The next Paradigm Shift in American politics and American culture. Centroids: By default I tuned in to Fareed Zakaria on CNN; I wanted to watch something worthwhile, to take a short break, and everything else on the tube at that time was worthless. Zakaria's guest was David Brooks, a "true moderate" but nonetheless a very smart man. Zakaria is smart, too, but since he is in the business of defending Islam and misrepresenting it, I don't see where his approach has any value. But Zakaria was interested in exploring the meaning of Trump's election. The trouble with Brooks is that he has no backbone. He is afraid to take bold positions on anything at all, which is characteristic of moderates. But he is quite capable of making astute observations. And one of his points was that the November 2016 election represented a paradigm shift in US politics. Trump, of course, is too uninformed, too ignorant about too many things, and too stupid in many ways, to know what to do with the results of his insight that America was ready for a paradigm shift. But he won because America was, in fact, ready. What is Radical Centrism really all about? Is it predicated on the proposition that the political status quo is "Good" and is meant to be enduring? Or is it built upon the principle that the status quo is not good and deserves to be replaced as soon as possible? All of my efforts for the years since RC.org came into existence in 2004 have followed from the position that we need a paradigm shift in American politics, NOT gradualist change toward a middle, not compromise-after-compromise that merely tweaks the existing political paradigm. What is a political paradigm shift? Some are obvious like the American Revolution when we replaced one system by an entirely new system that took more than a decade before we finally got it right. Another paradigm shift took place under TR, the next one took place under FDR. The last sort-of paradigm shift unfolded under Reagan although you could argue that there was another "sorta" shift brought about because of Newt Gingrich in the 1990s. Anyway, what I'm talking about is along the lines of Teddy Roosevelt more than anyone else. And no-one can argue that TR simply was more moderate than his political rivals; he was, au contraire, much more Radical. Conservationism (environmentalism), trust-busting, a new form of Manifest Destiny, etc., even an abortive adventure into equal rights for 'Negroes.' None of these departures were simply more moderate versions of then-current politics. In fact, while there could be moderation about some matters, about the big issues of the day TR was not a moderate at all. What Brooks meant about 2016 was that the old paradigm represented by the GOP establishment and the Democratic Party establishment (BHO + Hillary) turned out to be a losing proposition. Heck, we came close to having two non-establishment candidates, the other being Bernie Sanders who came within about 5% of pulling it off. Trump remains adrift at sea. He simply lacks the smarts for much else except muddling through. if, that is, his foolishness doesn't sink his ship first. Trump is also the poster child for what to expect of someone who does not read books. Or only reads books at rare intervals and who has never read books except at rare intervals. His vocabulary is 8th grade level, if that. His stock of ideas is meager, everything revolves around his ego and his perceived self-interest. And he is such a buffoon that there will be people seeking to kick him out of office as long as he is in the White House. What kind of paradigm shift is needed for our time? There are several strands that seem to me to be ready to collapse, but what stands out is toleration of Islam. This ideal is increasingly obsolete, yet the establishments of both parties continue to defend that ideal no matter how many bomb blasts, no matter how many trucks run down people and kill them, no matter how many knife attacks, etc, none of that matters to either the Bushies or the Clintonites / Obama-ists. How many suicide attacks will it take? Which will be one too many? I think we are getting close, and this also means that some kind of moderate position about Islam makes no sense. Moderate to whom? Moderate to what ends? I think that some sort of moderate position is possible for the environment. But I do not see this at all for social issues -all of which are personal and deal with our core values. There needs to be a showdown and a war of ideas. There also needs to be balance. After all, my position is NOT off-the-shelf Evangelical. I want to see emphasis on Comparative Religion in the schools. I'm not attacking Islam for the sake of promoting exclusivist Christian faith. Yes, I'd like to see a lot of Muslims convert to Christianity, but I would be genuinely happy if a lot became Buddhists or Hindus or Jews or still other faiths. My position, in fact, is ecumenical and my stand is for the success of all "good religions," those that share something like a common morality. This necessarily puts me in direct conflict with homosexuality. Just about every religion you can name is opposed to homosexuality and for damned good reasons. There is a lot more to it, but basic is not only a war of ideas against Islam, which is where things seem poised to begin, but necessarily also against homosexuality and against homosexuals. Making sure that this is understood as metaphor..... My model for this kind of war is the First Crusade. Or Eisenhower's "Crusade in Europe." Radical Centrism as I see it, is all about creating the next paradigm shift in American politics and American culture. It does not matter who lies about me, who censors me, who denies me due process, or anything else. I am not about to compromise about anything at all that I sincerely believe in. Billy
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