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American Democracy is threatened with dictatorship. What can be done? ...  Normal "solution approaches" like demonstrating in the streets, calling your elected officials, conducting civic education classes, raising consciousness, caring for your neighbors, etc. can do little about this. The Wise Democracy Project described below is a holistic answer, what we call a "Holution," because it promises to transform the underlying System so the "Monster Problems" can start going away. (See "Solving National Issues in America.")

This Project applies the Wisdom Council Process to the United States. It's 8 accessible steps. A few people (i.e. Just Us) with adequate resources can use this to facilitate ALL the People to come together as a wise, responsible and powerful "We the People." Each of the 8 steps is a benefit by itself, but together they promise immense benefits. ​

Step 1 ...  Gather "Just Us" (national version) and adequate resources

 "Just Us" is a small group of people who are deeply concerned about our national situation, especially the loss of American Democracy. They have examined the Wise Democracy approach and excitedly recognize "This must happen!" Key in this is to appreciate how our System not longer fits our Situation and is causing our nation's biggest impossible-seeming Monster Problems. Of course, we all appreciate the value of "normal" within-system solutions like street demonstrations, lobbying, modeling the new paradigm, elevating personal consciousness, civic education, electing new leaders, implementing rank order voting, etc.  But these normal solution-approaches are blocked from being effective because, without a legitimate "We the People" they can only address symptoms. They recognize that to really address Monster Issues, like the slide to autocracy, our System must be transformed. ....  Step #1 is a benefit because this small group brings forward a new facilitative model of change, not top-down or bottom-up. It's a way that all of us can work creatively together. 

Step 2 ... Identify one Monster Problem to address first

There are many urgent impossible-seeming national problems that are worsening, e.g. the bitter partisan battle, the mal-distribution of wealth, minority control over the majority, over consumption, meaningless jobs, etc. In this step we draw attention to one of these issues at a time. The issue doesn't need to be well-defined, just some "impossible-seeming mess" that most everyone cares about. A poll can pick the issue. Or elected officials can identify it. Or donors to this process can select their favorite. It almost doesn't matter because the Wisdom Council itself will reshape it into something they all care about.... Step #2 is a benefit because it focuses national attention on one vital issue and orients people toward cooperating to solve it.

Step 3 ... Randomly select 10 to 16 people

Here we identify 10 to 16 random people from the national population and bring them together as the first national Wisdom Council. Of course, achieving an accurate random selection is difficult, but we do the best we can. We ask a respected polling organization to provide us with, as much as possible, a legitimate random sample of people.. ... Step #3 is a benefit because it creates a living symbol of all-the-people where, like the first picture of earth from space, we can begin to appreciate who We are. 

Step 4 ... Use Dynamic Facilitation to reliably evoke the spirit of "choice-creating" in each Wisdom Council

Each random group or "Wisdom Council" is gathered to meet for just a few days with someone skilled in Dynamic Facilitation. This is the magic sauce. It evokes a thinking process in the group that is choice-creating more than decision-making or problem-solving. This small diverse group achieves unity through shifts and breakthroughs and co-creates a shared story about how they achieved unity. It's a symbol of "We the People," just ordinary people, facing an impossible-seeming existential issue and co-determining a new clarity about  the "real problem", the "truth" of what's going on, a vision of what we want, and a wise strategy we all can support. ... Step #4 is a benefit because it introduces and sets in motion the beginnings of a new kind of national conversation, a choice-creating conversation added to what already exists. 

Step 5 ... Convene a live "national community" meeting where the Wisdom Council presents the story of its journey & its unified conclusions to the people

After the Wisdom Council reaches its conclusions the members walk onstage and present their story to a large live face to face audience, to the media, and to video cameras for later viewing. The members tell a little about themselves, their conclusions and how they reached their unified conclusions. They are not presenting a "recommendation" or "proposal", which is what ordinarily happens in this kind of mini-public gathering.  Instead, this is a reflective sharing from the people to the people aimed at involving all of us in thinking together deeply. Generally, the audience recognizes these conclusions as commonsensical and the process as valuable. After the Wisdom Council members finish, "audience members" talk with one another. And in most experiments we've found they essentially say "Yes, I think so too! And they continue talking in a spirit similar to choice-creating."  So here's a way to achieve "We the People" unity throughout the entire national community in quick fashion. Yes, there will be people who think differently but this process orients them toward building on the ideas rather than agreeing or disagreeing. This is the conversation required for a real democracy to exist.  We the People need to take times out to talk and think together about the Big issues, reach conclusions and provide wise leadership to government, the economy and the culture.  ... Step #5 is a benefit because it helps people come together around a particular story of who we are, what is going on, what we want, and what is needed to solve the chosen Monster problem.  

Step 6 ... Structure Wisdom Councils to be ongoing every month or so

The Wisdom Council Process convenes ONE ONGOING WHOLE-SYSTEM CHOICE-CREATING CONVERSATION about the most important issues the community faces. This generates a new level of "collective intelligence." And since the process is ongoing, where new randomly selected Wisdom Councils are gathered to address Monster issues each month or so, this process by itself restructures the System. It provides for real democracy to come into existence by assuring that each person can become involved and empowered in the ultimate "decision-making" conversation; a new ultimate authority, "We the People," will come into existence; and a way that We, all of us, can restructure our 18th century Constitution to make sense in the modern world. .... Step #6 is a benefit because it establishes a "We the People" conversation where individuals and society achieves new levels of intelligence and consciousness.

 Step 7 ... Provide for the new "We the People" conversation to be ever more inclusive

As the national Wisdom Council Process continues, individuals, experts, leaders, media, celebrities, etc. will increasingly participate in addressing the Monster Problems and co-creating ultimate conclusions. Especially when there is a crisis like a pandemic or the Russian invasion of Ukraine, some horrible new climate event, or the looming threat of a Coup, people will want there to be some wise and responsible authority to step forward, and to be part of this new authority. This new whole-nation conversation generates effective collaborative actions among individuals, organizations, the market and government. Plus, people build a shared understanding of the truth of what's going on beyond the bubble of their mis-information. Everyone is invited. And everything is voluntary.  ...Step #7 is a benefit because it provides a way for each person to share ownership of the problem and work with others to solve it

Step 8 ... Provide ways for people to learn more about this facilitative model of change, especially the social innovations choice-creating, Dynamic Facilitation, and the Wisdom Council Process.

The benefits projected for The Wise Democracy Project can seem over-the-top, almost magical. Fortunately, we don't need to sell these benefits to many people ahead of time. With adequate resources we (just us) can convene the Project in a way that they will choose to join the conversation and experience the process and benefits for themselves. Then later, we can help people understand why this is working and how this added conversation achieves miraculous-seeming results. For instance, people may want to learn the distinction between "decision-making" and "choice-creating." And between different kinds of democratic process. Or to understand the difference between Citizens Assemblies and the Wisdom Council Process. ... Step #8 is a benefit because it can help people feel a new level of empowerment in their lives, even in the face of seemingly impossible societal crises
Also, arising from the Wisdom Council Process will be a legitimate "We the People" who will implement many actions ... and take a 9th step.

Step 9 ... Amend the U.S. Constitution to assure official continuance of the Wisdom Council Process.

Often when Wisdom Councils report their conclusions, they will emphatically state "this process needs to keep happening." So it is likely that national Wisdom Councils will speak in this way and aim to implement something like the Wise-Democracy Amendment.

 Immense Benefits will arise in different ways, from ...

  • Each of the 8 STEPS. These are “normal solutions” that can make a big difference by themselves … for instance, where citizens identify one issue as key that we are all working on; where we “own” and seek to solve the problem (e.g loss of democracy) as well as “owning” a particular solution action (e.g. teaching civics); where we create a living symbol of “We the People” that changes monthly; where We co-create unified conclusions of the “Public Will” in a way that elected officials can support; where many local and web-based small group conversations engage in a new kind of politics that builds the spirit of community, rather than tearing it down; by helping know about choice-creating, a more powerful quality of conversation than rational debate, dialogue, deliberation, negotiation, or problem-solving; etc.
  • The CONTENT of what Wisdom Councils say. Each Wisdom Council will address a chosen issue and co-create shared conclusions on what is really going on (i.e. the Truth); what we want (i.e. the Vision); and what we need to do about it (the best Strategy). How does action happen? … This conclusion is presented to the general public as a reflection, not a proposal. The point is to generate a creative public conversation that builds shared conclusions among all the people. As the conversation continues what’s needed becomes clear, where thoughtful actions to solve the problems are taken in a coordinated manner by individuals, organizations, elected officials and ultimately also by a powerful new entity, “We the People”.
  • The ONGOING nature of the Wisdom Councils evolves ever greater participation and agency among the people. It's a new story about what is democracy, who are the people, how do they relate, etc. It’s recognizing that voting, influencing people’s vote and the political battling of Special Interests are not core to democracy. Rather “Wise Democracy” arises as a heartfelt collaboration in the Public Interest, where shared conclusions continually evolve to become even better.
  • The new PROCESS of thinking is a creative quest to determine “what’s best for all,” rather than arguing, promoting, judging and influencing to see who wins power. It’s a shift from living inside the rules of the game for collective decision-making, where we don’t get much of a say, to where we are co-founders of the new society. Personally, we become less judgmental and more creative. And more motivated toward the public interest than maximizing special interests. Choice-creating is healing in many ways … e.g. anxieties, polarization, traumas, the crisis of meaning, etc. ... 
  • The new SYSTEM of Wise Democracy. The Wise Democracy Project adds the missing "We the People" conversation to our System, which is a shift from the Box System (or the Triangle) to the Circle System. We shift from being a "constitutional republic," where a social contract is ultimately in charge, to being a "Wise Democracy," where a wise and responsible "We the People" is ultimately in charge. This System transformation is a restructuring of economics as well, away from profit maximization and commodification of people to a pursuit of meaning and service. We call the new economics "ToBe-ism." 
  • Accomplishing YOUR BIGGEST WISH for America. So what is your biggest wish and note (we think) that achieving "the Monster Wish" will also achieve your wish.
    • I wish ...  (aim high)        .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................  See The Monster Wish

What if I don't "See the Elephant" or "get that this Project will work"?

The benefits of the "Wise Democracy Project" are so over-the-top and the risks are so low that the whole idea can seem utopian or unachievable. But this is not a social movement. We don't need lots of people to "get it" ahead of time. We'd like that of course, but just a few of us are needed to start the Project. Others can just hear what the Wisdom Councils say and maybe talk with friends about it. Anyone who does that is part of the burgeoning "We the People" conversation.  Remember when a Wisdom Council speaks it's a random group of people symbolizing all of us, who address some really Big ill-defined issue that we all care about, and reach unity. So they are a symbolic voice of you and me, what we are all thinking and wanting to say.  So at this point it's normal for us to speak up and say "that's great!" or "hey, that's not what I'm thinking" or ... whatever.  The majority of people do respond "yes! I think so too!"

Then experts may speak up to correct some details; Or an NGO will want to tell us that they already do this; Or a high school class may want to share their anxieties about how this will work for young people. Finally, we are beginning the essential whole-system conversation required of a democracy. It's the missing "We the People" conversation with a way to articulate over time what We are all thinking.

1) How can we help you to "see the elephant," to "get" the vital importance of implementing the Wise Democracy Project? Below are some different approaches to explore: 
2) At this point you don't have to "get" the vital importance of implementing The Wise Democracy Project because ... check out how we will all "get it." 

So, what can "I" do to spark "Wise Democracy" in America? ... You can make an immense difference by supporting this work! (This page is being reworked)