First-Ideals group info The idea behind the FIRST-Ideals Some notes on the economic situation Some notes on a generational viewpoint Some working ideas for our group	Group messages, articles. FIRST-Ideals group messages archives Partial history of FIRST in the 1990s
Overall economic soundness advocacy: • Concord Coalition Well-known, respected group, promoting balancing of budgets, and fiscal discipline. Well-known in Washington DC circles, and elsewhere. • AmericanEconomicAlert.org AmericanEconomicAlert.org links Excellent site and links by US Business and Industry Council. Provides links for information, and to get involved. • 18to35.org 18to35 brings together the most current information on young adult policy issues. Centrist economic, political efforts • For our Grandchildren links page Excellent organization; comprehensive links to many key groups. • Centrists.org Promotes solution-based approach to politics. Issue advocacy: • Rescue American Jobs Great group, promoting local activism to protect American industries. Pick a chapter, and get involved.   • Public Citizen - Global Trade Watch Watchdog group; examines effects of trade issues on the American public. • Citizens Trade Campaign Great activism and resources, calling attention to the real effects of free trade on American industries. Economic insight, analysis: • Participatory budgeting New deliberative approach to budget-making decisions and priorities. • Committee for Responsible Budget, New America Found. Calls for new approach to budget issues; part of New America Foundation's overall effort to spark new political approach. Industry coalitions, resources: • American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition Excellent group to highlight America's economc issues. • National Association of Manufacturers American manufacturers, examine trade issues. Specific issue sites: tradecrisis.org Excellent site highlighting real issues in economy. EconomyInCrisis.org Excellent site highlighting real issues in economy.	Relevant blogs: • Cynics delight Excellent insight on economics issues. • Brad Setser's weblog Ongoing insight, discussions. • Angry bear Excellent insight on economics issues.  Economics news resources: • Prudentbear.com news Excellent collection of economics articles • Roubini Global Economic Excellent overview of economy, resources • Foreign reserves held by China, 2005   Information and Group Resources: • Radical Middle Excellent new approach. Comprehensive set of resources. • Sustainable Communities Network Works to restore sense of civic involvement and to understand problems in order to find better solutions. Excellent comprehensive approach. • Article on Jim Fishkin at failuremag.com Interview about Fishkin's ideas for National Deliberation Day. • Center for Deliberative Democracy Jim Fishkin's organization, at Stanford University. General articles: • Excellent Gen-X article, at radicalmiddle.com • Article on 2004 Let's Talk America conference Economic articles: Commanding Heights Interesting set of information and resources from PBS about the facts of globalization, free trade, etc. Globalpolicy.org economics page General policy group, with page focusing on current econmic condiitions for US budget deficits, etc. Economics Analysis Resources: Complete Investor.com Analysis by Stephen Leeb, noted economics analyst.
Specific Deliberation Efforts • Democracy Campaign National campaign to promote discussion, with national convention in Springfield, IL, on 9/26/04 - 9/29/04. • Let's Talk America National campaign to promote local discussions. • Preview Forum A project of Roundtable Media, to create a whole new type of deliberative process. • heartlandcircle.com Creates network with variety of resources, to empower community processes, discussions. • Public Conversations Project resource list Runs many kinds of workshops, dialogues, and many other services, across the country. • Americaspeaks Hosts town meetings, deliberations, for specific issues, agendas. Ongoing Deliberation processes, methodologies, etc • World Cafe Promotes ongoing deliberations, various resources and methods. • Conversation Cafe Promotes various deliberations, partners with other groups, including letstalkamerica. Multi-use Deliberation resources, umbrella groups • National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation Excellent group, for restoring national deliberation process. Lists many events and resources. • Deliberative Democracy Consortium Many different resources, processes. • The Co-Intelligence Institute Promotes awareness of co-intelligence and of the many existing tools and ideas which can be used to increase it. • Center for Wise Democracy Studies several kinds of new dialogues. Looks at efforts in many different neighborhoods around the country. List of programs, wisedemocracy.org	Community groups Under construction. Specific deliberative events, processes • By The People; National Deliberation Day "On 10/16/04, We the People meet for a National Day of Deliberation. (PBS also aired a show 'By the People'.)" Below is PBS's project. • The September Project On 9/11/04, people discuss democracy, citizenship, and patriotism through roundtables, and performances. • Google search, By The People Here is a list of sites found on Google related to the PBS event. Google search: "By The People" Macneil       Google search: "By The People" PBS