This book is for everyone who is interested in the welfare of the United States and for all reporters of all newspapers, and radio and television stations who cover candidates for public office and the legislatures of the various states and the U.S. Congress.

Rules for Public Discourse establishes a set of rules for public discourse by which members of Congress, candidates for public office, political pundits and everybody else can be held accountable for what they say. In addition this book offers tools to help us discern what is true, what is false and what is misleading. It establishes the means by which those violating the rules for public discourse can be held accountable by ordinary citizens.

The acrimonious conduct of the first session of the 112th Congress in 2011 shocked the nation and had Republican and Democratic members of Congress at each other’s throats amid accusations of dishonesty, misrepresentation, and failure to serve the national interest. There seemed to be a total disconnect in positions advanced by each side and no way to resolve the dilemma.

This book is about false statements, misrepresentations, unsubstantiated claims and fallacious arguments by members of the U.S. Congress. Many senators and representatives were guilty of violating the rules for public discourse.

Candidates for the Republican presidential nomination also were guilty of violating the rules for public discourse. They made unsubstantiated claims, evaded questions, misrepresented opponents positions, made statements that were false and were dishonest in advertisements.

The stakes in this drama are incredibly high for it is not only about money. It is about the future of the United States, which is at stake. And the integrity of those who are putting the future of this country at stake over who gets what slice of the economic pie is a valid question. The reason is that false statements, fallacious arguments and misrepresentations are not only not helpful, but contribute to the obfuscation of the issues and are highly detrimental to any constructive solution to the problems that are faced.

Ideally the priorities of each member of Congress should be to do firstly what is in the best interests of the country; to do secondly what is in the best interests of their state and the people they represent; and only then to do what is in their own and their family's best interest.

Unfortunately, judging by their actions, many members of Congress put their own best interests and the interest of their state and constituents first and the best interests of their country last and in so doing end up fighting among themselves for the spoils of government.

There are rules by which members of Congress journalists, pundits and politicians can be held accountable. They are the subject of this book. These include rules of civility, rules of public discourse and precepts of dialogue.

Unfortunately there is no established authority, which recognizes these rules and which can hold accountable those who violate them except the people. The ultimate authority is left to the population in general and the electorate, which voted the members of Congress into office.

To establish standards in the minds of people is the objective here. These rules and precepts are based on logic and right reason. Each individual has basic beliefs that are common to everybody. Some of these beliefs are formed as a result of experience. Some are formed as a result of education. Collectively they form a commons sense, which govern the actions of each individual. These rules and precepts are this kind of standard.

Thus this book establishes a set of rules for public discourse by which members of Congress, candidates for public office, political pundits and everybody else can be held accountable for what they say. In addition this book offers tools to help us discern what is true, what is false and what is misleading. It establishes the means by which those violating the rules for public discourse can be held accountable by ordinary citizens.