Progress Towards America's Goals

The Six Constitutional Goals

In the Preamble to the Constitution, the Founders laid out six goals for the new nation:

Form a More Perfect Union
Establish Justice
Ensure Domestic Tranquility
Provide for the Common Defense,
Promote the General Welfare
Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves and Our Posterity

As we approach the 250th year of our Republic, this may be a good time to assess how well we as a country - ourselves as citizens, our systems, our institutions,our leaders - are fulfilling these goals. So, in this survey, we will ask you to reflect on each of these goals. What are we doing well? Where could we improve?

We will also ask you to consider the goals as a group. Are they still relevant in today's society? Would you change, delete, or add anything?

In other words: what, to you, is (or should be) the purpose of the United States of America?

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* 1. How well is the United States meeting each of these goals at present?

	Very Poorly			So-So			Very Well
1. Form a More Perfect Union	1. Form a More Perfect Union Very Poorly	1. Form a More Perfect Union	1. Form a More Perfect Union	1. Form a More Perfect Union So-So	1. Form a More Perfect Union	1. Form a More Perfect Union	1. Form a More Perfect Union Very Well
2. Establish Justice	2. Establish Justice Very Poorly	2. Establish Justice	2. Establish Justice	2. Establish Justice So-So	2. Establish Justice	2. Establish Justice	2. Establish Justice Very Well
3. Ensure Domestic Tranquility	3. Ensure Domestic Tranquility Very Poorly	3. Ensure Domestic Tranquility	3. Ensure Domestic Tranquility	3. Ensure Domestic Tranquility So-So	3. Ensure Domestic Tranquility	3. Ensure Domestic Tranquility	3. Ensure Domestic Tranquility Very Well
4. Provide for the Common Defense	4. Provide for the Common Defense Very Poorly	4. Provide for the Common Defense	4. Provide for the Common Defense	4. Provide for the Common Defense So-So	4. Provide for the Common Defense	4. Provide for the Common Defense	4. Provide for the Common Defense Very Well
5. Promote the General Welfare	5. Promote the General Welfare Very Poorly	5. Promote the General Welfare	5. Promote the General Welfare	5. Promote the General Welfare So-So	5. Promote the General Welfare	5. Promote the General Welfare	5. Promote the General Welfare Very Well
6.Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves and Our Posterity	6.Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves and Our Posterity Very Poorly	6.Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves and Our Posterity	6.Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves and Our Posterity	6.Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves and Our Posterity So-So	6.Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves and Our Posterity	6.Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves and Our Posterity	6.Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves and Our Posterity Very Well

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* 2. Think about "Form a More Perfect Union"...

What does that mean to you?

What are we doing well?

What could we do better?

Other thoughts about "a More Perfect Union"?

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* 3. Think about "Establish Justice"...

What does that mean to you?

What are we doing well?

What could we do better?

Other thoughts about "Justice"?

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* 4. Think about "Ensure Domestic Tranquility"...

What does that mean to you?

What are we doing well?

What could we do better?

Other thoughts about "Domestic Tranquility"?

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* 5. Think about "Provide for the Common Defense"...

What does that mean to you?

What are we doing well?

What could we do better?

Other thoughts about "the Common Defense"?

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* 6. Think about "Promote the General Welfare"...

What does that mean to you?

What are we doing well?

What could we do better?

Other thoughts about "the General Welfare"?

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* 7. Think about "Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves and Our Posterity"...

What does that mean to you?

What are we doing well?

What could we do better?

Other thoughts about "the Blessings of Liberty"?

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* 8. Think about America's history, as well as its present situation - both domestically and internationally. Are the Founders' goals still relevant? Do we need to rethink our goals, get rid of some, add others?

I think the Founders' vision is still sound. I would make no changes whatsoever to these goals.

I think the Founders had the right idea, but I would add some new goals.

Things have changed. I think we should scrap some of the old goals, and maybe add some new ones.

This is an entirely different world. I think we should wipe the slate clean and start over.

I'm not sure that we need "goals" at all.

Progress Towards America's Goals

The Six Constitutional Goals

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* 1. How well is the United States meeting each of these goals at present?

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* 2. Think about "Form a More Perfect Union"...

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* 3. Think about "Establish Justice"...

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* 4. Think about "Ensure Domestic Tranquility"...

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* 5. Think about "Provide for the Common Defense"...

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* 6. Think about "Promote the General Welfare"...

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* 7. Think about "Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves and Our Posterity"...

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* 8. Think about America's history, as well as its present situation - both domestically and internationally. Are the Founders' goals still relevant? Do we need to rethink our goals, get rid of some, add others?

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* 9. Be more specific. What changes would you make to our goals, if any? Why?

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* 10. Thank you for participating in this survey. Do you have any additional thoughts to share on the subject of "Progress Toward's America's Goals?