We need a new center in American politics, as John Halpin argues at The Liberal Patriot. There is nothing wrong with centrism if it is defined as what the bulk of the :American people really want and need, as opposed to a philosophy of "responsible" elites who pose as the center. He explains:
"Today, the term “centrism” mostly lacks coherent ideological content and more often reflects a style of politics associated with moderate House and Senate Democrats running in politically conservative areas who oppose the democratic socialism and cultural leftism of Bernie Sanders and the Squad, while denouncing extreme social positions on things like “defunding the police” and decriminalizing border crossings. Rather than serving as a cogent intellectual model for policy and politics, “centrist” today is mostly an individual branding label that sets some members apart from others without really offering an affirmative set of values or positions for people to join up with and advance collectively.
As the progressive side of the Democratic coalition has gained strength and numbers in recent years—and mainstream Republicanism has all but disappeared with Trump’s takeover of the party—it’s worth asking: “Does centrism really matter anymore?”
At The Liberal Patriot, we think centrism does still matter in a country as politically and socially diverse as the United States. But it’s time to retire the old understanding of the term and to define a new center in American politics—one that is economically nationalist and culturally moderate. A center that represents and stands up for universal values, American interests, and the well-being of all people in all parts of the country.
The country needs a “pro-worker, pro-family, pro-America” centrist movement that can appeal to voters who are increasingly disenchanted with the culturally extreme politics of the left and right, and who instead favor building up America’s domestic economy, strengthening America’s families, and promoting America’s interests in the global sphere and in competition with nations like China and Russia."
Read the whole thing at The Liberal Patriot!
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