welcome

["Robert D. Carlitz" <bob@giotto.info-ren.org>]

Welcome to the National Dialogue on Social Security reform.
This online forum is being hosted by Information Renaissance
in cooperation with Americans Discuss Social Security, with
the sponsorship of the Prudential Foundation.

This Network Democracy event provides an opportunity for
members of the public to interact with legislators and
policy experts in a discussion of an issue that affects
almost all Americans.  Using the Internet, you can learn
more about this topic and help in a small way to shape
the policies that our government will develop in this 
area.

Please treat this project and the Web site which houses
it as your public space.  Express your opinions;  listen
to what others have to say;  make the case for policies
you support;  learn why others may be advocating different
policies.  This National Dialogue provides - in the
microcosm of this Web site - a space where democracy can
flourish.  Perhaps this is the manner in which government
will operate in the future.  Your active participation
will thus help promote approaches to Social Security reform
and help promote approaches toward a more responsive
government in general.

I look forward to learning a lot in this discussion.  The
staff of Information Renaissance are at your disposal
to help you learn, speak and interact together online.
If you experience any technical difficulties, please
send e-mail to info@network-democracy.org or telephone
us at 412-471-INFO.

May the dialogue begin!!

Bob Carlitz
Executive Director
Information Renaissance