Well written and a good tool for those who are radical centrists to explain their position!
Thank you Norman From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of David Block Sent: Friday, September 27, 2013 10:04 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [RC] Modern Whig Party 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 <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. -- -- 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.
