Community Caucus

So the theory of the republican form of constitutional government is that the people select individuals that they respect and believe will be able to work out solutions for society's problems according to the restrictions of government established by the constitution.  Yet, if you are like me, I see the national government at least as being in a terrible state of dysfunction.  Democrats complain that the Republicans are obstructionist.  Republicans complain that the Democrats are out of control.  To the public, government seems bent mainly on electability and retention or gaining of control and power.

As an independent voter, I find myself frustrated with both sides.  More importantly, I find myself frustrated at the inability of America to be able to carry on any honest conversation over the challenging issues of the day.  It is more important in the political climate to turn disagreement into opportunities to attack.  I want a platform where I can explore the issues without being labeled or pigeon-holed.

I find myself wondering if it would be possible in our day to gather as friends and neighbors and attempt an honest exploration of the many different sides of the challenging issues of our day.  It would be what I would call a community caucus.  But unlike a party caucus, we would not be deciding policy or choosing delegates that necessarily represent a majority view.  Instead, the shared interest would be in trying to seek out the reality of political issues, to understand their complexity, and to appreciate others' perspectives.

Examples of possible topics:
1) Health care costs, health insurance, and the role of government
2) Taxes, fairness, and the economy
3) Budget, borrowing, spending
4) Immigration policy
5) Homeland security vs freedom

Anyone interested?  Is it even possible?  How would it work?  Is an online format more practical than an in-person format?

Comments

  1. KerriSeptember 18, 2011 at 1:56 AM

    I agree with you, Brian. I have been equally frustrated, and I think there are a lot of us who do. Neither party has the corner on good behavior, that's for sure, and I'd love to see us discuss issues, not "my side vs. your side."

    ReplyDelete

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