Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor has
an unusual solution to Washington’s partisan gridlock: beer and chalupas.
an unusual solution to Washington’s partisan gridlock: beer and chalupas.
Speaking to a crowd of about 850 people at a prominent synagogue in the
capital, O’Connor recalled her days in the Arizona state Senate and how she
used to break the ice between Democrats and Republicans.
capital, O’Connor recalled her days in the Arizona state Senate and how she
used to break the ice between Democrats and Republicans.
“I was a legislative leader, I
would cook some Mexican food sometimes, chalupas or something … and I’d buy
some cold beer,” she said. “And then I’d invite some key people on
both sides of the aisle from the legislature.”
would cook some Mexican food sometimes, chalupas or something … and I’d buy
some cold beer,” she said. “And then I’d invite some key people on
both sides of the aisle from the legislature.”
According to the WashingtonExaminer, the former justice explained that those days of food and brew led to her
nonprofit “O’Connor House Project,” based out of the adobe brick home she
shared with her late husband, John.
nonprofit “O’Connor House Project,” based out of the adobe brick home she
shared with her late husband, John.
“We use it as a place where civil
talk leads to civic action,” O’Connor said. “In the present we’re
using O’Connor House to get legislators together over beers and chalupas [to]
see if they can’t get acquainted with each other and solve some of Arizona’s
problems.”
talk leads to civic action,” O’Connor said. “In the present we’re
using O’Connor House to get legislators together over beers and chalupas [to]
see if they can’t get acquainted with each other and solve some of Arizona’s
problems.”
Roll Call reports that the former family home is a
gathering site to convene policy discussions. The project aims to help
Arizona leaders cooperate to address some of the state’s most challenging
political problems.
gathering site to convene policy discussions. The project aims to help
Arizona leaders cooperate to address some of the state’s most challenging
political problems.
“Civil talk leads
to civic action,” O’Connor told the crowd, adding that Congress and state
legislatures could learn from her Southwestern tradition.
to civic action,” O’Connor told the crowd, adding that Congress and state
legislatures could learn from her Southwestern tradition.
