内容

目次

Part 1 Introduction: "magic town"; who speaks for me?; out of the cave?Part 2 Who speaks for the people?: new beginnings; a voice from Rhode Island;what should representatives do?; "the most natural and simple idea"; countingpeople equally ; deliberation - thinking through the issues together;participation; avoiding tyranny - the energy that reforges democracy; smallscale democracy; the Founders' vision; the anti-Federalist dissent. Part 3How "public opinion" became the voice of the people: "like a burglar" -informal processes of reform; Bryce's prophecy - government by publicopinion; Gallup's answer; opinions and pseudo-opinions in the echo chamber; arational public?; a machine that transforms itself. Part 4 Who are thepeople?: whose declaration of independence?; all men?; from Douglass toLincoln versus Douglas; from paper rights to voting rights; the quest forvoting equality; the declaration of sentiments; whose America?; how do wecome to support it? Part 5 Giving the people voice?: the "town" meeting ofthe air"; towards civic engagement; airing the people's agenda; bringingdeliberation to democracy. Appendix: the first deliberative poll - somesummary results.