Diseases of the US Political System
Case Conferece
“instability, injustice and confusion introduced into the public councils, have in truth been the mortal diseases under which popular governments have everywhere perished”
James Madison, Federalist 10
The James Madison Project
Resources for Cancer of the US Political System
The resource section provides documents, courses, books, articles, and other material to inform the Cancer of the US Political System. We devide the section into the following categories:
About the Medical Case Presentation
The Cancer Metaphor in Politics
Complexity: Thinking about Cancer and Politics
Cancer and the American Political Process
The Biology of Cancer and Similarities to the US Political System
Immune Function and Information Technology
Cancer and Clinical Care
Concepts in the Treatment of Cancer
Clinical Tools for Treatment of Cancer
My Political Ecosystem: The US Political System
My Political Toolbox: Platform for Citizen Political Engagement in Our Democracy
Case example: The Pain Opioid Epidemic
Case example: Medical Cannabis
Articles and news items
About the Medical Case Presentation
The Medical Case Presentation is uniquely positioned to put the citizen back into the We the People. The Medical Case Presentation is an essential framework for a focused disciplined approach to addressing medical problems. Healthcare professionals use the MCP to identify, analyze, develop, implement and monitor a solution based “treatment plan” for medical problems (including biological, psychological, social and spiritual factors). When used effectively, it allows healthcare professionals to communicate and share information among varied clinical disciplines to develop testable hypotheses for simple and complex problems. The framework allows for clearly identifying problems and providing objective data to support the diagnosis and “treatment plan” and a framework to monitor and reevaluate the progress to address the problem.
The Use of Cancer as a Metaphor in Politics
The human biologic system, made up of trillions of cells and organized systems, the United States is made up of over 300 million people, organized into various organizations, factions, special interest groups. In order to survive, both systems must function efficiently in a complex unpredictable and changing environment. The human organism is programmed by the DNA for coordinated interaction among the cells and organs. The specialized cells are able to carry out their designated function. The US political system is programmed through the Constitution to “…form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity”.
Complexity: Thinking about Cancer and Politics
The human biologic system, made up of trillions of cells and organized systems, the United States is made up of over 300 million people, organized into various organizations, factions, special interest groups. In order to survive, both systems must function efficiently in a complex unpredictable and changing environment. The human organism is programmed by the DNA for coordinated interaction among the cells and organs. The specialized cells are able to carry out their designated function. The US political system is programmed through the Constitution to “…form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity”.
The Biology of Cancer and Similarities to the US Political System
The human biologic system, made up of trillions of cells and organized systems, the United States is made up of over 300 million people, organized into various organizations, factions, special interest groups. In order to survive, both systems must function efficiently in a complex unpredictable and changing environment. The human organism is programmed by the DNA for coordinated interaction among the cells and organs. The specialized cells are able to carry out their designated function. The US political system is programmed through the Constitution to “…form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity”.
Cancer and Clinical Care
The human biologic system, made up of trillions of cells and organized systems, the United States is made up of over 300 million people, organized into various organizations, factions, special interest groups. In order to survive, both systems must function efficiently in a complex unpredictable and changing environment. The human organism is programmed by the DNA for coordinated interaction among the cells and organs. The specialized cells are able to carry out their designated function. The US political system is programmed through the Constitution to “…form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity”.
Immune Function and Information Technology
Transparency is a slippery word; the kind of word that, like reform, sounds good and so ends up getting attached to any random political thing that someone wants to promote. But just as it’s silly to talk about whether “reform” is useful (it depends on the reform), talking about transparency in general won’t get us very far. Everything from holding public hearings to requiring police to videotape interrogations can be called “transparency”— there’s not much that’s useful to say about such a large category. In general, you should be skeptical whenever someone tries to sell you on something like “reform” or “transparency.” In general, you should be skeptical. But in particular, reactionary political movements have long had a history of cloaking themselves in nice words. Take the Good Government (goo-goo) movement early in the twentieth century. Funded by prominent major foundations, it claimed that it was going to clean up the corruption and political machines that were hindering city democracy. Instead, the reforms ended up choking democracy itself, a response to the left-wing candidates who were starting to get elected.