RSS Feed MenuAmerican 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. FrumForum examines 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.
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?
* * *
The one problem is that at first glance, anyway, I find myself stymied by the categories of “people with whom you generally agree/disagree.” I honestly can’t figure out which “side” I can fairly describe myself as “generally” agreeing with. 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 – I dunno – Bill Moyers? – then put me down as a liberal. In short, while this questionnaire seems to me the basis for an important and necessary public conversation, it would be easier for me to plunge in if the questions were formulated somewhat differently.
Click here to read other contributions to this symposium.
sinz54 // Feb 9, 2010 at 9:07 pm
What stopped you from answering questions 1), 4), 5), and 6)?
Bosco // Feb 10, 2010 at 10:05 am
Thank you, sinz54. Apparently Mr. B.B. had other homework to which to attend.
And to that gentleman with wonderful initials:
if the left offers Mr. Moyers and the right Mr. Frum?
if the left offers Mr. Zinn and the right Ms. Palin?
if the left offers Discovery Channel and the right Fox Speak?
The Yankee$ win it all more than any other team. But they do not always win it all (even half the time).
sinz54 // Feb 10, 2010 at 10:50 am
Mr. Bower: I honestly can’t figure out which “side” I can fairly describe myself as “generally” agreeing with.
David Frum didn’t ask you which “side” you agreed with. He asked you about “people” you agree or disagree with.
And such “people” could be at BOTH ends of the political spectrum.
The following two questions are not inconsistent to me, as a center-rightist:
1. On which issues do I agree or disagree with Howard Zinn?
2. On which issues do I agree or disagree with Pat Buchanan?
I thought the point of Frum’s “vital center” was to find folks who could distinguish themselves from BOTH extremes, while simultaneously acknowledging that folks who disagree with them may be sincere and occasionally even offer points worth pondering.
Mandos // Feb 10, 2010 at 11:54 am
The late, sainted Howard Zinn and Pat Buchanan agree on a lot of things. A centrist politics between Zinn and Buchanan is a centrist politics that might contain actual solutions.
Carney // Feb 11, 2010 at 12:49 am
Moyers is insufferable.
Sean Linnane // Feb 12, 2010 at 5:56 am
The Right is Conservatives Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Mark Levin. The Left is Liberals Bill Ayers, Reverend Wright and Al Franken. Never mind what you are; who do you fall in with? Bear in mind that while Sarah Palin and Scott Brown are on the Right; Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are on the Left. Union thugs, Soak-the-Rich-with-taxes, Code Pink, Move-On-dot-org and the whole cut-and-run-in-Iraq-and-Afghanistan crowd are on the Left. Pro-Life (anti-abortion), pride, honor, family values and respect for our men and women in uniform are on the Right. Pro-Choice (pro-DEATH), medical marijuana, homosexuals serving openly in the military, Miranda Rights and government-supplied lawyers for terrorists are on the Left. Now think about it – who do you WANT fall in with? They call themselves “Progressives” to escape the tainted “Liberal” epithet, to hide the fact that they agree with a President who goes around the world telling other countries that “America has a lot to apologize for”. The majority of Americans do not want gay marriage, do not want our President telling the world that Americans are the bad guys. Joe the Plumber and Joe Six Pack are all for wiping out terrorists on the field of battle then scoop up whatever human debris that is left over, toss them into Guantanamo and throw away the key. There is no middle ground anymore; the reality is that a centrist vote is a vote for the Democrats, who are all ultra-left wing loons. For me it’s an easy choice: I am an American first, a Conservative second and a Republican a distant third.