When I first broached the idea of ranking members of Congress based on centrist criteria, I described the policy passions and initial legislative priorities that motivated me. Here is a breakdown of specific votes of the 111th Congress, and where I propose that a centrist lawmaker should have pulled the lever.
Wikipedia suggested which votes I should consider; OpenCongress.org will be my chief data source. For judgment on what constitutes the “right vote,” I look to readers for input -- before I start running the numbers.
2 comments:
There is really only one way to do this objectively, avoiding anyone's personal leanings and biases.
If that is what you want to accomplish, you've got to base it purely on the issue areas that have polled as being the most important to the American public, and then look at which specific issues within those larger issue areas are examples where a clear majority is on one side of the issue (which in most cases they do).
This book [Culture War? The Myth of a Polarized America (3rd Edition)] probably has a lot of up to date info on where the public stands on things... I haven't read the new edition, but the older one I have brings a heck of a lot of clarity.
Great idea... will definitely talk about it on my blog when you post this, and/or would be happy to cross post it.
Solomon Kleinsmith
Rise of the Center
http://www.riseofthecenter.com/
Thanks, Solomon. I picked Wikipedia's list out of a desire to reflect a wiki-driven "informed consensus" about what constitutes the important legislation of the last session.
That said, I'm wary of polls -- partly because you can prove anything with them, and partly because the Burkean part of me wants to reserve some room for personal judgment. (For example, I am a bit out in front on gay marriage, but I believe strongly that historical momentum is behind it -- and squarely within a centrist tradition of diminishing prejudice in our laws.)
I really appreciate being in touch and getting to know Rise of the Center. It's hard to understand the echo chambers on both sides without falling in -- yet you pull it off. Any thoughts you have on the judgments I've made about "the right votes" are much appreciated.
Really glad to be in touch -- will you be at the Daily Show rally?
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