Issues - New Social Contract

ISSUES

“It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers” James Thurber

As we start to address issues we must consider several factors...

Asking The Right Question

Asking the right question is one of the most important steps in advancing the New Social Contract objective of establishing a fair and just database of analysis for political action. The issues and questions in the categories below all stem from a prejudice, a bias, or preconceived notion, which affected participants must either validate or correct. You may take them as they are or you may recast them. For a list of resources go to Issue Sources. For Google's comprehensive list of the current societies issue or for hot political issues of the day or go to politics1.com. For politics in a particular state go to stateline.org. Issue Sources in this site may help you sort out your thoughts.

You however get the issues of most interest to you. Eventually others with interest in the same issue may find different aspects of the issue more important and an opposing viewpoint of pros and cons will be posted . We will establish an editorial board to sort out a fair compromise but your presentation of the issue will remain in terms of the main thrust.

Prioritizing the Issues

As we later prioritize the list of issues, the most important issues of the day will float to the top, as determined by a poll of those who care enough to be involved in New Social Contract. The web pages and blogs you develop will also float to the top or become footnotes to other pages depending on the quality of your effort and the perceptions of your fellow participants. See how slashdot.org does this or come up with a better proposal. To get an idea of the number sites that offer ways to set up your own poll the best idea might be to Google "polls". For a selection of current political polls try Real Clear Politics poll site. Google "make a poll" for free sites that allow you to set up a poll for your own site of for one we should use on NSC.

Our Top Category is National Issues -Particularly Governmental

The ill functioning of current governmental processes argues for addressing them with priority since clearing them up will affect solutions to most over issues. Our first effort must be a national level constituent assembly but we must remember that "politics is local' and in successive assemblies we must have the State level issues rise from State constituent assemblies. In same light some public or issues of the press cannot be avoided. What the public cares about and fears must be addressed in the topmost issues.

Public issues and Issues of the Press

Some of those issues which are constantly in public view cannot be avoided by a constituent assembly but the very reason for their public attention are most likely to make them extremely contentious. Despite that contention consideration by the "citizen's assemblies" is unavoidable. Immigration might be one such issue.

State Issues

One of the reason that the framers of the constitution insisted on a republic was to insure that the individual states could resolve the issues in the authorities left to them by the constitution could be resolved in a manner that fit their geography, composition, and desires of their people. States differ because of all these things and their history. Their issues differ and a constituent assembly is one way to addressing these issues without the interference of the current major political parties. Some aspect of education fit this category.

Generic Issues -or Issues Technical Issues of Great Potential or Danger

There are some issues which require strategic planning and foresight that does not at this time rise to and adequate level of required attention of the public and require special attention. Too many other issues crowd the perception of the general populace. Nano Technology might encompass one of more of these issues. The question is how to catalog these issues and how to present them to the general public as either serious problems or valuable opportunities.

Continuous Improvement

As is true in any successful complex technological, scientific, and social endeavor, continuous improvement is essential. Getting the resources to fully develop the effort is dependent on efforts required in Get Involved.

Choose one issue upon which to work, and get your web page, blog or Wiki up. Send Publius a message when you have it up and running. Better yet start working on the pros and cons of an issue of importance on Issuewiki.us.

Contact New Social Contract At
socrates@newsocialcontract.org