May 27, 2020

Today, we are joined by a panel of leading medical professionals who recently formed the group Scientists to Stop Covid 19:

Doctors David Liu, Michael Rosbash,Stuart Schreiber, Ramnik Xavier and Edward Skolnick come from different disciplines and research areas, but have united behind this effort to help policymakers develop a comprehensive and science based approach to stop this virus.

Today, they will discuss promising treatments for COVID-19, including Remdesivir and various Monoclonal antibodies, as well as the timeline for a possible vaccine.

The Scientists to Stop COVID-19 discuss both the promise and the pitfalls of various treatment options. Remdesivir, originally developed to treat Ebola, has been used with some success to combat COVID-19, but requires 5-10 days of IV administration, making it inaccessible for those at home. That’s partly why these scientists see more promise in monoclonal antibodies, which use the body’s own immune system to block the virus’s ability to regenerate in the body. Finally, of course, there is the vaccine route and these scientists see potential for a vaccine to be available by the end of the year.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to stop the virus, save lives and get Americans back to work.

Secretary Tom Vilsack Discusses the Impact of Covid-19 on Agriculture, Farmers, and Rural Economies May 25, 2020

Tom Vilsack was the governor of Iowa from 1999 until 2007 before serving as President Obama’s Secretary of Agriculture. Since 2017, he has served as the president and CEO of the US Dairy Export Council, a trade group representing the interest of US dairy producers. Today, he discusses the unique impact the pandemic is having on agriculture, farmers, and rural economies.

US agriculture has been hit hard by this virus. As Secretary Vilsack explains, school closures have decreased the demand for milk. Restaurant closures have hit demand for produce and meat. Secretary Vilsack suggests two courses of action moving forward: first, we must determine a way for those who have lost their jobs to purchase more through additional Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. And second, we need to improve the disconnect between the demand of food banks and the supply of retailers. To do this, financial incentives should be given to farmers to donate rather than dump produce.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to stop the virus, save lives and get Americans back to work.

Dr. Campbell Harvey on the Future of the Economy and the Recovery May 22, 2020

Campbell R. Harvey is a professor of finance at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research. He served as President of the American Finance Association in 2016. Today, he discusses the most pressing economic decisions facing America in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, what we can learn from the responses of other countries, and how his original forecasts have changed as the crisis has progressed.

This crisis allows us to see the future through the experiences of countries that were hit before the United States - like China, South Korea, and Sweden - and to consider their approaches in determining our own. According to Dr. Harvey, different parts of the country will have to draw different lessons from abroad that cater to individual demographics, densities, ages, and risk levels. He also explains that while his original economic forecast for the rest of the year was bleak, he thinks the public’s lockdown fatigue may encourage economic growth to pick up more quickly. He also thinks more good news on creating a vaccine could really accelerate that growth.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to stop the virus, save lives and get Americans back to work.

Dan Doctoroff, CEO of Sidewalk Labs, on the Impact of Infrastructure after COVID-19 May 20, 2020

Dan Doctoroff was deputy mayor of New York City for Economic Development and Rebuilding under Michael Bloomberg, taking office right after 9/11. After that, he was the CEO and President of Bloomberg LP, the leading provider of news to the global financial community. He is now the CEO of Sidewalk Labs, an urban innovation company he founded in partnership with Google that develops products, services and platforms to help make cities become more efficient. He recently wrote an OpEd in The New York Times about the path to recovery in New York City, which he discusses today.

As you heard Dan Doctoroff explain, New York City had to transform after 9/11. But he believes we need a much bigger transformation in the wake of this pandemic. Even as cities develop new technologies and processes to improve hygiene and preparadness, Doctoroff thinks we wil need even more innovation to make cities more sustainable, affordable and livable.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to stop the virus, save lives and get Americans back to work.

Clinical Professor Richard Berner Discusses the Economic Effects of the Virus and Washington's Response May 15, 2020

Richard Berner is a Clinical Professor of Management Practice at the NYU Stern School of Business. He was a counselor to the U.S. Treasury Secretary from 2011 to 2013, before becoming the first director of the department’s Office of Financial Research. Today, he’ll discuss the effects of the current crisis on the economy and his perspective on Washington’s response.

As Dr. Berner explains, the path of economic recovery is entirely dependent on containing coronavirus, which itself is dependent on the development of a vaccine. Until a vaccine comes along, Dr. Berner thinks the public will be cautious with their spending. In the meantime, he thinks government needs to step up with more impactful stimulus as he believes the Federal Reserve can only do so much.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to stop the virus, save lives and get Americans back to work.

Philip K. Howard of Common Good Discusses How to Overhaul the Way Government Works May 13, 2020

Phil Howard is the founder and CEO of Common Good, a nonpartisan reform coalition with the goal of restoring the freedom of officials and citizens to use common sense. He is a noted commentator on the effects of modern law and bureaucracy on human behavior and the workings of society, and he recently authored an OpEd in The Hill calling for an independent, bipartisan commission tasked with decisions relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, which he discusses today.

Mr. Howard argues that the spread of COVID-19 could have been prevented, or at least curbed, had restrictions not hindered necessary research and precautions. He firmly believes that what we need is an authority mechanism that won’t prevent the country from getting back up and running and that will cut through the red tape. If each restaurant needs to be inspected before reopening, for example, the path to reopen the economy will be much slower. We need to use this crisis, he explains, to reinvent how the government operates and how it responds to crises.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to stop the virus, save lives and get Americans back to work.

Follow No Labels • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Dr. Deepak Srivastava and the Science of Infection, Testing, and Treatment May 11, 2020

Deepak Srivastava is president of Gladstone Institutes. He is also the Younger Family Professor and a senior investigator at the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease and director of the Roddenberry Stem Cell Center. At UC San Francisco (UCSF), Srivastava is a professor in the departments of pediatrics and biochemistry and biophysics. Today, he discusses novel approaches to COVID-19 diagnostic testing, treatments, and prevention. Dr. Srivastava dives right into the three key components of the COVID-19 pandemic that will affect how we move forward. He maintains that chief among those components - testing, treatment, and prevention via vaccine - is the improvement needed to diagnostic testing. By moving from the current method of lab testing, which is expensive and tests by amplifying viral genomes, to a test done in real time, we can begin reopening businesses and resuming a sense of normalcy. One possibility he suggests is the work being done by a virologist at the Gladstone Institute using CRISPR technology and enabling a smartphone camera to operate as a microscope, eliminating the need to amplify genomes and send every test to a lab for results. Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to stop the virus, save lives and get Americans back to work.

Dr. Mickey Levy and Dr. Robert Kaplan Discuss How to Get the Economy Open Again May 08, 2020

Dr. Mickey Levy is chief economist for the Americas and Asia for Berenberg Capital Markets, LLC. He has over 30 years’ experience conducting economic and public policy research and forecasting global and US economic and financial market performance. Dr. Robert Kaplan is an American accounting academic, and Emeritus Professor of Leadership Development at the Harvard Business School. Today, they discuss their recent OpEd in the Wall Street Journal, “How to Get America Working Again,” and what methods the federal and state governments should employ to reopen the economy. When considering reopening the economy, two overarching considerations need to be taken into account: regional differences and industry needs. Different regions have different levels of exposure to COVID-19, different access to rapid testing, and different availability to trained healthcare professionals. Industries also differ in terms of their age distribution, the ability for employees to socially distance while working, and the importance of the sector to the supply chain. Drs. Kaplan and Levy argue that the first step that should be taken by the federal government is ramping up the availability of COVID testing and utilizing contact tracing to get a better sense of who should go back to work. Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to stop the virus, save lives and get Americans back to work.

The Science Behind COVID-19 with Dr. William Haseltine May 06, 2020

Follow No Labels • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Dr. Michael Osterholm, Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) May 04, 2020

Dr. Michael Osterholm is an internationally recognized expert in infectious diseases, and from June 2018 through May 2019, he served as a Science Envoy for Health Security on behalf of the US Department of State. He was awarded a regents professorship in Public Health and is the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), at the University of Minnesota. He recently authored an article in The Atlantic in which he described the coming coronavirus winter, which he discusses today.

It had originally been thought that COVID-19 was similar to other coronaviruses like SARS or MERS. However, with those previous pandemics, a patient could most easily transmit the disease five or six days after first showing symptoms, thus allowing medical authorities to isolate them before that time. With COVID-19, patients are most infectious in the earliest stages, often before they even begin to show symptoms. While only about 5% of the population has been infected, it’s likely that the spread will continue until roughly 65% are infected to create herd immunity. Dr. Osterholm claims that key to combating another wave in late summer or early fall is a healthcare system that can handle the surge capacity.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to stop the virus, save lives and get Americans back to work.

Former FEMA Director, Craig Fugate May 01, 2020

Craig Fugate is one of the world’s leading experts in emergency and crisis management, having served as President Obama’s FEMA. During his tenure, he led the agency through more than 500 presidentially declared major disasters and emergencies. He also guided U.S. assistance in international disasters such as the earthquake in Haiti and the Fukushima nuclear meltodwn in Japan. Today, he discusses the administration’s crisis management of the COVID-19 pandemic, what has been done, and what should be done going forward.

Craig Fugate explains why Pandemics are a fundamentally different beast than other similar disaster like a hurricane. This virus isn’t just hitting one part of the country. It’s hitting everywhere and that’s why Fugate believes Washington play a strong coordinating role and accelerate the work to roll out a massive national testing program.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to stop the virus, save lives and get Americans back to work.

Follow No Labels • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Governor Jared Polis of Colorado shares his perspective as a Governor managing the COVID-19 Crisis Apr 29, 2020

Governor Jared Polis of Colorado is an entrepreneur, education leader, and public servant. By the time he had turned 30, he’d launched three successful companies, including ProFlowers, one of the world’s leading online flower retailers. He was elected to Congress in 2008, and was elected Governor in 2018. Today, he discusses the efforts being made by his state to curb the effects of COVID-19, how the crisis management systems already in place have needed to adjust to the current crisis, and how Colorado’s two biggest industries, tourism and energy, have been impacted.

Colorado has emergency command centers in place that have been prepared to battle floods and fires, and Governor Polis discusses the additions to those centers - such as public health officials, epidemiologists, etc - that were brought in to battle the unique needs of the COVID-19 crisis. Part of that adaptation includes the acquisition of PPE and COVID tests to prepare to reopen the state with mass testing. He goes on to lament the lack of transparency and available information from the federal government, and the lack of direction from the administration on the reopening of interstate travel and commerce. As he explains, the ideal path forward is one of maximum productivity while maintaining minimum proximity.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to stop the virus, save lives and get Americans back to work.

Dr. Kenneth Davis, President and CEO of Mount Sinai Health System Apr 27, 2020

Trained in psychiatry and pharmacology, Dr. Kenneth Davis became president and CEO of Mount Sinai Health system in 2003. He is in a unique position to speak about the impact of COVID-19 as many of his nurses and doctors are on the front lines of fighting it in New York. Today, he discusses how his team is managing the pressure, the financial pressure this crisis is putting on hospitals, which treatments are showing early promise in patients and where New York and the nation go from here.

Dr. Davis describes a war-like atmosphere in his hospitals, with beds in hallways and healthcare workers of every specialty, from dermatology to ophthalmology, joining COVID teams. With profitable elective treatments and surgeries cancelled or delated, hospitals like Mount Sinai are losing hundreds of millions of dollars, even as its teams are stretched to the limit. Our frontline health care providers are truly doing heroic work but as Dr. Davis explains, they desperately need more help from government.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to stop the virus, save lives and get Americans back to work.

Follow No Labels • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Paul Romer and Senator Bill Cassidy Discuss the Importance of Testing in Order to Return to Normalcy Apr 24, 2020

Economist and policy entrepreneur Paul Romer is a co-recipient of the 2018 Nobel Prize in Economics Sciences and University Professor in Economics at NYU. He has spent his career at the intersection of economics, innovation, technology, and urbanization, working to speed up human progress. He discusses, along with Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, how rapidly increasing the use of COVID-19 tests – for both current infections and antibodies – could start us on the slow path back to normalcy.

Although COVID-19 testing across the U.S. is increasing it still isn’t meeting demand. That’s why Paul Romer believes we need better incentives to get labs to produce them. Because the only way people will feel comfortable going back to work or to a restaurant is if they believe we have a handle on who has this virus and how to contain outbreaks.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to stop the virus, save lives and get Americans back to work.

Follow No Labels • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Glenn Hubbard Discusses Economic Recovery and the Federal Reserve Response to COVID-19 Apr 22, 2020

On this episode of Gridlock Break, we hear from Glenn Hubbard, the former dean of Columbia Business School and Chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisors. He explains why the current Federal Reserve lending program for businesses hurt by coronavirus may be doomed to fail and makes the case for a massive new infrastructure program to help restore demand across our economy.

The Fed’s focus on minimizing loan losses will prevent many solid small and medium sized businesses from getting the help they need. The good news is the Fed still has time to change course and fix the design of the program. Hubbard also shared some ideas about how smart tax and regulatory policy and infrastructure investment from Washington can help restore confidence as our economy reopens.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to stop the virus, save lives and get Americans back to work.

Follow No Labels • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

James Broughel Discusses State and Federal Regulations Related to COVID-19 Apr 20, 2020

James Broughel is a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and an adjunct professor of law at the Antonin Scalia Law School. He specializes in state and federal regulatory procedures, cost-benefit analysis, and economic growth. Today, he applies that expertise to the current COVID-19 pandemic, as he challenges the regulations that have been put in place for testing and suggests reforms that could bring effective tests to the public faster.

Dr. Broughel points out a huge problem with federal regulation: While agencies typically do extensive analysis before new regulations are implemented, they rarely do the same for regulations already on the books. Amid the COVID-19 crisis, Dr. Broughel argues that it is critical that existing regulations continue to be scrutinized to better reflect current needs and to expand the ability of healthcare professionals to innovate and serve patients.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to stop the virus, save lives and get Americans back to work.

Follow No Labels • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Congressman Josh Gottheimer and Congressman Tom Reed Discuss the Government's Response to the Coronavirus Crisis Apr 17, 2020

On this episode of Gridlock Break, House Problem Solvers Caucus co-chairs Josh Gottheimer and Tom Reed discuss the economic relief measures in the recently passed CARES Act as well as plans for subsequent federal support for businesses and individuals hit by the Coronavirus. They also look ahead for what it will take to reopen the economy and give people the confidence to get back to work.

Although Washington has already delivered a historic federal response to deal with coronavirus’ economic impact, you just heard from Problem Solvers Caucus co-chairs Reed and Gottheimer how much work there is still to be done. Small businesses – which employ half the population – are in particular need of more help and better, faster access to the lending programs that were included in the CARES Act to enable them to retain their workers.

Go to NoLabels.org to learn more about how we are bringing together a bipartisan group of public and private leaders working to stop the virus, save lives and get Americans back to work.

Follow No Labels • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Dr. David Katz Discusses a More Measured Response to Coronavirus Apr 14, 2020

Dr. David Katz has spent much of his career in an attempt to prevent life-threatening aspects of daily life. He is the founding director of Yale University’s Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Initiative, the founder and president of True Health Initiative, and the founder and CEO of Diet ID. His March 20, 2020 Op-Ed in the New York Times entitled “Is Our Fight Against Coronavirus Worse Than the Disease?” has begun a discussion in the medical field about the scale of the country’s response to COVID-19. He discusses whether it might have been more prudent to protect the section of our population - those over 65 and those who are immunosuppressed - rather than attempting to protect everyone.

Follow No Labels • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Former US Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky Discusses COVID-19's Impact on Global Trade Apr 10, 2020

Follow No Labels • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Walter Isaacson, Author & Historian Apr 07, 2020

Follow No Labels • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Dr. Omar Lateef, CEO of Rush University Medical Center Apr 03, 2020

Follow No Labels • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach, Former Commissioner of the FDA Apr 01, 2020

Follow No Labels • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

Gridlock Break Trailer Mar 31, 2020

Follow No Labels • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram

To stop the virus, save lives and get Americans back to work, we need millions of citizens and government leaders to embrace No Labels politics of problem solving. Gridlock Break, a No Labels podcast, brings you in depth and exclusive discussions with the top elected officials, public health, economic and thought-leaders on the frontlines of this battle.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected