Not bad. It's just that the Republicans are being called the Whigs now by some of their current internal detractors.
David On Sep 27, 2013, at 10:14 AM, [email protected] wrote: > > > > <Untitled.jpg> > > Please consider this thought.... > > We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created > them. > > - Albert Einstein > > > > What We Believe > > The Modern Whigs are a pragmatic, common sense, centrist-oriented party where > rational solutions trump ideology and integrity trumps impunity. > > Our core modern Whig philosophy relies on several fundamental tenets: > > INDEPENDENT THINKING, Modern Whigs try to practice independent critical > thought. We sprang up as a reaction to ill conceived public policy that did > not represent the will of the People. Today, we witness policy debates based > on ideology, not on concrete solutions. Critical thinking means challenging > all assumptions, and mapping and analyzing all possible solutions based on > facts and potential outcomes, not on party ideology. Whigs are also keenly > aware that much of what constitutes political debate today are people > "parroting" others' opinions without reliance on facts or their own self > discovery. > > Modern Whigs come from a place of discovery. We assume that the best > solutions are still waiting to be discovered by an empowered and engaged > electorate, and that the current two party system is an impediment to our > progress as a Nation. An undivided electorate who can approach issues with an > open mind, without prior prejudice, is what our Nation needs to forge bold > new solutions built on firm common ground. We believe in American ingenuity! > > MERITOCRACY is another pillar of the Modern Whig Philosophy: we believe that > society should reward merit, which is a combination of intelligence, talent, > competence and hard work. Merit is determined through an objective evaluation > of an individual’s professional accomplishments, educational achievements and > personal character. Similarly, solutions to problems should be formed and > judged in a rational manner based on a process of discovery, analysis and > proposed solutions based on their merits, not on prior prejudice, pure self > interest or false beliefs. > > INTEGRITY is as fundamental a pillar to Modern Whigs as Independent Thought. > Integrity means honesty and a commitment to an ethical approach to politics. > Integrity in thought, integrity in action. Whigs practice what they preach, > live up to their promises and do not make promises they cannot keep. > Integrity also means accountability: no one is above the law and everyone > lives by the same rules. You'll find Modern Whigs near mum on issues of > social morality, as these are personal. On issues of ethics or integrity, > however, we will hold our officers, leaders and candidates to the highest of > ethical standards, above today's actual legal requirements. > > These are the core tenets that form the foundation of the Modern Whig > philosophy; These concepts allow us to look for genuine long-term solutions > to our problems not just for today, but for the next generations as well, > i.e., sustainable policies. Each of our members are encouraged and expected > to contribute to this process by helping to shape the discussion and choosing > competent people to hold office. > > Modern Whigs are neither Conservative nor Liberal and do not wish to be > confined to the traditional left-right political spectrum. In fact, in a > purely historical or classic context, we can be considered Conservative > Liberals. Really! In our current political reality, this seems like nonsense > doesn't it? It is, however, patently true. How? To borrow a slogan, slightly > altered, from President Clinton's campaign, "It's the system stupid!" Over > time, the two party system has morphed into an IMPEDIMENT to a proper > functioning democratic Republic, including its need to parse down important > debates to two simplistic opposing viewpoints, or false binaries. > > You can say that Modern Whigs have moved beyond the multiple false binaries > of the current, outmoded, two party system and look to a new political > reality which is only now being born. We find that this concept, however, > makes it more difficult for many citizens to understand where we're coming > from and how the Modern Whig movement intends to create an "Un-party" to > challenge the exisiting status quo. > > Beyond philosophical tenets, Modern Whigs also promote a concrete platform of > political ideals and policies which we believe are the most critical issues > to the welfare of our country. These principles bind us as moderates, unify > us as Americans, and come from a place of inclusiveness, not division. > > 1.Fiscal Responsibility -Any action of the government must respect principles > of fiscal responsibility and public accountability. Most states are > constitutionally bound to balance their budgets. The Federal government, > however, seems to be of the mind that money is infinitely printable. We must > take control of our finances as they are already beginning to control us. > Neither party has been able to acheive this, near idly standing by while > spending spirals nearly out-of-control. > > 2.Energy Independence- Develop practical domestic energy sources and > economically viable alternative energy to reduce dependence on foreign energy > sources and strive towards energy independence. This is also a component of > our inward looking economic focus. Energy independence impacts our national > security, our foreign policy, as well as domestic employment. > > 3.Inward looking economic focus - It's about time we refocus on ourselves and > discover and implement policies to grow domestic demand and our manufacturing > base. Only this can provide an environment which can create the kinds of jobs > that will support American families within the context of a globally > interdependent world. Our Renewed American System (RAS) is a holistic and > sustainable set of interdependent policies that defines America's first true > industrial policy. > > 4.State's Responsibility- Each state can generally determine its course of > action based on local values and unique needs. Whigs believe in a strong > government at every level and separation of powers. Yet, strong and competent > local and state governments are important, as they are the level of > government where the people can get most involved. All citizens need to > ensure the Federal government doesnt usurp its Constitutional authority. Over > the last twenty years, Federal authority has been allowed to creep into areas > where it may not be appropriate, making an open honest dialouge about what we > expect from government a future necessity. > > 5.Social Acceptance -When the government is compelled to legislate morality > (laws), every citizen should be considered as equal. Our Constitution > empowers us to be the vanguard of social acceptance, and here we should be > leading the world BY EXAMPLE. > > 6.Education and Scientific Advancement- Increase public and private emphasis > on math and science to promote American innovation to compete in the global > economy. > > 7.Veterans Affairs -Vigilant advocacy relating to the medical, financial, and > overall well-being of our military families and veterans. > > 8.Electoral & Government Reform- Support efforts and work for governmental > reform that makes the American government efficient, fair, and responsive at > all levels. Support efforts and work for electoral reform to allow all > Americans to have their voices heard and make it rational for citizens to > participate in the government and electoral processes. To this end MWP > supports the adoption of Approval Voting ballots at all levels of government, > eliminating the "least bad" choice many of us face at election day while at > the same time serving to un-polarize the candidates. > > A more comprehensive list of current Whig stands on a broad range of issues > can be found in our " Where We Stand" section. > > What Modern Whigs do not do is to tell Americans what to believe. This very > "Un-party" concept troubles many who meet us for the first time, as most of > today's political parties make you "buy in" to their belief set. Your > personal morality is of little concern to us. Your civic mindedness and > personal ethics, however, are of paramount concern as they should be to all > our fellow citizens at the most fundamental level. Civic ethics combined with > self discovery fosters true open minded dialouge and critical thinking even > among citizens that have historically been at odds. This must occur to wright > our Republic. > > Whigs believe it is time to change the antiquated two party system with a > more open and citizen-centric solution. > > Whigs believe it is critical for citizens to re-engage in civic affairs with > new tools and a different mindset. Citizens' over reliance on political > parties as their proxy in government has in large part caused the mess we're > in. (as predicted by our first Commander-in-Chief, General George Washington) > > Whigs believe that focusing on the processes of governance and refocusing > political participation in America is the ONLY proper long term solution to > enable truly effective public policy and better governance, allowing the > promise of America to be realized by the many, rather than the few. > > Therefore the Modern Whig Philosophy uses methodology not ideology, to solve > problems. > > We are committed to changing the political reality in America to something > better than the two party dysfuntion we find ourseves mired in today. The > system of political participation has become the root of many of our problems > and must be rebuilt by We The People. > > The process starts with you. > > --------------------------------------------------------- > > The Whig Plan > > We share the vision of the Whigs who have gone before us. Whigs have a rich > history, from our Enlightenment-era beginnings in the 1600s to today. Our > Whig forefathers espoused an enlightened approach to life in order to combat > then current prejudices and come closer to the truth. This was not only in > the field of science and philosophy, but also in governance. Today, more than > ever, it is clear we need to replace the existing "truths" of governance in > America with some new ones > > > Modern Whig Philosophy creates an opportunity for a new vision of > participation in American governance, but the vision needs tools to enable > citizens to begin creating it. These tools form part of the core of Whig > methodology. > > Modern Whigs are organized in a decentralized, organic, grassroots fashion. > > The Modern Whig "Tool Kit" > > Local and state chapters: this where citizen candidates are made - the most > important part of the organization! > Web-based Member Action Center(MAC) > Periodic "Hoot and Hollers", web-based radio/video presentations > Public discussion and collaborative forums, web-based and live-based on local > chapters > Whig Associations: Whig-sponsored forums organized to generate solutions > around a specific policy issue, publicly viewable as an informational tool, > and accessible by our citizen-candidates for their policy stands. > State, regional and national conventions: meet other like minded-citizens and > foster action! > We will work from grassroots up. While we will run and support Whig > candidates for public service at all levels of government, we will focus > first on local and state offices. Our Whig citizen-legislators can gain > valuable experience as representatives at these levels. They will show how > the Whig philosophy is an American philosophy and it works. Then they will be > able to gain experience and support for federal offices. > > We will work to redefine the issues facing America. We will look at the core > causes of problems, free from emotional or ideological responses, focusing on > what is effective. We will help Americans to realize that we all must take > responsibility in our nation for its course and future. The Whigs will always > be servants of the American people and encourage the American people to take > a more active role in the citizen-representative relationship. > > America is a great nation and Whigs aim to ensure that future generations can > partake in that greatness. Our shared vision of America can only be crafted > by the many, in diligent and open-minded collaboration. Let the work begin! > > > > > > > Some Famous Whigs of History > > Four U.S. Presidents were Whigs, two of whom had the misfortune of dying in > office: > > William Henry Harrison (1841), died in office > > John Tyler (1841–1845) > > Zachary Taylor (1849–1850), died in office > > Millard Fillmore (1850–1853) > > > Henry Clay: Secretary of State (1825-1829), US Senator (1831-42 and 1849-52), > Speaker of the House of Representatives (1811-14, 1815-20, 1823-25). He was > one of America's great orators and a founder of the Whigs. > > Daniel Webster: Secretary of State (1841-42, 1850-52), US Senator (1827-41, > 1845-50), and arguably America's greatest orator. > > General Winfield Scott: 53-year military career (1808-1861), Commanding > General of the US Army, Whig Party candidate for President in 1852. > > John Quincy Adams: joined the Whigs in 1834, after serving as President > (1825-1829) and Secretary of State (1817-1825), then served as Congressman > until his death in 1848. An ardent opponent of slavery, he authored the > Monroe Doctrine and famously declared that America "goes not abroad in search > of monsters to destroy." > > Abraham Lincoln: began his political career as a Whig Congressman (1846-48), > ran for the US Senate as a Whig in 1854, described himself as late as 1861 as > "an old-line Henry Clay Whig". The rest is history! > > By 1856, deep divisions over the issue of slavery caused the party to split > apart. Most Northern Whigs including Lincoln joined the newly formed > Republican Party, while Southern Whigs either joined the Democrats or > gradually disappeared. > > > ------------------ > > > Established in 1833 > > The American Whig Party was founded in opposition to the centralizing > policies of President Andrew Jackson (1829-1837). Jackson, a Democrat, sought > to expand Executive power at the expense of Congress and favored the > so-called “spoils system”, according to which government officials were > appointed based on connections and party loyalty instead of merit. > > In addition to opposing autocratic rule and cronyism, American Whigs > advocated economic development through domestic manufacturing, > federally-subsidized infrastructure projects, a national bank, protective > tariffs and public education. > > ================================ > > > > Where We Stand > > Because Whigs value differences of opinion and independent thought, we do not > necessarily take a position on every particular issue that may be fashionable > for the moment. Instead, we propose a program of broad reforms that we > believe will strengthen our country as it faces the challenges of the 21st > century. > > One thing you will notice as you look at our stances is that we have polls > that allow you to vote on what you think about our stances. If you think the > stance should be modified we ask you to not just vote for this, but to leave > a comment as to how and why. You can then go into our forums and post, > civilly debate, and collaborate with others on why you think what you do. You > can even go a step further and join the Whigs and help us in our National > Associations. > > There you will be able to research, civilly debate, and collaborate with > fellow members, policy experts, and candidates to help create effective > policy based on research, logic, and rational approaches. These tools will > give you, the citizen, one of the most effective ways to be involved in > politics and government which is essential for our democracy to be renewed > and to thrive. > > > > > -- > -- > Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community > <[email protected]> > Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism > Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org > > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. -- -- Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community <[email protected]> Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
