Join CQC
CQC OFFERS EXCITING WAYS TO USE YOUR CQ (Citizenship Quotient)
Like the marines, CQC needs a few good men and women. You are reading a Civic Prospectus and Call to Action for citizens -- especially especially ones with a strong sense of civic responsibility and a broad background of experience and interests.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
* BECOME A CANDIDATE FOR A LEADERSHIP ROLE
* BECOME A MEMBER
* VOLUNTEER
1. E-mail us (RSaloschin@AOL.COM), ask about CQC's twenty-year track record and plans,
2. decide what areas might interest you most and come to a meeting.
3. Read the other sections of this site, concentrating on the Areas of Focus.
4. Pinpoint areas where you would be interested in participating.
It isn't necessary to become a "member" of CQC, although you can do that by contributing $35 or more in tax-deductible dues. You can be a CQC volunteer whether or not you're a "member", although of course, members are most welcome. Some of CQC's most valuable work has been done by volunteers who were not "members". and there is no distinction between members and other volunteers in carrying on CQC's work.
Today's world is increasingly complex, volatile and dangerous. With serious problems in our economy, environment, and culture, some with global aspects, responsible citizens should not wait until the next big storm to start finding and fixing the roof leaks and crumbling foundations in our way of life.
Many folks are tied up in the pressures of careers and child-rearing. Such time as they have may be spent on the stock market and professional sports. But other folks can provide the leadership and laboring oars to restore civic responsibility in American life -- to diagnose and treat our problems before they become too critical.
If you are civic minded, have broad interests, perhaps a taste for leadership and problem-solving, consider CQC:
* CQC is an all-volunteer membership corporation with tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status from the IRS
* CQC focuses on the big picture: identifying and addressing major weaknesses in our way of life
* CQC members mostly have professional or management backgrounds with some public or community service
* CQC operates informally but has guidelines: we do not "go public" with a program or product until we have checked with experts, and when we concentrate on a subject we do not ignore related subjects
* CQC has a long track record which includes (a) creating a comprehensive, low-cost program to improve American education, both academically and in character education, which has been introduced into hundreds of classrooms, in Maryland and elsewhere, (b) organizing a public conference on reducing violence, cosponsored by Montgomery College, which identified the stimulators and the inhibitors of violence, and (c) setting up a Health Policy Monitoring Group that created 'Health Care Choices: Quality and Reality", a very readable citizens primer on the players and motivations in "managed care" and HMOs. Recently, CQC has published civic primers on traffic congestion and American education policy.
CQC is now engaged in broadening its work on education and continuing its work on health care policy, with a policy group in each of these areas. In addition, CQC has set up two new policy groups, on globalization and on transportation policy.
These four policy groups may develop various actions: CQC input at public hearings; a citizens primer similar to CQC*s primer on health policy; public conferences or seminars; or other actions to improve public understanding and public policy.
The group process leading to such actions includes discussion, research, drafting, consultation with outside experts and other organizations, and the consideration of related subjects.
If a group develops a citizens primer, it will be very readable, as short as practicable, well organized, and with a list of suggested readings. The entire paper is clearly focused on key factors and is objective and factual, not advocacy, except the last section may give the views of the authors. These primers may have titles such as "What Every Citizen Should Know About (subject)" Dissemination is through organizational newsletters, program chairs, the media, the Internet, etc.
In addition to the four subjects on which CQC has established policy groups, other important areas of public policy may have a CQC policy group at a later date. For a list of possible subjects, see National Concerns under the Areas of Focus page.