April 9, 2009
We live in challenging times in a post September 11 world with issues of quality of life, looming economic crises, energy dependencies and war. During the run up to the 2008 presidential election, The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press reported that Americans felt increasingly estranged from their government, and barely a third agreed, “most elected officials care what people like me think.” A deeply divided electorate received frequent daily reminders of hard times from the media throughout the primary season and general election. It was a critical time in American politics and for ordinary Americans peppered with sobering news. They could no longer change channels, disconnect, run or even hide from these pocketbook issues on Main Street. French diplomat and writer Joseph Marie de Maistre wrote in 1811, “Every country has the government it deserves.” With a peaceful transition of presidential power complete the time is ripe for us to consider – don’t we deserve better? Presuming a “yes” response, what role should the public play in governmental decision-making? President Obama on his first day in office directed his administration to develop recommendations for an “Open Government Directive”. This Memorandum on Transparency and Open Government raised the bar on how a representative government interacts with its citizens. This proposed approach provides for unprecedented transparency and invites citizens to stand in a participatory and collaborative relationship. The prospect of widespread implementation and use of deliberative democracy as an embedded process is promising. It is not a political issue, nor should it become one. The benefit of this approach can yield collective solutions coordinated through public consultation and a more open government. By seeking guidance in constructing this new policy, President Obama is redefining how democracy can be revitalized and American government can, once again, be “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” Politics is a high stakes “club” of elites, closely networked politicians, lobbyists and experts with unfettered access and influence not offered to ordinary citizens. The public stands at the gates of power without keys to the castle. Professionalization of politics has placed citizens “on the side” as witnessed with the mounting public outrage of a payment of estimated $165 million in AIG employees bonuses funded with $182.5 billion in federal bailout money. Citizens in these troubled times have lost sight that “We the People” are the first words of the preamble of the Constitution of the United States. Indeed, the ultimate source from which all power is derived is the people. As a strategic public involvement practitioner and editor of the International Journal of Public Participation (IJP2), I have had the privilege of studying best practices and lessons learned from public participation programs. My research and the published writings in the IJP2 reveal communities can become rededicated and empowered to act for a greater good through citizen engagement and dialogue. Knotty public policy situations can be addressed in an engaging and productive process where politicians can secure “buy in” for potentially unpopular of difficult decisions, for example, budget cuts or allocation of pandemic flu vaccines. For this to happen, there needs to be civic responsibility, personal motivation and initiative for becoming involved in these beneficial interactions. The International Association of Public Participation, National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC), National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation and The International Journal of Public Participation use public engagement processes and support these initiatives through resources, training and research. Thomas Jefferson wrote to James Madison in 1787 at the founding of our country and stated presciently, “The people … are the only sure reliance for to preserve our liberty.” The public squares and commons of citizen discourse of Jefferson’s time where people gathered are no longer places people go today to talk and to be heard on matters of community importance. Deliberative democracy and public consultation afford individuals a “place” and conversational “space” to work and learn together. Alvin Toffler wrote in Creating a New Civilization, “The time has come for us to imagine completely novel alternatives through the wide consultation and peaceful public participation … to reconstitute America.” We can create space using the Internet and face-to-face citizen’s forums for focused examination of political, social, economic and cultural issues. It is an untapped resource that affords governments, communities and society an opportunity to take people back into community, build social capital and link to their collective public mind. ______ Steven N. Pyser, J.D. is a Lecturer at Pennsylvania State University’s Abington College in the Division of Social Sciences and a strategic public involvement practitioner. His research and teaching interests include public participation, collaboration at the intersection of law and public policy and dialogue and deliberation. Mr. Pyser is the editor of the International Journal of Public Participation.