THE NEW PRAGMATISM: COPING
WITH OVERWHELMING PROBLEMS

The U.S., says social scientist and Public Agenda co-founder Daniel Yankelovich, needs a "New Pragmatism" to overcome the severe but solvable problems facing our nation. In an analysis of some of the thorniest problems we face, from the mortgage crisis to health care reform, Yankelovich examines the reasons why America's problem-solving skills have deteriorated. He then outlines a new strategy, based on his theory of the public's "learning curve" on difficult issues. Click here to learn more, see the PowerPoint presentation, or watch the entire speech in streaming video.

Learning Curve: A Tool For Problem-Solving
 
 
ISSUE GUIDES
ABORTION

More than a generation after the 1973 Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision that made abortion legal in the U.S., public debate on the subject continues to follow the well-worn path between condemnation and choice. Public attitudes do not.

Where advocates on both sides tend to lay out their arguments in terms of absolute moral rights and wrongs, the public seems to see conflicts and conditions. Solid majorities support a woman's right to choose abortion - if her reasons seem sound and if it's not too late in the pregnancy.

On an individual level, medical technology is making the issue more complex. In some respects, changing technology - such as the "abortion pill" and ultrasound-guided abortions available as early as eight days after conception – have made abortion both easier and more accepted. In other respects, new technology – such as ultrasound photos from the womb and developments making a fetus viable at earlier stages of pregnancy – has sparked new questions.

PROBLEMS, ANALYSIS & SOLUTIONS

FOR CITIZENS
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Get the Facts



Elections are all about choices, but how can you choose who you want until you know what you want? Get the facts and consider your options with our Citizens Issue Guides.
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Find out how to listen to the public - including how to responsibly interpret polls - and truly engage voters in crafting and implementing public policy solutions.
Lead the Way



This is the place to get the latest research on getting the public involved in school reform, including our surveys of teachers, parents, students and community leaders.

FOR PUBLIC ENGAGERS
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In Your Hometown



Yes, you can fight City Hall, but you might do better working together to identify problems and solutions. Organizations faced with an apathetic or angry public can also benefit from the art of public engagement - bringing leaders and communities together. Public engagement is our specialty - click here to learn more about it.
Objective Tools For Journalists



Deadline looming? No problem. We've got objective facts on a long list of public policy issues, including polls on how the public feels, and hints on how opinion may be changing. Our communications department may also be able to help when you're in a hurry to find an expert to interview as you zero in on various subjects.
 
 

OUR FAVORITE POLITICAL MOVIES

It's hard to top the drama of the times we're in – with enormous decisions facing the new administration and Congress – but sometimes we find inspiration in the movies. From scandals to dreams and tears to laughs – we love the way movies let us look at real issues through new eyes. Check out our list of favorites, then log on and add your own picks to the list.