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When new laws are proposed the political parties establish positions pro or con. The idea of governance is the art of political compromise based upon some type of criteria that makes compromise possible. Whose needs are met, who benefits, and under what circumstances are logical ways of looking at proposed legislation.

All needs met and no needs met are logical, but impractical criteria. With a country as large and diverse as the United States, there is always someone who feels excluded, but it is difficult to believe that there is a situation where no ones needs are met. However, it is a rhetorical position often proposed, which would be acceptable as a negotiating position, unfortunately there are many who actually believe the rhetoric. The tricky part is catering to some needs but masking it as a way to meet most peoples needs.

The same is true of the derived benefits. Under most legislation, some people will benefit while claims are made that it will benefit nearly everyone. Again all and none are used as rhetorical ammunition. The media could be very helpful in this analysis, but rarely do they actually engage in such a complex and difficult process. One of the things missing from the matrix is the idea of cost/benefit analysis. This is a chimera that is explained more fully under Mythonomics.

When laws actually take effect and the terms of coverage are often hidden in the language of legislation. Some bills go into effect soon, others may be delayed for years, while others may never go into effect. Additionally, many bills have loopholes built into them that exclude some from the provisions, while others include only a very few. Discerning when and under what circumstances is very important to understanding legislation.

The Voice of the Center is interested in helping people understand the provisions of legislation using the above criteria. This is a very different approach than is usually employed in such analysis. Such understanding may not be easy to achieve, but the organization is intent on making such analysis accessible to members.

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