Sunday, April 15, 2007

Purple American

Everyone once in awhile I come across an article that just really reaches out and grabs me. I recently read one such article, written by Mark Satin on his blog, Radical Middle Newsletter. Mark talked about the fact that we, as Americans, actually have more in common than not. I too believe most Americans share a certain core of collective values, which is why most of us are somewhere in the "no man's land" of the political landscape. That is, the Middle. Some of us are slightly left of the center, while others are slightly right of center. Either way, we share a lot in common with each other despite what the media and some political pundits would have us believe. Both parities, however, have chosen to occupy the extreme sides. It's only during election that the real battle begins, which is the fight for the Center. Each try to convince the Middle of their sincerity, and then after the election is over, retreat to their extremist camp leaving the most of us feeling like a used rag. No wonder there is so much apathy among voters!

Over the last 10 or so years, the Middle has begun to wake up and realize that it has the real power in this country. Not the Far Left. Not the Far Right. What the Middle wants is the creation of a synthesis that represents the best of both parties. If that can't be done within an existing political framework, then it will be done outside of the existing political guidelines through a new political party (and there are a lot of new third party choices out there which simply exemplifies the current level of voter frustration) or through a social political movement along the lines of those rarely seen since the 1960's and '70's. The party which can best accommodate the rising power of the Center will survive. The other will become, at best, a regional has been. or at worse, regulated to the dust bin of history. It's happened before and it will happen again.

So with out further adieu, here's Mark Satin's article. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did:

http://www.radicalmiddle.com/x_fiorina.htm

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