I had reason to be in Philadelphia last weekend so I took a moment to get together with Ben Franklin, the patron saint of libertyPell. I briefed him on our efforts to keep the Republic he gave us, but there was nothing he did not already know.

I asked him what he thought we should be doing at libertyPell and, to my surprise, he invoked New York City Mayor Ed Koch in his reply.

Ask your readers. Ask “How’m I doin’?”

One reader recently posted, “I had thought our larger issue was finding and supporting a 3rd party for the ‘rest’ of us socially liberal, fiscally conservative folk.”

Joining me on the visit to Dr. Franklin was another reader, with whom I had a lengthy discussion. Here are some takeaways:

• Critical thinking
• Gaining access to accurate information as opposed to talking points
• Problem-solving
• Seeking alternative solutions
• What am I missing?

In thinking about what we are, it might be useful to think about what we probably are not. Though there have been lapses, here are some possible aspirations:

• We are not a purveyor of talking points for either left or right
• We might well find at least one if not both of the political parties to be disappointing
• We might well distrust what we read or hear about politics and government

I could go on with suggestions but they are likely to limit your creativity and candor. The point of this post is to seek your input rather than to give you a series of boxes to check. Let your mind wander.

Some are comfortable speaking openly and they will happily comment either on the website or in the Facebook group. Virtually nobody comments on the Facebook page, but I would be happy to hear from those who find libertyPell there. Twitter is another choice and @libertyPell is that address.

Studies of blogger behavior suggest that 90% or more prefer to stay quiet. Those readers can reach me at haven@libertyPell.com. You will not be quoted.

I look forward to hearing. You’ll make Dr. Franklin’s day. He’s not too pleased.