The Bipartisan Policy Center Welcomes John Fortier As Director of its Democracy Project

The Democracy Project is co-chaired by former Secretaries Dan Glickman and Dirk Kempthorne and AOL Co-Founder Steve Case

WASHINGTON, May 9, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) is pleased to announce that John Fortier has joined its staff as Director of its Democracy Project.  The Democracy Project is co-chaired by former Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman, former Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne, and AOL Co-Founder Steve Case.  Launched in November 2010, The Democracy Project is focused on improving the ability of government to grapple with the nation's challenges.

"We are delighted to welcome John to the Bipartisan Policy Center," said Secretary Glickman.  "As we work to elevate the national conversation on civility and strengthen our political discourse through The Democracy Project, John's vast knowledge of Congress and politics will be essential.  Given the current climate in Washington, efforts like The Democracy Project are needed now more than ever."

Dr. Fortier joins the BPC from the American Enterprise Institute, where he was a research fellow and served as the principal contributor to the AEI-Brookings Election Reform Project, the executive director of the Continuity of Government Commission, and the project manager of the Transition to Governing Project.  He also served as the director of the Center for the Study of American Democracy at Kenyon College.

"The Democracy Project is focused on identifying and promoting concrete steps to help restore America's faith in our government institutions," said Julie Anderson, Senior Vice President at the BPC.  "Given John's extraordinary background and research in these areas, he is the perfect person to lead this effort."

Dr. Fortier is the author of Absentee and Early Voting: Trends, Promises and Perils, author and editor of After the People Vote: A Guide to the Electoral College, and author and co-editor with Norman Ornstein of Second Term Blues: How George W. Bush Has Governed, and numerous academic articles in political science and law journals.  He has taught at Kenyon College, University of Pennsylvania, University of Delaware, Harvard University and Boston College.

The Democracy Project is a bipartisan group of former Cabinet officials, former Senate and House members, and leading figures in the business, academic and civic communities. The Democracy Project Advisory Committee includes Raul Fernandez, Don Fierce, former Congresswoman Connie Morella, Janet Murguia, former Senator Don Nickles, Norman Ornstein, General Peter Pace, Lynda Robb and David B. Smith.

About the Bipartisan Policy Center:

In 2007, former U.S. Senate Majority Leaders Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole, and George Mitchell formed the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) to develop and promote solutions that can attract the public support and political momentum to achieve real progress. Currently, the BPC focuses on issues including health care, energy, national and homeland security, transportation and economic policy. For more information, please visit our website: www.bipartisanpolicy.org.

SOURCE Bipartisan Policy Center

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