Super-optimum solutions in public controversies

Super-optimum solutions in public controversies are solutions that simultaneously exceed the best expectations of both liberals and conservatives. One example is using well-placed subsidies and tax breaks to increase the GNP enough that the tax revenue to the government increases even if the tax rate decreases. Doing so would provide for a lowering of taxes instead of trying to choose between liberal and conservative ways of raising them. It would also provide for increasing domestic and defense expenditures instead of having to choose between the two. Ways of arriving at super-optimum solutions include (1) redefining goals to be higher than what is traditionally considered the best, but still realistic, (2) finding items that will provide large benefits to one side but only small costs to the other side, (3) arranging for an outside benefactor such as a government agency that will offer substantial benefits to both sides in order to facilitate a super-optimum settlement, (4) developing a package of items some of which achieve relatively liberal goals and some of which achieve relatively conservative goals, (5) combining the conservative and liberal alternatives where they are not mutually exclusive, and (6) removing the source of the conflict, rather than trying to synthesize the liberal and conservative alternatives. Other facilitators relate to the use of decision aiding software, the role of mediators, the stimulation of creativity, and the importance of realistic positive thinking.