A bid to build centrism in US politics

[babylonsister]

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0622/p01s04-uspo.html

A bid to build centrism in US politics
Schwarzenegger and Bloomberg are pushing efforts to bridge the political divide.
By Daniel B. Wood | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

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Los Angeles - From the podium came fighting words. The target of all the punching: America's partisan politics.

First up was New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, delivering a scathing admonition: "The politics of partisanship and the resulting inaction and excuses have paralyzed decisionmaking," he told a group of some 200 national politicos and guests. We can turn around … our wrongheaded course, if we start basing our actions on ideas shared values … without regard to party."

The next day, his partner in taking to task the political climate, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), echoed: "There really is no more urgent issue facing America today than … bridging the political divide."

The two politicians, used as bookends for a conference titled, "Ceasefire!" have become national poster boys for a nascent movement to restore statesmanship and the art of negotiation to a polarized political scene – at least on the state and city levels. Some call it "postpartisanship," a term repeated by Governor Schwarzenegger, whose job-approval ratings have soared since he began reaching out to Democratic lawmakers on initiatives in California.

Others, such as Mayor Bloomberg – the former Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-independent – call it simply "nonpartisan leadership." The emphasis is on ideas over ideology, building trust instead of enmity with opposing politicians, embracing innovation with more regard to citizens than to which party thought of it first – or who gets credit. The idea also plays into the yearning of an increasingly frustrated voting public for another principle: Get it done.

"Arnold is the perfect example of the moment for broad coalition-building going on outside Washington," Steven Schier, a political scientist at Carleton College, in Northfield, Minn. "Bloomberg is providing the public argument and the rhetoric about what is wrong with the partisan, national political system," he adds, describing Washington politics as "essentially warfare between two armed camps."

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[HereSince1628]

1. Screw the center, it's too far to the right.

:silly:

But seriously folks, as anyone with a little statistics knows, the "center" is under the influence of the leverage of the extremes.

Also, depending on how you measure it, the "center" can be a theoretical postion that is not necessarily represented by any real data point.

And, more importantly, as a Progressive I'd argue that we shouldn't aspire for something that describes "where we are" but rather we should aspire for what we can be.

[Faux pas]

5. Ditto!

:thumbsup:

[msongs]

2. ha ha 2 republicans want the center. nt

[madfloridian]

3. All this bridging stuff started when the Republicans lost the last election.

And all the little centrists yelled we must be more like them to win.

This is simply a way to keep the corporate Dems and Repubs in power. Probably why Harold Ford and Al From are meeting with Bloomberg.

And all of a sudden Schwarzenegger is moderate.

[Zodiak]

4. They try everything they can

moving the goalpost is just one of the stragetgies that has worked for them before. The REAL object is to construct a paradigm where the American citizen continues to have no power or voice. The left, at all costs, must be prevented from having any kind of lever of power.

It is amazing to see how Republicans and Democrats alike clamor to prevent any grassroots participation in our govenment.

The failures of our government to get anything done has nothing to do with partisanship.....it is more like bipartisan support for letting Bush do as he damned well pleases.

It confusing that the Democratric wing of the Democratic party continues to caucus with "moderate" turncoats and let them have all of the access to power.