This sociology educator now realizes that there has been a National Issues Forum for a number of years, thanks to a comment from "Connie"...go to http: //www.nifi.org/
My suggestion would be to elevate the Forums to include grassroots (local) America. With that larger sector of American society, the entire country should and will get involved. You'll appreciate this additional site above and its nonpartisan philosophy...again, thank you ,"Connie", for enlightening me!
1) and the main concern? To focus NATIONALLY, on national television, for millions of concerned Americans to see different sides, and beyond, of the national issue! With our recent modern and advanced systems of communication, Americans will be able to text or e-mail their own personal opinions during the Forums almost instantaneously, with input! WOW...imagine the ramifications, finally, of such a total National Issues Forum!!!!! All of America would and could be talking about the issues at hand!
2) another issue?....Stem Cell Research.
3) this week (2/23/'10) there was an attempt at creating a NATIONAL issues form on "healthcare"...but the attempt was poorly executed by the prez! As a FAIR and honorable "moderator", the "leader" MUST not inject his/her own agenda into the forum. This one was totally inept from the leadership position. He talked and talked and talked, to hear himself talk, to place himself on a pedestal instead of openingly and fairly allowing each person to present.
When an "opposition" speaker finished, not agreeing with the moderator, the moderator commanded the last word, cutting apart what was said, trying to be in command! At the conclusion of the looooong 7+ hours, once again the moderator did not correctly sum up both sides of the issue, but instead uttered a threat that a 51-vote would be used, no matter what, to push through his own agenda! It has been clear for some months that an America majority, in general, do not like nor do not want the "healthcare bill", as pushed by the prez.
This attempt at a national issues forum was NOT the proper way to utilize such a potentially important way of informing the most Americans! We'll keep trying, though.
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Citizen driven National Issues Forums were started in the 80's and continue to this day. Please see: http://www.nifi.org/
Citizen driven National Issues Forums were started in the 80's and continue to this day. Please see: http://www.nifi.org/
EXCELLENT, Connie! I did go to the site you suggested. Thank you for sharing...that's the way one learns. I did examine their overall academic philosophy and indepth setup, nonpartisan, for their National Issues Forums and like, appreciate and respect them! The only suggestion would be to elevate the Forums to a national status for everyone, especially grassroots (local) America.
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