Summations Only

Remember, as I said, our politicians simply reflect the electorate and there are NO good fast solutions.To work will require educating the electorate and that will take at least two generations I fear.The first step is to begin teaching the art and techniques of consensus building at a very young age, elementary school, and continue the education right on through all schooling.Instill consensus building techniques into the small groups and then expand it as I say, over several generations to larger and larger groups.

Which is fine.No decision is a decision.The result is that nothing happens.

I am not convinced that it would make change impossible.AbE:Let me expand a little on this.As I have said over and over in this and other threads, I see no quick or easy solutions. Any possible solutions that I can see will take several generations before any results are seen.To make the changes necessary I believe that first the whole electorate must be educated and trained to develop the basic knowledge set needed as well as the critical thinking skills and techniques like consensus building.That must begin at the very start of a child's education and carry on through life.If you go back and reread what I have posted I believe you will find I said that a consensus system is the ideal; I am under no illusions that it is something that could simply be adopted with today's electorate. Most folk just don't have either the tools needed or the basic education needed.There are things that can be done relatively quickly though even under the current system to work towards changing the current income equality issue in the US, UK and several other major developed nations.Public movement like OWS have historically been able to make changes in a short period of time, but they also have almost always failed to address the real underlying problems.If this is worth discussing then let's start another thread or if folk think it appropriate continue here.Edited by jar, : see AbE:

Actually, education can lead to consensus building, in fact it is essential. Part is learning the results of NOT building a consensus.Yes, it may well be a pipe dream, but in the long run, I also believe it is the only hope.

I hope that you will note a few things.I said it was my belief.I also said that it was a goal.Finally I have not said that I wanted to impose anything on anyone.

One thing I can be absolutely certain is that as long as we do not work towards that goal we will not achieve that goal.

It is a process.It will take time.It is not quick, not neat, often messy but I have seen consensus building work.

And if we start early enough in educating the electorate they will learn that to get anything accomplished it will be necessary to build a consensus.

No, I never said that we can't do anything, I said that I believe a consensus system should be the goal.I really doubt that it could be done in fifty years, it took well over a hundred so far just on the smaller issue of equal rights, and we have not achieved that goal yet.

That would be true and maybe even relevant if it had anything to do with what I have posted.I have said that I believe the goal should be to work towards a consensus system.I have said that to do that will take decades.I have said to be effective, children must be taught how to use the tools of critical thinking and consensus building.I have said that in itself would take at least two generations.Nothing in any of that says that there are not things that can be done while we build such a system.It really is that simple.

It was not just the South; we tend to forget the events that happened in Newark and Hoboken and Manhattan and Detroit and Indianapolis and Chicago and Harlem and Rochester and Cleveland and York, PA and North Omaha, NE and Camden, NJ.

Plus a change, plus c'est la mme chose.The Festival for Life.Osage Avenue and Pine Street.Greensboro massacre.Bloody Christmas.Orangeburg massacre.Kent State.Jackson State.Joe Torres.Birmingham ...The battle today is no less serious, no less honorable than those we fought in the past; it is the continuing battle between the oppressed and the oppressors.The costs will be high, but hopefully the world afterwards will be better.