'Centrism' is just another word for 'Corporatist,' Mike McCurry, and what's 'wrecking our country.'

[flpoljunkie]

Mike McCurry: "Centrism is not much in fashion these days but the lack of it is wrecking our country."

Mike McCurry

Former White House press secretary :

Evan Bayh is part of the glue that holds an increasingly polarized place like the U.S. Senate together. My old boss in my Senate days, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, was fond of saying that “a principal question of American democracy is whether the center can hold.” Centrism is not much in fashion these days but the lack of it is wrecking our country. I know Senator Bayh is right that he can make some outstanding contribution outside of the Senate – in commerce, academia or charity. But his departure will further diminish an institution that is not so much any longer the world’s greatest deliberative body.

http://www.politico.com/arena/

[dmallind]

1. nope...both "centrism" and the ephemeral "corporatism" are the DU equivalent of "Satan!" to Puritans

A dark malevolent presence that somehow is never described or defined the same way by any two people, is seen to be followed only by a tiny minority and yet is also intensely powerful and able to control and direct every single undesirable influence on the poor innocent and heroic folks who struggle for good along with a supposedly powerless majority.

The furor over Bayh et al is simply a slightly more polite and modernized ducking stool and crushing stone.

[groovedaddy]

5. What I do know (and I've been around AND involved for while, with a b.a. in poli sci) is that

"Centrisism" is now to the right of Richard Nixon. It has been pushed and cajoled there by an organized campaign from the right (part of the "vast right wing conspiracy"? Maybe so).
By the very nature of the right wing, corpratism is bound up with this movement, though not necessarily one and the same.
Centrists Democrats, more often than not, fall in that category of being to the right of Richard Nixon. Almost all, if not all, accept campaign contributions from corporations (indirectly, of course, via "groups" set up to facilitate such, but since the recent SCOTA decision, will be able to do so directly). Those contributions translate into "corporate friendly" legislation, most recently evident in the healthcare measure proposed by the Senate and also in the banking bailout. There are numerous prior examples of this influence.
The DLC supports this way of doing "business." It needs to be stopped.

[Robb]

2. Words mean things. These two don't mean the same thing. nt

[dionysus]

3. no, not really. Dean is pretty much a left-centrist, and he sure as hell isn't a corporatist.

:shrug:
edit, i'm not advocating "centrism", as a lot of corporatist politicians hide behind the centrist moniker. but i'd take a centrist like Dean who gets results over an ineffectual uber-liberal (DK)

[flpoljunkie]

4. Dean's definition of centrism is not the same as Evan Bayh's.

Bayh has only voted with Democrats' 71% of the time this session of Congress. He's the Republican's favorite Democrat.

[dionysus]

6. i agree on bayh. he's one of the coporatists who hide behind the word "centrism"

Dean appeals greatly to liberals because he's gutsy, and honest, something lacking in most politicians.

[polichick]

8. +1

[Armstead]

7. Centrist is NOT the same as Moderate

Centrist -- Corporate. Supported by Corporations, hangs out with Corporate Elite and -- most important -- espouses what is basically Conservative economic and political policies and values. Also tends to bash liberals and call anything that is non-conservative as "fringe left" and fights to defeat them.

Moderate Liberal -- Believes in liberal principles without apology, tends to identify more with average people and the poor. Differs from more ideological liberals and progressives mainly in terms of speed and extent of change, but has similar basic goals.

[Hello_Kitty]

9. The majority of Americans want HCR with a public option.

That's the the true centrist position, since it includes a high percentage of independents and Republicans. The DC Village corporatist "centrist" position is HCR with no public option.

[Kyril Enko]

10. Damn!

Just when I was sure no one here knew that I own Exxon-Mobil!!!:sarcasm: