Two voices of reason from the American Middle

Two voices of reason from the American middle have stepped forward in recent days to warn that the upcoming presidential election is already heading in the same polarizing direction that has dominated congressional politics over the past decade.

Clive Crook of Bloomberg View has written a column, “Why I am a centrist,” that challenges the assertion that U.S. elections – and public policy debates – are merely a winner-take-all battle between the left and right.

“There are precious few centrists among the politically engaged. But the wider electorate still has plenty of them, and successful candidates for office still need to bow to that fact,” Crook argues.

“U.S. progressives don't just want to improve the country; they want to transform it. So do American conservatives. That's the conversation true believers want to have with their respective candidates. Most of the electorate, though, is wary of politicians bearing transformation. Many of them are still cautious centrists -- and, in the end, they tend to get their way.

“…Two aspects of the centrist temperament seem indispensable in any intelligent discussion of public policy.  One is a willingness to examine trade-offs. True believers of right and left organize their ideas around the hope that there aren't any. For progressives, ‘fairness’ trumps everything; for conservatives, ‘freedom.’ Balancing either against anything else is a moral violation -- but, as luck would have it, the need never arises. If you're a progressive, you can raise tax rates without discouraging effort, and mandate higher wages without reducing the demand for labor. If you're a conservative, you can cut taxes without harming essential public services, and roll back regulation without putting anybody at risk.”

Tom Friedman of the New York Times mentioned Crook’s comments in his newest column: “My choice for president? None of the above.”

Friedman decries the poll-tested, polished remarks of all the presidential candidates, which demonstrate lack of “daring” and show a partisan refusal to embrace common sense solutions.

Here’s Friedman:

“The (initial) defeat by House Democrats -- with an assist from hard-right House Republicans and praise from Hillary Clinton -- of President Obama’s sensible plan to expand Pacific free trade and pair it with worker and environmental protections was a bad sign that many more Democrats are now polarizing toward the populist left. Since the Republicans have already purged their moderates, this trend does not bode well for the country. It means that the hybrid/centrist blends that on many issues can create the most resilient solutions are ‘off the table.’ As long as that’s the case, there is little chance you will pass on the American dream to your kids.

“Just go down the list. With interest rates this low, Washington should be borrowing billions to invest in infrastructure -- roads, ports, airports and 21st-century connectivity and both medical and basic science research -- to make us more productive and create jobs. And we should be pairing that with phased-in entitlement trims and means-testing to Social Security and Medicare to make sure that these safety nets, as well as discretionary spending on education and research, will be there for the next generation.

“Given the knowledge age we are in, it is crazy that we are educating the world’s brightest kids in our colleges and then sending them home. We should be giving green cards to every high-I.Q. risk-taker who wants to work in America, as well as the energetic less-skilled immigrants. Yes, it must be done legally, with a plan and tight borders. We need a high wall -- but with a very big gate. Look at how many start-ups today are led by recent immigrants.”