Idea: Community forums for local and national politics
The half-of-a presidential debate tonight (Cornel West and Jill Stein are on the ballot too!) sparked an idea.
I could organize a community forum at my local library the day after the debate, to discuss it. (too late now!). My library would provide a room for free to the community or $50 for a business.
As people came in, they'd give comment cards to ask questions or bring up topics.
I would open by saying what we were there for, and I'd direct crowd participation and discussion of topics submitted by people.
On some specific issues, I'd share my laptop screen & we'd go into researching the facts.
We'd look at multiple conflicting news outlets, go find some source data, and try to collect a reasonable amount of information.
The crowd could make suggestions about other sources to check, give criticism of what we have found.
As the group leader, it would be important to listen & try not to conduct with too much bias.
It could be good to have a panel to help balance things.
When people enter, if interested in being on the panel, they could throw their name in a hat.
Then the panelists would be picked from a hat.
We could have breakout groups to have deeper discussion, with each panelist being a representative of their breakout group, where in the larger group we share what was learned or expressed by the other breakout groups.
This could also be used for local issues, such as cannabis dispensaries or proposed changes to a major roadway.
These events should be by and for the people. It may be good to have experts on hand sometimes, or some special panels of the politicians, so the community can hear from them.
But I think most the time, the people speaking should be "the people".
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I previously ran a local political news website. It's been closed for 9 months due to mental illness. But if I revive that effort, I'd love to bring this idea to fruition.
I could also aim to organize smaller events for opposing sides of an argument, rather than for general public participation.
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An additional piece should include closing with how people can get involved in the political process on THIS issue:
- Contact city councilors
- Contact candidates' campaigns
- write letters to the editor (local newspaper)
- contact local political parties (such as regarding a state issue)
- contact YOUR rep for federal issues
- Volunteering with a political organization
- Spreading propaganda
- Volunteering in the community (such as serving food to homeless or picking up litter on streets)