Public Issues Series: The State of Politics in America Today

This free public forum is sponsored by UW-Fond du Lac and the Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service (WIPPS).

Petri is serving his 17th term in Congress. He is currently a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and serves as Chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee. He also serves on the Committee on Education and the Workforce as a member of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education and the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training.

Obey was first elected in 1969, representing his district for 41 years. He was the only Democratic member of the House to sit on the Budget Committee, the Joint Economic Committee and the Appropriations Committee, which he most recently chaired.  He previously served three terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly.

“We are very fortunate to have Congressman Petri and former Congressman Obey participate in this significant program related to civic engagement and the state of our current political climate,” said John Short, UW-Fond du Lac Dean and CEO. “I hope that this discussion and forum will highlight the importance of restoring civility and respect in our political discourse. We have seen dramatic political polarization and division, both nationally and in Wisconsin. This dialogue should help us understand how and why our political environment has changed and where we may be headed in future.”

The forum will include introductory remarks by Petri and Obey followed by time for questions and answers from the audience. The moderator will be UW-Fond du Lac political science department faculty member Donald Schwartz.

Call (920) 929-1100 for more information.