introductions

[Harris Sokoloff <harriss@gse.upenn.edu>]

I am coming into this late in the introductions stage, and am impressed by the energy (and depressed by the amount of writing) of the group...

I am struggling with the "absolutes" we tend to use in our conversation.  I have always thought that our rights need to be balanced against each other and that balancing act is incredibly difficult.  CFR is an impicit challenge to us to determine what balance we are and are not willing to live with.  

For example, as an individual I must balance my free speech with my sense of what is better for the public good, now and in the long term.  Should I be able to use all of my resources to gain access knowing that others, with fewer and less resources cannot do so? 

How do we balance the right of free speech of wealth folks, whose wealth gives them more and broader access, with that of poorer folks? of corporations and individuals?  It is not at all clear to me at this point.