“I don’t even recognize it now,” said Kasich, a Republican, about the Grand Old Party. “They’re too interested in ‘no’ and not enough in terms of what they’re for.”

From the stage of the amphitheater inside Chautauqua Institution, Kasich reassured people, despite political party, that the power in a democracy comes “from the bottom up.” He reiterated that statement to a crowd he often reminded didn’t have to agree with him. Instead, his hope was that two or three people heard his sentiment that the power does not lay at the top.

Kasich served as governor of Ohio from 2011 to 2019 and ran in the 2016 presidential Republican primaries, which he jokingly reminded people Monday that he did not win.

As governor, Kasich helped eliminate an $8 billion budget shortfall which saw reserves grow from 89 cents to $2.7 billion, Chautauqua Institution President Michael Hill said during his introduction. Bringing the state back from a shortfall was also completed without raising taxes, Hill said of the former governor.

John Kasich, former Ohio governor and 2016 presidential candidate, spoke on the amphitheater stage inside Chautauqua Institution on Monday. Kasich reiterated to those in attendance that power comes “from the bottom up.” P-J photos by Jordan W. Patterson

Kasich has authored four New York Times best-sellers, including his 2017 work titled, “Two Paths: Divided or United.” He also told the audience about his new book set to be released in the fall titled, “It’s Up To Us: Ten Little Ways We Can Bring About Big Change.”

While Kasich was critical of his own party, he also criticized the Democratic Party which held its first round of debates last week. He said there is a chance that the current candidates’ push to go even further left on the political spectrum may help President Donald Trump get reelected.

The youngest Ohio governor in history and former congressman is known for promoting a bipartisan approach to solutions during his time in the political arena, Hill said. Kasich also supported the expansion of Medicaid and has been vocal about his opposition to the treatment of immigrant children in detainment facilities. He described their treatment as misrepresenting America.

On stage at the amphitheater, he showcased his bipartisan characteristic as he pleaded with audience members to “stop refusing to consider other points of view.” He encouraged them to “stop listening to the same stuff” and “try something else.”

“Here’s where I think we are today: we were at a point in this country where we were just fighting with one another about all this politics,” he said. “Now we’re at a point where we don’t want to bring it up. We’re like walking on eggshells.”

He joked about family members who may clash at a Thanksgiving dinner or neighbors who won’t speak to each other because of political signs placed in their front lawns. But for Kasich, the polarized nature of politics is “crazy” to him.

“Frankly, power doesn’t flow from the top down. Power in America flows from the bottom up,” he said.

Kasich’s examples of “from the bottom up” movements included the Civil Rights movement, student protests against the Vietnam War, the current uproar of the opioid crisis and gun control, and the Women’s Suffrage movement. He believed there will be gun reform and restrictions on the production and sale of prescription medicine because of the people’s response.

He talked about potential legislation he tried to get passed in Ohio regarding responsible gun control. But Kasich did not have support from the people, which he said was needed.

“I just hope there’s like two or three people that have heard me this morning because sometimes I don’t know,” Kasich said. “But if there’s two or three people that hear this message and create a movement or join a movement or believe in themselves and care more and love more and open their minds more, it’s worth it.”

To get to a point where political conversations can end without a “riot,” he said people need to slow down in their daily lives and be patient when it comes to change.

Prompted by a final question from the crowd, Kasich was asked about a potential presidential run in 2020.

“I really don’t know what my future’s going to be, but I can tell you this: All of my options are still on the table for politics,” he said to an applauding crowd. “But what I’m not going to do is put myself in a position where there is no path.”

Simply put, Kasich said he is enjoying giving lectures and speeches while promoting his books. So for now, he’ll continue to tell people his point of view and remind them that they have the power.