"Independent Nation" by John P. Avlon

While Congress gets more partisan and polarized -- in part due to redistricting practices that effectively allow legislators to choose their voters (instead of the other way around) -- the spirit of American independent politics is alive and well, according to author and columnist John Avlon.

His new book is entitled Independent Nation -- How the Vital Center is Changing American Politics. It contains a collection of essays on how politicians from either side of the aisle addressed the essential centrism of the U.S. political environment, sometimes successfully, sometimes not.

Here is an excerpt from the introduction:

Some readers will note that I've chosen to use the word "Centrist" instead of "moderate" to describe those whose principled political philosophy causes them to stand between the extremes. This is, of course, not an accident. "Moderate" carries with it an unfortunate connotation of inactivity, a noncommittal defense of the status quo. "Centrist" is a decidedly more vigorous word, implying decisiveness and momentum. That is appropriate, because Centrists do not simply seek a safe middle ground between extreme political movements; they are problem solvers who combine the best ideas from both political parties to move society toward responsible reform -- meeting the challenges of a changing world while remaining true to fundamental American principles.

One of the great problems for Centrists in the past was that they felt politically homeless, adrift without a coherent sense of their political heritage. I hope that this collection of biographical sketches can serve as a hymn rooted in history to the spirit of reason, reconciliation, and balance that Centrism can bring to American politics, so that we do not lurch to the left or right, but move forward as our Founding Fathers intended -- as one independent nation.

Avlon is a columnist for the New York Sun and served as Chief Speechwriter and Deputy Communications Director for Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

Links:
John P. Avlon Independent Nation -- How the Vital Center is Changing American Politics (February 2004) Random House (note, this is a commercial link to the publisher's website)

Centrists.Org Centrist Policy "Manifesto" (revised January 11, 2004)

Posted by Jeff Lemieux at March 5, 2004 12:19 PM