| 1. Please choose one issue forum in this general category that you consider to be most suited for discussion at the upcoming series of forums we have planned to take place in the Athens area. If you don't wish to choose any in the category, please skip to the next general category. |
|---|
| | answered question | 36 |
|---|
| skipped question | 9 |
|---|
| | Response
Percent | Response
Count |
|---|
| (Prepared 2000) VIOLENT KIDS: CAN WE CHANGE THE TREND? Every day it seems there is more shocking news about young people killing, committing suicide, or doing both. If violence is a cry for help, what is it that children and teenagers need? How can individuals help reduce the violence? | | 30.6% | 11 |
| (Prepared 1997)OUR NATION'S KIDS: IS SOMETHING WRONG? Most American children are in good shape. But one in four adolescents abuses drugs, lags in school, or gets in trouble with the law. And an enormous number of kids experiment with drugs and alcohol, cheat at school, and are rude to adults. What does it all mean, if anything? What should we do? | | 47.2% | 17 |
| (Prepared 1995)THE TROUBLED AMERICAN FAMILY: WHICH WAY OUT OF THE STORM? Most Americans say their family is life's most precious gift, but one that's wrapped in life's greatest worries. Two of every three Americans say they fret the most about family matters. While most people worry about money, many also worry about the ability of today's family to instill basic social values in children, according to a landmark study on the family sponsored by the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company and conducted in l989 by Mellman and Lazarus, Inc. | | 22.2% | 8 |
| Please feel free to explain why you chose the forum and what you think will be important to consider if we do this forum. | 7 |
| 1. Please choose ONE issue forum in this general category that you consider to be most suited for discussion at the upcoming series of forums we have planned to take place in the Athens area. If you don't wish to choose any in the category, please skip to the next general category. |
|---|
| | answered question | 41 |
|---|
| skipped question | 4 |
|---|
| | Response
Percent | Response
Count |
|---|
| (Prepared 2001)CRIME AND PUNISHMENT: IS JUSTICE BEING SERVED? What should be the priorities of the criminal justice system? How do we promote safety while protecting individual rights? | | 39.0% | 16 |
| (Prepared 2000)RACIAL AND ETHNIC TENSIONS: WHAT SHOULD WE DO? We have come a long way in the United States, but lingering racial and ethnic discrimination continues to strain the bonds that hold us together. It is time we set our minds to achieving Martin Luther King,Jr.'s dream of true equality. How can we best do this? | | 61.0% | 25 |
| Please feel free to explain why you chose the forum and what you think will be important to consider if we do this forum. | 9 |
| 1. Please choose ONE issue forum in this general category that you consider to be most suited for discussion at the upcoming series of forums we have planned to take place in the Athens area. If you don't wish to choose any in the category, please skip to the next general category. |
|---|
| | answered question | 45 |
|---|
| skipped question | 0 |
|---|
| | Response
Percent | Response
Count |
|---|
| (Prepared 2007)THE $9 TRILLION DEBT: BREAKING THE HABIT OF DEFICIT SPENDING The bad habit of deficit spending is more apparent than ever, and pressures on the federal budget will soon get worse. It is not enough to support deficit reduction in principle. The challenge is to see what changes most Americans are willing to accept as the best way out of a difficult situation. | | 28.9% | 13 |
| (Prepared 2005)THE SOCIAL SECURITY STRUGGLE: FIXING THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM With the retirement of the first baby boomers just a few years away, fundamental differences remain about how Social Security can be sustained and how it might be changed. It is a national discussion that we can't afford to put off any longer. | | 15.6% | 7 |
| (Prepared 2005)MAKING ENDS MEET: IS THERE A WAY TO HELP WORKING AMERICANS? Today, millions of Americans are struggling to stay economically afloat. Many of them are working full-time, but they cannot make their paychecks stretch to pay the bills for basic necessities. What has come of the American Dream that if you work hard and play by the rules, you will prosper? This issue book presents three perspectives on the question of what can be done to ease the financial problems that plague both the working poor and many middle-class families. | | 55.6% | 25 |
| Please feel free to explain why you chose the forum and what you think will be important to consider if we do this forum. | 7 |
| 1. Please choose ONE issue forum in this general category that you consider to be most suited for discussion at the upcoming series of forums we have planned to take place in the Athens area. If you don't wish to choose any in the category, please skip to the next general category. |
|---|
| | answered question | 42 |
|---|
| skipped question | 3 |
|---|
| | Response
Percent | Response
Count |
|---|
| (Prepared 2008)WHAT IS THE 21ST CENTURY MISSION FOR OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS? From the very start, Americans have held widely divergent views on issues related to public schools. Many of these have to do with the methods by which we achieve an educated society. How do we ensure that our schools are accessible to all children? By what means do we hold students accountable for learning and schools accountable for teaching them? What is the role of families in the education of their children? What is the responsibility of schools in addressing social issues that affect their students? What is the most efficient and fair way to fund public education? Underlying all of these questions is a more basic one: what is the mission of our public schools? | | 47.6% | 20 |
| (Prepared 2007)TOO MANY CHILDREN LEFT BEHIND: HOW CAN WE CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP? In a nation that prides itself on providing equal opportunity for all, too many low-income and minority children are falling behind their peers in school. In an increasingly competitive global arena, the United States cannot afford to ignore this widening achievement gap. What can be done to close it? | | 52.4% | 22 |
| Please feel free to explain why you chose the forum and what you think will be important to consider if we do this forum. | 6 |
Page: ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
| 1. Please choose ONE issue forum in this general category that you consider to be most suited for discussion at the upcoming series of forums we have planned to take place in the Athens area. If you don't wish to choose any in the category, please skip to the next general category. |
|---|
| | answered question | 42 |
|---|
| skipped question | 3 |
|---|
| | Response
Percent | Response
Count |
|---|
| (Prepared 2006)THE ENERGY PROBLEM: CHOICES FOR AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE America's way of life seems threatened by unstable sources of energy, while many see growing evidence of environmental damage. As demands for energy escalate, both in this country and in rapidly developing nations, we may soon reach a point of no return. It is time to face the difficult choices that must be made to ensure a sustainable future. | | 59.5% | 25 |
| (Prepared 1999)LAND USE CONFLICT: WHEN CITY AND COUNTRY CLASH Urban sprawl is not a new phenomenon. Metropolitan areas have been growing and expanding for the past century, pushing development into rural areas. History has shown that rural-urban conflicts are often the result. Theodore Roosevelt formed this century's first presidential inquiry into rural problems in 1908. His"Country Life Commission" was charged with stemming rural residents' rush into the cities. During the second half of the twentieth century, the migration to the central city has been reversed, as people pour out of cities and into the suburbs. Today, increasingly complex rural-urban land use issues have continued to generate controversy. | | 9.5% | 4 |
| (Prepared 1999)A NICE PLACE TO LIVE: CREATING COMMUNITIES, FIGHTING SPRAWL Almost no matter where Americans live, their communities are under enormous stress. Cities are struggling to survive with fewer middle-class residents, older suburbs suffer from traffic congestion and creeping blight, and rural communities are often overwhelmed with explosive growth of new homes and malls. How can we strengthen communities facing such severe problems? | | 31.0% | 13 |
| Please feel free to explain why you chose the forum and what you think will be important to consider if we do this forum. | 5 |
Page: GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
| 1. Please choose ONE issue forum in this general category that you consider to be most suited for discussion at the upcoming series of forums we have planned to take place in the Athens area. If you don't wish to choose any in the category, please skip to the next general category. |
|---|
| | answered question | 41 |
|---|
| skipped question | 4 |
|---|
| | Response
Percent | Response
Count |
|---|
| (Prepared 2006)DEMOCRACY'S CHALLENGE: RECLAIMING THE PUBLIC'S ROLE Fed up with politics and a widening partisan divide, many Americans are turning away from public life. We are, most of us, spectators rather than participants in a political process that seems to have little to do with citizens. What has gone wrong, and what should we do about it? | | 41.5% | 17 |
| (Prepared 2003)NEWS MEDIA AND SOCIETY: HOW TO RESTORE THE PUBLIC TRUST? Good journalism is vitally important for a strong democracy, but Americans increasingly do not trust the news media. We must restore citizens’ trust in news reporting in order for our democracy to function well. This issue book suggests three approaches to repairing the relationship between the news media and the American people. Each approach offers different perspectives on what has damaged citizens’ trust. Each presents various ways to address those problems. The ideas and suggestions come from citizens and experts across the country. | | 29.3% | 12 |
| (Prepared 2000)MONEY AND POLITICS: WHO OWNS DEMOCRACY? Alienation, distrust, and disillusionment are among the most common words used to describe American feelings about politics. How is the role of money in politics causing the problem? What can be done? | | 29.3% | 12 |
| Please feel free to explain why you chose the forum and what you think will be important to consider if we do this forum. | 5 |
Page: HEALTH AND WELL BEING
| 1. Please choose ONE issue forum in this general category that you consider to be most suited for discussion at the upcoming series of forums we have planned to take place in the Athens area. If you don't wish to choose any in the category, please skip to the next general category. REMEMBER, one of the forums for the series will be the new health care issue guide, so this option is not listed below. |
|---|
| | answered question | 38 |
|---|
| skipped question | 7 |
|---|
| | Response
Percent | Response
Count |
|---|
| (Prepared 2006)LIFE AND DEATH DECISIONS: WHO DECIDES? Medical technology has greatly extended American lives. These days, death often does not come as a natural event but as the result of complex decisions. Any decision about death is an intensely personal one. But as a society, we have a shared interest in choosing what kinds of options are available to us at the end of life, how they are accessed, and what rules are involved. | | 28.9% | 11 |
| (Prepared 2003)THE NEW SCIENCE OF FOOD: FACING UP TO OUR BIOTECHNOLOGY CHOICES The use of new biotechnology tools in our global agricultural and food system has rapidly increased during the past decade. Scientists can now use biotechnology to create characteristics in plants or animals by transferring genetic material from one source to another plant or animal. In the process, new personal and societal decisions emerge about these food and agricultural production practices. | | 52.6% | 20 |
| (Prepared 1999)ALCOHOL: CONTROLLING THE TOXIC SPILL Excessive drinking creates countless personal disasters, including job losses, bankruptcies, suicides, divorces, crimes, lost friendships, and ruined family life. Nearly one in ten adults meets criteria for chronic alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction. How can a democratic society safely control the drug, alcohol? | | 5.3% | 2 |
| (Prepared 1997)ILLEGAL DRUGS: WHAT SHOULD WE DO NOW? One in every two Americans either has a drug problem or knows someone who does. Teenage use of drugs has doubled | | 13.2% | 5 |
| Please feel free to explain why you chose the forum and what you think will be important to consider if we do this forum. | 3 |
Page: INTERNATIONAL AND FOREIGN POLICY
| 1. Please choose ONE issue forum in this general category that you consider to be most suited for discussion at the upcoming series of forums we have planned to take place in the Athens area. If you don't wish to choose any in the category, please skip to the next general category. |
|---|
| | answered question | 40 |
|---|
| skipped question | 5 |
|---|
| | Response
Percent | Response
Count |
|---|
| (Prepared 2006)AMERICANS' ROLE IN THE WORLD: BUILDING A MORE SECURE FUTURE As the only superpower left standing after the Cold War, America exercises global dominance. Yet, the September 11 attack showed us that we are not immune to the world's problems. Powerful and prosperous, yet not universally liked, Americans are no longer certain about their security in the twenty-first century. This issue book presents four perspectives on the questions of what kind of world we want our children and grandchildren to live in and what we will have to do to achieve it. | | 45.0% | 18 |
| (Prepared 2003)THE NEW CHALLENGES OF AMERICAN IMMIGRATION: WHAT SHOULD WE DO? The U.S. has traditionally defined itself as a land of opportunity, a refuge from persecution, and a nation of immigrants. Today, more people than ever are trying to enter this country. While most Americans believe that, historically, immigration has strengthened the U.S., many people now question whether immigration is good for America. Is it time, once again, to change our immigration policies? If so, how? | | 50.0% | 20 |
| (Prepared 2002)TERRORISM: WHAT SHOULD WE DO? On September 11, the curtain came up on a troubling new world, filled with danger. In one awful day, the nation’s self-confident mood and its public agenda were turned on their head. A threat that had been waiting in the wings moved to center stage. Since then, terrorism has been public issue #1. Deciding what to do about it, and how to regain a measure of our national security, is now the chief preoccupation of elected officials and the American public | | 5.0% | 2 |
| Please feel free to explain why you chose the forum and what you think will be important to consider if we do this forum. | 7 |
Page: OTHER NATIONAL AND LOCAL ISSUE BOOKS
| 1. Please choose ONE issue forum in this general category that you consider to be most suited for discussion at the upcoming series of forums we have planned to take place in the Athens area. If you don't wish to choose any in the category, please skip to the next general category. |
|---|
| | answered question | 40 |
|---|
| skipped question | 5 |
|---|
| | Response
Percent | Response
Count |
|---|
| (Prepared ca. 2002)PATHWAYS TO PROSPERITY, CHOOSING A FUTURE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY Rapid growth has transformed the South from the poorest region in the nation to the world’s third-largest economy in the span of a single lifetime. But even as many communities prosper, continued commercial and population growth raise troubling questions. What of those who are left behind? Does our enthusiasm for economic progress endanger a distinctive and valued way of life? How do we convert growth into prosperity? It is important to give serious thought to these questions while there are still choices to be made. | | 35.0% | 14 |
| (Prepared 2007)ISSUE GUIDE ABOUT THE WAR IN IRAQ The war in Iraq is sparking much debate today. One thing most can agree on: there are no easy answers. What the United States does in Iraq will affect Iraq, the Middle East, and the United States for years to come. | | 30.0% | 12 |
| (Prepared 2006)CIVIC DISCOURSE IN A CRISIS: LESSONS FROM KATRINA This toolkit serves as an aid and a guide for student groups on campuses to organize and host a public forum aimed at understanding why our civic discourse broke down during the hurricane crisis, and learn how to prevent such breakdowns from occurring again. | | 12.5% | 5 |
| (Prepared 2006)EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS: HOW DO WE MEND OUR EMERGENCY SAFETY NET? People are talking about our emergency ‘safety nets’—local, state and federal—but they are worried that these essential services might not be effectively or fairly delivered when they are needed the most. Governmental agencies are concerned that they are stretched too thin with too few professional staff and too few resources. Non-profit agencies are talking about donor and volunteer fatigue in dealing with existing response projects and about their capacity to respond to any new emergencies. In light of these pressures, how do we mend our emergency ‘safety net’ so we can all be confident that our next public emergency will not be another national disgrace? | | 22.5% | 9 |
| Please feel free to explain why you chose the forum and what you think will be important to consider if we do this forum. | 6 |