Colorado Gov. Jared Polis joined Utah Gov. Spencer Cox to speak about their “Disagree Better” initiative at the Aspen Ideas Festival on Friday.
The project is focused on promoting civil discourse — finding common ground while respecting different points of view.
In an interview before his panel, Polis said the country is hungry for this kind of conversation.
“It's OK to disagree. There shouldn’t be a stigma associated with it,” Polis said. “But to do so in a way that doesn't denigrate the motivation of those who happen to be your political opponents, and rather just focus on the issues at hand, is what we need to do more of in America today.”
The “Disagree Better” initiative came out of the National Governors Association; Cox spearheaded it as the current chair of the association.
Polis, a Democrat, and Cox, a Republican, often appear together to promote the concept. Polis believes that the idea of respectful disagreement allows candidates and voters to focus on issues, rather than personal attacks — and that can make the democratic process more “accessible,” he said.
Polis said citizens can foster healthy conversations in their own lives just by talking with other people in their community.
“Start with the basics of, you know, how can life be better in our neighborhood? You know, if it's a parent at your kid's school, what do you like or dislike about the school?,” Polis said. “And you'll find that there's loving, caring parents on both sides, there’s dedicated citizens on both sides, that want to make life better.”
The Aspen Ideas Festival wraps up Saturday. It featured multiple conversations about bipartisanship, reaching across the aisle, and civility; Aspen Public Radio will have more coverage of the topic, including the panel with Polis and Cox, next week.
