May the Force Be with You.
Welcome to centrifugal Force! Before the "Culture Gap" and intense partisan vilification came to dominate and defile the political landscape, there existed a time where the voices of balance and moderation were championed. Based in large part on the 1949 manifesto by Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., The Vital Center, centrist ideology was at the core of American political thought for over two decades...decades in which this nation thrived. However, under the extremism of the New Left, the rise of the neo-conservatives, and the turmoil of the 1960's, the Vital Center collapsed. Although there was a brief resurgence in the mid-1990's with Bill Clinton and the "New Democrats," the opportunity to rebuild the Vital Center was squandered (for reasons we all know and need not revisit) leaving us with the extreme polarization in parties we see today.
This site is dedicated to open and HONEST political discourse. Since the center includes aspects from both the left and the right, views from either side are not only accepted, but encouraged, with one caveat...please refrain from mere sloganeering and partisan hackery.
This site is dedicated to open and HONEST political discourse. Since the center includes aspects from both the left and the right, views from either side are not only accepted, but encouraged, with one caveat...please refrain from mere sloganeering and partisan hackery.
2 Comments:
I agree factually with this statement. However, I don't think that everything in the Vital Center should be seen as positive. I don't think Clinton's "welfare reform" was, by and large, a good thing. (It forced welfare mothers into impossible choices between jobs and children. This is dramatically demonstrated in Michael Moore's "Bowling for Columbine.") Also, much of the Vital Center was oblivious to civil rights and civil liberties.
By Shadow, at 9:40 AM
Shadow,
Certainly, as with any ideology or political movement, the Vital Center had its pros and cons, it's positives and its inherent flaws.
As I eluded to, the Clinton Administration represented a wasted opportunity to restore the Vital Center.
Although Clinton's political rhetoric and triangulation adhered to some of the principles of centrist ideology, much of his policy certainly fell well short, as your welfare example demonstrates.
Malcolm Gladwell demonstrates in his book The Tipping Point that one of the keys to effective leadership is the ability to understand that small changes can have a revolutionary effect.
This idea is at the heart of centrist thought. Therefore, while it is certainly understandable to view it in such a way, it is unfair to claim that the Vital Center was oblivious to civil rights. Please see my latest post for a more in depth discussion of this topic and thank you for your comment.
By Damien, at 11:42 AM
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