Problems with America are worsening
- Increasing polarization, lack of listening, information silos;
- L-curve distribution of wealth and power;
- Increasing corruption, where money wins over the public interest
- Undermining of public institutions ... fake news, rage radio, foreign manipulation of elections, breakdown of the rule of law as a value, etc.
- Lawmakers in gridlock, incapable of handling difficult issues;
- Declining trust in the institutions of government, e.g. the independence of the courts, the judicial system;
- Loss of shared vision and national community;
- Impending destruction of the commons, e.g. the tradition of democracy, national trust, aquifers, forests, etc.
- Outmoded economy ... e.g. our food system creates unhealthy products, destroys soils; promotes over-consumption;
- (you name the issue that concerns you most)
All of these issues are symptoms of a deeper problem: ... Our national system was designed for 18th century circumstances. It assumes that we are all in-dependent in our "pursuit of happiness". That what's best for all will arise through competition. But today we have become inter-dependent. So the competition of "special interests" now undermines the "public interest". What's missing is "We the People" leadership, the conversation of us all where we work together to determine and achieve the public interest.
A simple solution to all these issues is possible
Using the Wisdom Council Process it is possible to establish an inclusive creative "We the People", where all-of-us-together provide capable leadership to government, the economy and our culture. This is a proven trans-partisan way to establish "real democracy" ... just by adding the missing "We the People" conversation.
Originally, we thought that this needed to be instituted through a U.S. Constitutional Amendment. This was described in the 2002 book "Society's Breakthrough! Releasing Essential Wisdom and Virtue in All the People".... But now after years of experiments and adoption by governments in Europe, we know that the Wisdom Council Process is powerful enough, by itself, to involve the people in facing the most important issues and reaching near unity on what to do.
If we can add this "ongoing, whole-system, We the People conversation" it
Originally, we thought that this needed to be instituted through a U.S. Constitutional Amendment. This was described in the 2002 book "Society's Breakthrough! Releasing Essential Wisdom and Virtue in All the People".... But now after years of experiments and adoption by governments in Europe, we know that the Wisdom Council Process is powerful enough, by itself, to involve the people in facing the most important issues and reaching near unity on what to do.
If we can add this "ongoing, whole-system, We the People conversation" it
- provides breakthrough progress on the impossible-seeming issues we address;
- builds trust, shared vision and the spirit of national community; and
- sparks a new level of democracy where "We the People" take responsibility for our system.
This short (9 min) video Rebirth of We the People is from 1/25/17, just after Donald Trump assumed the Presidency. While the talk is given to the Democrats of Spokane WA, It could just as easily have been given to the Republicans instead of the Democrats.
This short (5 min) video describes a national experiment in Germany using the Wisdom Council Process (When instituted by governments we often call it a "Civic Council")
Additional resources
1) Handout ... "How to Fix America ... And Become a Real Democracy"
2) Chart: Seven strategies to fix the Ideal of Democracy in America
3) Short video on “How to reform democracy”
4) The book “Society’s Breakthrough! Releasing Essential Wisdom and Virtue in All the People”
2) Chart: Seven strategies to fix the Ideal of Democracy in America
3) Short video on “How to reform democracy”
4) The book “Society’s Breakthrough! Releasing Essential Wisdom and Virtue in All the People”