To "Save American Democracy" we must ...
- Stop the slide to Autocracy
- Restore and Improve our Constitutional Republic
- Transition to "Wise Democracy" [i.e. a system that is 'of, by and for the People' that is also collectively intelligent)
Today America is encountering unprecedented problems. Yet, the normal solutions available in our Constitutional Republic are not enough ... e.g. street demonstrations, court cases, dialogues, civic education, election integrity, local action, lobbying. But they are not enough. What's missing is a collective thinking process where a legitimate "We the People" can arise. We need to face our nation's biggest issues (the Monster Problems) together and reach shared clarity about the truth of what's going on, what we want, and how best to get there.
This "We the People" conversation can be facilitated into being within 1 or 2 years. The Wise Democracy Project is 8 accessible steps by which a few of us can set this in motion. Actually, this Project is a "holution" more than a "solution" because it undermines many Monster Problems at once. In fact, if you make your biggest wish for American Democracy, this Project may achieve it: See the Monster Wish.
The idea for the Wise Democracy Project was first brought forth in the 2002 book "Society's Breakthrough! Releasing Essential Wisdom and Virtue in All the People" by Jim Rough. Back then we thought a U.S. Constitutional Amendment was needed as the first step. However through experiments with the "Wisdom Council Process," which is the core of the Amendment, we've learned that a legitimate and wise "We the People" can come into existence without the Amendment or even the support of elected officials. We can just do it.
For the Wise Democracy Project to work, we need a small group of people who "get it," who recognize that this new "We the People" is needed and to realize that the Wise Democracy Project can set it in motion. See "Getting it ... that this must happen." We call this small group “Just Us.” Of course, we also need adequate funds.
This Project is fast acting because it doesn't need to "scale up" like a social movement. We start "at scale" with a symbol of "We the People," a random selection of just 12 to 16 citizens who address one Monster Issue and reach shared conclusions. At first, this is just a symbolic action. But it is still capable of voicing the Public Interest, a new entry into the usual battle of Special Interests. This new voice expresses a clear, coherent, unified perspective on the most controversial issues, and a story of how the random group reached this perspective. The response of most people who hear is basically "Yes, of course."
Most important is that this new voice is beginning a new conversation that grows in time. Each month more people get involved in co-determining what is the truth? what do we want? and what actions are needed? Each of us can join this conversation just by talking with others about it. Each month, a new randomly selected Wise Democracy Council meets in a different location to support this ongoing "We the People" conversation.
To get started just a few of us need to understand the transformational journey this Project is beginning, but all of us will "get it" in time. The conversation itself is enjoyable and productive as opposed to our current national conversation where people hide out in media silos. Each month there are gatherings of people in different localities to hear the Wise Democracy Council conclusions, what we call "Resonance Gatherings," and then to visit among themselves in a similar creative spirit. The quality of conversation we seek, as much as possible, in the Resonance Gatherings and follow-up conversations is choice-creating, which is different than the usual 5D’s —i.e. dialogue, deliberation, debate, discourse, & discussion. With “choice-creating,” people address a big Monster Issue and reliably achieve wise unity.
As this new public conversation gains participants and demonstrates its effectiveness, a new being will arise: “We the People, where "We" ultimately assume our rightful place as the ultimate authority, above the President, Congress, Courts and Constitution. This is a new System ... a Real Democracy. Only, we call it "Wise Democracy," because this System is both "of, by and for the people” and wisdom producing.
This "We the People" conversation can be facilitated into being within 1 or 2 years. The Wise Democracy Project is 8 accessible steps by which a few of us can set this in motion. Actually, this Project is a "holution" more than a "solution" because it undermines many Monster Problems at once. In fact, if you make your biggest wish for American Democracy, this Project may achieve it: See the Monster Wish.
The idea for the Wise Democracy Project was first brought forth in the 2002 book "Society's Breakthrough! Releasing Essential Wisdom and Virtue in All the People" by Jim Rough. Back then we thought a U.S. Constitutional Amendment was needed as the first step. However through experiments with the "Wisdom Council Process," which is the core of the Amendment, we've learned that a legitimate and wise "We the People" can come into existence without the Amendment or even the support of elected officials. We can just do it.
For the Wise Democracy Project to work, we need a small group of people who "get it," who recognize that this new "We the People" is needed and to realize that the Wise Democracy Project can set it in motion. See "Getting it ... that this must happen." We call this small group “Just Us.” Of course, we also need adequate funds.
This Project is fast acting because it doesn't need to "scale up" like a social movement. We start "at scale" with a symbol of "We the People," a random selection of just 12 to 16 citizens who address one Monster Issue and reach shared conclusions. At first, this is just a symbolic action. But it is still capable of voicing the Public Interest, a new entry into the usual battle of Special Interests. This new voice expresses a clear, coherent, unified perspective on the most controversial issues, and a story of how the random group reached this perspective. The response of most people who hear is basically "Yes, of course."
Most important is that this new voice is beginning a new conversation that grows in time. Each month more people get involved in co-determining what is the truth? what do we want? and what actions are needed? Each of us can join this conversation just by talking with others about it. Each month, a new randomly selected Wise Democracy Council meets in a different location to support this ongoing "We the People" conversation.
To get started just a few of us need to understand the transformational journey this Project is beginning, but all of us will "get it" in time. The conversation itself is enjoyable and productive as opposed to our current national conversation where people hide out in media silos. Each month there are gatherings of people in different localities to hear the Wise Democracy Council conclusions, what we call "Resonance Gatherings," and then to visit among themselves in a similar creative spirit. The quality of conversation we seek, as much as possible, in the Resonance Gatherings and follow-up conversations is choice-creating, which is different than the usual 5D’s —i.e. dialogue, deliberation, debate, discourse, & discussion. With “choice-creating,” people address a big Monster Issue and reliably achieve wise unity.
As this new public conversation gains participants and demonstrates its effectiveness, a new being will arise: “We the People, where "We" ultimately assume our rightful place as the ultimate authority, above the President, Congress, Courts and Constitution. This is a new System ... a Real Democracy. Only, we call it "Wise Democracy," because this System is both "of, by and for the people” and wisdom producing.
"Democracy is not worked out at the polling-booths; it is the bringing forth of a genuine collective will ... Thus the essence of democracy is creating."
Mary Parker Follett in The New State (1918)
Mary Parker Follett in The New State (1918)
Handout on "How to save American Democracy"
This handout contains 12 slides in a front/back manner. It provides an overview of the Systemic nature of the problem and outlines how the Wise Democracy Project addresses it. ... If you print out and carry a few of the handouts you can help others when they start to panic and become fearful about the loss of American Democracy. Many of the 12 slides on the handout have QR codes identifying where to look more deeply about each point.
"Getting it" ... that this Project will work and it must happen
Our current System, a Constitutional Republic, no longer fits our Situation and this mismatch is causing today's Monster Problems, including the slide to autocracy. Because our System is competition-based when collaboration is needed, it does not deliver citizen empowerment or collective intelligence. The Wise Democracy Project adds the missing "We the People" conversation to what already exists. The need for this is obvious: Of course we need to add a collective thinking process by which we face our biggest problems creatively and collaboratively; reach shared conclusions about what's going on, what we want and what we need to do; and provide responsible leadership to elected officials, the economy, and the culture. But it's often difficult for people to see how this can work. Hopefully, you will explore this exciting new development and "get it" that this must happen!