Facts

The "rational ideal" as referred to in Stone emphasizes truth and facts as method of resolving conflict. While this idea only works perfectly in the ideal I think many issues could be resolved by providing proper information. Keeping in mind it is nearly impossible to properly educate an entire polis, I think the health care debate would be much simpler and stream lined if we were more educated on the subject. If the Democrats politicians were 100% clear on the cost, and Republican politicians didn't contribute to the lies spread about Obama's health care plan, we would have a more efficient model of legislation. 

One "fact' about abstinence only education is that it's, "programs showed few short-term benefits and no lasting, positive impact. A few programs showed mild success at improving attitudes and intentions to abstain. No program was able to demonstrate a positive impact on sexual behavior over time." These are words taken not from opinions but results, and if treated rationally would eliminate public funding for abstinence only education.

Facts, while possibly changeable in perception to slight degrees stand on their own. Most people would agree that facts, opposed to political rhetoric and the framing of facts, should be the biggest influence in public policy. At least with the issues I discuss this is not really the case.