Lecture at UNE to explore “How Independents Can End Hyper-Partisanship and Restore Democracy”
As Americans across the nation prepare to elect a new president next week, just about the only thing everyone seems to agree upon is that our current politics is broken. As two of the least popular major party candidates in history trade barbs, Washington insiders nonetheless line up to issue the expected party talking points without ever delving beneath the surface of the actual issues that matter most at kitchen tables across the country.
As a consequence of the polarization in Washington, we have less faith than ever before in our government’s ability to tackle the big challenges facing our country and world. According to the latest Gallup polls, Congress “enjoys” an 18 percent approval rating, while just 27 percent of Americans are satisfied with the direction of the country.
Amidst this dispiriting reality, businessman and former independent candidate Greg Orman will present a lecture titled “How Independents Can End Hyper-Partisanship and Restore Democracy” at the University of New England Center for Global Humanities on Tuesday, November 1 at 6 p.m. The lecture will take place at the WCHP Lecture Hall in Parker Pavilion on the UNE Portland Campus.
Orman, who made national headlines in 2014 when he ran as an Independent and nearly unseated U.S. Senator Pat Roberts in Kansas, will argue that the two-party system is failing our democracy and describe how big money and professional lobbyists are creating a rigged game that doesn’t serve the interests of everyday Americans. More than pointing out the holes in the two-party system, Orman will offer concrete solutions that begin with electing more Independent candidates to local and national office.
After his near-miss in 2014, Orman penned the 2016 book A Declaration of Independents: How We Can Break the Two-Party Stranglehold and Restore the American Dream, which has drawn critical praise from pundits and readers from across the political spectrum. Over a twenty-five-year business career, he has started several successful companies in the recycling, construction, sporting goods, business services, medical devices, specialty manufacturing and real estate industries.
To learn more about the Center for Global Humanities, visit www.une.edu/cgh
To apply, visit www.une.edu/admissions