FF Symposium: Where's the Vital Center?
The term the "vital center" was coined of course by Arthur Schlesinger Jr. 60 years ago. We tend now to think of the postwar era as a time of consensus and cohesion in American politics. Yet there were never more strikes in the United States than in the year 1946. The 1948 presidential election featured third and fourth party runs by an avowed segregationist and a Communist fellow-traveler. (They each got substantially more than a million votes.)
Today by contrast, American public opinion in almost every way we can measure bunches up toward the moderate middle. Yet increasingly the tone of politics seems to invite and reward extremism. Political scientists continue to debate why this is so. (See for example Morris Fiorina's fascinating new book, Disconnect.) What we're concerned to ask is whether it has to be so. We have asked a range of individuals who identify themselves as centrists (or are so identified by others) some questions about their politics. Among our contributors: Former New Jersey governor Christine Todd Whitman, John Avlon, former chief speechwriter for New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Les Francis who served as Deputy Chief of Staff in the Carter White House and Michael Lind of the New America Foundation.
The questions were as follows:
1) Would it be possible or desirable to create a broad consensus on the basics of public policy, either domestic or international?
2) On which domestic issues and international issues do people with whom you generally agree take positions that trouble you?
3) On which domestic issues and international issues do people with whom you generally disagree take positions that you welcome?
4) Which issues are so important to you that you cannot envision compromising on them?
5) Conversely have your political adversaries ever made arguments so compelling that they made you reconsider or revise long-held positions?
6) How can civility be brought back to political discourse?
Stay tuned during the day, as the answers go up one by one.
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Mark Lilla, Focus on Coalitions Not Consensus
Consensus is a political end in tribal societies; it is not and should not be an end in democratic societies. Liberal democracy requires contention, which in turn requires a real deliberation and coalitions that can actually govern.
Steve Bell, Developing a Centrist Consensus is Critical
As the nation faces the consequences of its domestic spending policies, a centrist-driven effort to fundamentally reform entitlement spending and the tax code is the only answer to a growing domestic and international threat.
Les Francis, Centrist Politics Needs a Better Educated Citizenry
Somewhere along the line we allowed, in the conduct of campaigns and in their coverage by the media, the notion to creep in that one’s political opponents had become one’s enemies. If there is a solution to this problem it lies in increasing civic literacy.
Michael Lind, More Competitive Districts Could Restore Political Civility
As long as Congressional incumbents are protected by partisan gerrymandering which gives most Democrats and Republicans safe seats, there is little incentive for politicians and their journalistic allies to appeal to swing voters.
Christine Todd Whitman, Voters Need to Support Their Local Moderate
The public has to send the message that policy is more important than politics by supporting officials and candidates who argue from the center and are willing to reach compromises.
Bruce Bawer, Escaping the Left/Right Straitjacket
If the right is David Frum and the left is, say, Howard Zinn, count me as a conservative; if the right is Sarah Palin and the left is Bill Moyers then put me down as a liberal.
John Avlon, Stop Ignoring the Centrists in Your Midst
A broad consensus on policy already exists among the American people – it’s just the two parties and their respective activist classes who are the ones most deeply divided.