Charles Wheelan: ‘The Centrist Manifesto: Is this Realistic?’

Source: Charles Wheelan– Centrist political activist Charles Wheelan

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The Centrist Manifesto: Is this Realistic?

Produced by Devon Koch for Charles Wheelan with Don Casler
Music: The Living Physicist by Dan O’Connor”

From The Centrist Manifesto

I’ve written a couple of blog posts over the last few weeks about Independent third parties. And what do I mean by Independent because anyone who is  not a Democrat or Republican politically is technically an Independent. But I’m not talking Independent so much in a party registration, but Independent in an ideological sense, voters who do not fit in well in the Left or Right boxes.

But I’m not sure there’s such a thing as a centrist in America politics. With all due respect to Charles Wheelan, who I believe means well, if his idea of a centrist is someone who is conservative on fiscal policy but liberal or social issues, we already have that ideological faction and those folks make up what’s left of the Center-Right in the Republican Party. And to a certain extent what’s known as the Reform Party in America.

If your idea of centrist is someone who doesn’t have any political philosophy, doesn’t know what they believe, doesn’t have any political core, I’m not sure those voters exist either. Unless you are talking about white-collar, hipster Millennials who only vote when they think it’s cool, or only vote when they think there’s a cool politician or candidate to vote for. Which is sort of what we saw as part of Barack Obama’s coalition back in 2007-08.

You don’t have to be a Republican or Democrat or a members of any political party in America to have a political core and know what you believe ideologically.

I believe most American voters who vote on a regular basis because they think it’s their duty and want to have some say in our our government is formed and whose job it will to represent them, have some idea what they believe politically.

These folks could be Conservatives, (at least in the classical sense) they could Liberals, (at least in the classical sense) they could be Progressives, (at least in the classical sense) or they could be Libertarians or Socialists. But generally American voters have a pretty good idea what they believe politically. And some idea who they want representing them in government politically. Even if they’re not Democrats or Republicans.

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