According to a poll released today,
forty-nine percent of likely American voters believe neither
political party in Washington is representing the American
people. Does this mean America may be ready for Radical
Centrism?
Radical centrism would offer a clear philosophical
alternative to the major political philosophies that was
compelling enough to be embraced by a plurality of American
citizens. The platform would contain some ideas that are
embraced by Progressives and Conservatives but it would also
offer new ideas that transcend the ideas commonly expressed
by those two groups. The Radical Centrist platform would not
offer a middle ground. It would be a more original and
ideologically consistent alternative to the establishment
positions that are sucking up most of the oxygen today.
Independent Americans may be seeking such an alternative.
They see the primary political parties as intransigent,
impractical, and mercenary. They don’t like either choice.
Americans do not seem to be happy with any of the current
Presidential Candidate choices available to them. President
Obama has approval ratings in
the forty percent range in several national
polls. A "generic" Republican candidate enjoys a modest lead
over President Obama in several recent polls. However, in
head to head match-ups among likely voters, President Obama
is outperforming all of
the announced Republican Presidential candidates.
Most voters do not approve of President Obama’s performance
but they do not think any of the Republican options will do
any better. Americans seem dissatisfied with Democrat and
Republican politicians generally. Consequently, this may be
the time for a spokesperson to emerge for Radical Centrism
who would challenge the conservative and liberal
establishments that have put their chosen political parties
in a stranglehold.
Radical Centrism could find its voice in common sense New
Hampshire, a place that prides itself on independent
thinking. New Hampshire citizens are well educated,
free-thinking, and iconoclastic. They tend to be optimistic,
patriotic, and libertarian. If Radical Centrism were to gain
momentum in America it could start in a place like New
Hampshire.
One candidate who could trandscend the Republican -
Democrat divide in New Hampshire is Congressman Ron Paul, a
libertarian thinker who has a strong organization in New
Hampshire and nationally. While Congressman Paul is running
for President as a Republican, his Radical Centrism is
evidenced by his unique opposition to both the welfare and
warfare states and his plan to reign in and eventually
abolish the Federal Reserve, a position that more and more
Americans are starting to embrace.
Contrary to the other Republican candidates in the race,
Paul's campaign is independent, populist, and energized.
Paul is a respectable solid
third at thirteen percent in the most recent
national poll by Gallup, at striking distance from both Rick
Perry and Mitt Romney, neither of whom is polling above
thirty-five percent in the same poll.
Most Americans are dissatisfied with the direction of the
country and they have little faith that politicians in the
current political parties will do anything about it. Thus,
Americans may be ready for something new.
