ABSTRACT
The fundamentals of democracy that serve as a base for this country’s governance and social order have not changed for more than two hundred years. Central among these is the premise that democracy requires the enlightened participation of its citizens. While the basic principles for our system of government remain constant, changes in the world have profoundly affected the ability of citizens to participate in an enlightened fashion—to acquire sound information about the most pressing issues of the day and to take intelligent, concerted action to solve the problems of our public life.
