Solution Exchange contributors, as well as DNA group participants, will be matched for interaction based on the similarity or complementarity of their original proposed solutions to the same problem. Diversity of solutions to each problem will be encouraged by inviting individuals and organizations of all political persuasions and asking them to submit solutions that relate to as many aspects of whatever problems they’re interested in as they are able or willing to.

Authors whose solutions are similar will be encouraged to combine their summarized solutions whenever possible, and then work together to turn their joint proposals into action to try to get them implemented. Mergers of this kind can eventually bring large numbers of like-minded people together to begin the process of mutual support and collaboration. It will also avoid excessive repetition on the site.

Having summaries of all the participants’ ideas posted on the Exchange website will make it more possible for many people to choose to combine their solution with one that they like better than their own. While some participants will be strongly committed to the proposal that they came in with, hopefully others will actually find the prospect of joining and supporting another proposal more attractive, especially if that means being part of a team effort that gives their idea a better chance of getting popularly selected for action. Merged proposals are likely to be more comprehensive and probably more credible, and they are therefore more likely to be popularly selected for support.

Although joining with others has clear advantages, a clearly presented solo proposal that effectively touches on all the relevant aspects of the problem might very well get more support from readers than some less effective collaborations. However, most joint solutions will probably come closer to meeting the criteria for popular acceptance in the action phase of both projects.

All individual and organizational contributors will have total authority over the final version of the solutions they decide to post. Authors won’t need the approval of any of the other participants or of program administrators. They also won’t be required to compromise or combine their ideas with anyone else, if they choose not to. Readers will be encouraged to evaluate each proposed solution strictly on its own merits.

Submissions will be monitored to assure that they are posted in the appropriate place, don’t contain extreme or abusive negativity and profanity, and refrain from endorsing candidates for office (See our Posting Guidelines for more information). In almost all other regards, authors will be completely free to accept or reject any of the comments or suggestions they receive.