BEACONS OF INQUIRY--INTRODUCTION

What is Beacons of Inquiry?  What is inquiry?  What place does it have in our democracy?  Why is it important to WE THE PEOPLE as voters?

The most important reason to ask ALL the questions (Inquire) is to insure that we find all the best answers and solutions.  All the questions also means thinking both short AND long term.  If there is a debate, and one side of an argument purposely omits a question, that is deception.  It is likely they aren’t looking for the best answer, but instead are looking for the most political advantage.  Identifying all the questions tends to maximizes justice.  This approach has been baked into our justice system through the formal process of discovery since the beginning of our American journey.

EXAMPLE

Let’s give Inquiry a trial run using the current debate on socialism.  America has a market economy (capitalism).  Several Democratic hopefuls are advocating for a sharp turn to socialism.  In America, this would be an abrupt change.  It is the kind of issue that elevates passions on both sides of the argument (question).

Here’s a beginning list of questions we might ask:

• What is the history of socialism on our planet?
• What is the promise of socialism?
• Where has socialism succeeded?
• Where has socialism failed to live up to its promises?
• What about democratic socialism?  How is it different from socialism?
• How does socialism compare to a market economy (America)?
• Are there examples where market economies competed with socialism?
• What are the pros and cons of market economies and socialism?
• … etc.

In future editions of Beacons of Inquiry, we will do our best to identify as many questions as possible for each of the most controversial issues.  The best answers and solutions depend on knowing all the questions first.  So, over time there will be followup Beacons of Inquiry for specific issues.  

Our goal as voters is to push candidates toward the questions.  Then when they offer their vision, and their solutions, they should tell us how it positively answers all the questions for America.

Then we will know how to vote!

. . .  remember that America’s best days aren’t behind her.   America’s best days are ahead of her.  They always have been and always will be.

Dave

Copyright © [2020] by David William Wygant. All rights reserved.