FFD Founding Principles
Forum for Democracy USA (FFD) is based on the idea that we are intuitively ethical human beings. When we use digital democracy tools to harvest collective wisdom and intelligence, you will get, for the most part, fair and equitable policies to ensure that our liberty and freedoms are preserved.
Yet we live in a time when many young people have little or no understanding of the freedoms guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution. Many Americans cannot explain the liberties guaranteed under the First Amendment or the concept of due process. They don’t comprehend the importance and limitations of free speech, a free press, the right to peaceably assemble, the right to keep and bear arms, the protection afforded citizens under our search and seizure laws, and other rights guaranteed to protect us under the Bill of Rights and the 17 additional amendments.
How can we preserve, protect and defend our representative democracy if we don’t appreciate the principles upon which this nation was founded? We must find new ways to inform our young people of the value of the civil liberties we currently enjoy – and the dangers of losing them. It’s time for a new generation of Americans to step forward and answer the call to advance positive change and social justice.
Cornerstones of FFD
Civic Literacy
We believe in the fundamental importance of civic literacy to preserve our representative democracy. Without informed and engaged citizens, we risk losing the liberties and freedoms that many generations have fought so hard to preserve.
Intuitive Ethics
“We the People” are intuitively ethical beings and have the inherent tendency as a human race to want to do good works and deeds. It’s that simple! This is the sustaining nature that, over time, supports the ascent of humanity, and without which democracy and the search for equal justice under law would be impossible.
Wisdom of Crowds
We believe that the People have the collective intelligence and wisdom necessary to work with our elected officials to solve problems for the benefit of humankind. The idea of collective intelligence was popularized by James Surowiecki, author of the best-selling book, The Wisdom of Crowds. Surowiecki provides real-world examples of how “under the right circumstances, crowds are remarkably intelligent, and are often smarter than the smartest people in them.”
Digital Democracy Tools
We believe in the power of digital democracy tools to harvest and deliver the collective wisdom of “We the People” to the corridors of power in Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the 17 Additional Amendments
The Founding Fathers gave us a wonderful gift in the form of brilliantly written documents called the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, followed by the 17 additional Amendments. These secular documents, if properly understood, can serve as a moral compass by which we can navigate the most difficult ethical issues of the day. They are sustainable over time only if we have the wisdom and vigilance needed to preserve them for ourselves and for generations to come.