John Avlon Rocks!

John Avlon is the man, plain and simple. In my opinion, he is one of the most openly centrist people that I have seen in the media today.

Boy Wonder became known best as Rudy Giuliani's speechwriter during Giuliani's tenure as mayor and during his presidential campaign. Between his jobs as a speechwriter, Avlon wrote Independent Nation. The book covers Avlon's view of centrism by using issues and opinions of past presidents who he felt were centrist.

Avlon is unique because he brings a sense of passion to an ignored ideology. Avlon leaves the realm of democrats and republicans, to end up in a place full of Americans, you and me. In every video clip I've seen of him, he conveys a sense of hope that is never found in this polarized world of politics we live in today. Below, I've embedded some clips that I've found on YouTube.

I think what amazes me the most is that he's respected on all of the twenty-four hour news channels. Boy Wonder's approach to politics is constantly clear and well thought. I wish politicians all over the political spectrum would take a lesson in Avlonics and just tell it like it is in a clear manner. Obviously he's gifted with words, but he doesn't sugar coat anything.

If there was a Center Movement, he'd be the face of it.

I'm sure at this point that reading this post sounded like a high school crush. Well, the answer is no. I am only very happy that people like John Avlon are representing centrists because of his refreshing voice and logical bi-partisan views.


Links:
John Avlon's Wikipedia page
Independent Nation

Some Videos...

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

John P. Avlon

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things With Demetri Martin

Funny Political News
Joke of the Day

Krugman's View of the Center is "Destructive"

On Sunday, Paul Krugman of the New York Times wrote an op-ed column called, "The Destructive Center." He said how the Center sides with majority party in power but whose main focus is to lower the cost of bills as to please the minority party.

Krugman's arguement against legistlative centrists can be summed up when he said, "All in all, the centrists’ insistence on comforting the comfortable while afflicting the afflicted will, if reflected in the final bill, lead to substantially lower employment and substantially more suffering."

My feeling is that Krugman has a poor perception of centrism. The republicans who sided with democrats and democrats who sided with republicans are not always "centrists" Centrism is an ideological belief, not a term to be thrown around and given to politicans who have "worked on both sides of the aisle."

I'd like to help Krugman find a real Centrist in the House but, I haven't seen a true Centrist in their yet this year. I encourage people to point one out to me.

Overall, Centrists should be outraged, but then again, who is surprised that no one has critized Krugman? Krugman's remarks are like calling democrats, socialist and, like calling republicans, golden parachute manufacturers.

Here's the NY Times Op-Ed, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/09/opinion/09krugman.html

Is this centrism and should centrists put up with this?