To close out the Spring 2025 semester, the Senator Joseph Lieberman Mitzner Center for Public Service and Advocacy hosted two distinguished public servants for private conversations with the inaugural cohort of . Part of the centers In Dialogue with Series, these sessions gave the Scholars exclusive access to changemakers in the realms of urban policy and communications, increasing their professional network while providing insights into the ever-changing political landscape.
On April 29, Dan Gerstein, founder and CEO of the long-form ghostwriting agency Gotham Ghostwriters, discussed his time working as a speechwriter and senior advisor to Joe Lieberman. One of Liebermans foundations of success was respect: for voters, workers and those you disagree with, Gerstein remarked while discussing his time working for the senator. The main issue today is that we dont respect each other.
Gerstein argued that the number one villain in our descent into tribalism is social media, noting that, unlike speech as we normally think of it, online speech has very few legal and cultural deterrents to stop people from lying, which allows toxic online speech to seep into public discourse. We need to find a way to hold people accountable, he said. Some suggestions he floated on how to address the issue included amending Section 230, which grants immunity to tech platforms for posts made by their users, and enforcing stricter ID and age requirements on social media usage.
Gerstein concluded his discussion with tips on navigating today's tricky media and communications environment. He stressed the importance of knowing why you are saying something and being aware of the intended and unintended audience. This, Gerstein said, will not only help you say what you want to say, but also, perhaps more importantly, tell you when to stay silent.
The following week on May 6, the Lieberman Scholars met with Karen Blatt. A child of two parents who worked in the public sector, Blatt began her career in public service during her time at Stern College for Women, working for the Parks Department. She now serves as the co-executive director of the New York State Independent Redistricting Commission, a bipartisan commission responsible for drawing state legislative and congressional district lines in New York.
Discussing policy overall, Blatt reminded the students to evaluate all the impacts of a policy, good, bad and everything in between. Using immigration as an example, Blatt noted how population trends impact census counts, which in turn impacts the number of state representatives in Congress. So, while some may be tempted to deport illegal immigrants in bad standing after due process, this will ultimately impact the population in one's state and, by extension, the voters power in Congress.
Shifting to the lessons from her career, Blatt reflected that working in a bipartisan commission taught her the importance of compromise and how those who push solely for their agenda risk isolating potential allies across the aisle and losing social and political capital. She also highlighted the innovative thinking that is necessary to go into politics, noting that if you can find a creative solution to a large problem, the politicians will find the money.
Previous In Dialogue With series speakers include Hon. Clarine Nardi Riddle, former Attorney General of Connecticut and former chief of staff to Senator Lieberman himself; Jonathan Greenspun, managing director of the public affairs firm Mercury; Israel Nitzan, former Deputy Consul General & Acting Consul General of Israel; and Matthew Incantalupo, YU assistant professor of political science.
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