Civicwiki:Introduction

America's democratic, federal, and republican form of government is now 227 years old. No other current government has survived as long without radical change. 227 years ago, the country had just fought a war for independence. It was a nation of people determined that liberty was fundamental to life. The men who shaped the new government were scholars who went to great effort to create something new in government to protect the rights of people to "life, liberty, and property" and to ensure justice for all citizens in a way that would endure. It was new and daring. Some thought that such a degree of liberty might be too fragile, but worth the risk of trying this new government. Benjamin Franklin famously answered the question as to what kind of government the 1787 Constitutional Congress had given the country - "A republic, if you can keep it." We have kept it. And America became the most successful of countries if personal liberty, wellbeing, and prosperity are the measures.
CW is about how this new government took shape, what made it strong, and how it has evolved - to be discussed within the categories of Inalienable Rights and Federalism and Democracy.

America has always been a nation of big issues - none larger than during our nation's beginnings. Today's issues are no less important to the continued stability and longevity of our government. The importance of today's issues seem heightened because we now seem deeply divided. We are divided by our differing philosophies and differing views on the role of government and how to govern. But we are also divided because politicians and political commentators have discovered that exploiting our differences can be effective in gaining favor with a constituency. It is a cynical play for political power at the expense of the health of our society.
CW is about providing a forum for objective information, better understanding and defusing our differences.
CW is, therefore, also about our big issues.

You can learn about participating in the discussion by starting here.