The Risky Business of Economic Security: A Framework for Deliberation

The US economy is slowly recovering from the battering it has endured in recent years, although Americans remain deeply uneasy about what lies ahead. We have difficult choices that are best made by considering options for action in the light of what we hold most valuable. Should job security be our highest priority? Do we want the freedom to change course and take chances when opportunities arise? Can we find ways to exercise more control over the economic forces that affect our lives?

This issue advisory is designed to support deliberative forums that can help us reach some collective judgments on the direction we want to take to gain economic security.

In productive deliberation, people examine the advantages and disadvantages of different options for addressing a difficult public problem. Each option is rooted in a shared concern, proposes a distinct strategy for addressing the problem, and includes roles for citizens to play. Equally important, each option presents the drawbacks inherent in each action.