What is a Bold Centrist?

Political centrists favor a flexible, pragmatic and non-ideological approach to governance. They tend to occupy the middle-ground of political opinion but are rarely attached to particular policies. This is not because centrists lack conviction or ideas but because they appreciate the utter difficulty of predicting policy effects over time. Like scientists, centrists appreciate their own limitations and the need to keep an open mind. And like scientists, they are ever-alert to the possibility of being wrong.

In other words, centrists think hard about policy. But being thoughtful doesn’t imply timidity or even incrementalism. One can appreciate the complexity of it all and still push for decisive action. That’s what medical doctors do: respect the science, acknowledge uncertainties, yet still be willing to act boldly, despite not knowing for sure they’ve got it right.  And just as doctors practice evidence-based medicine, centrist decision-makers practice evidence-based policymaking. They want to know what’s worked before, what’s failed, what were some of the trade-offs and unintended consequences. They look at the experiences of other jurisdictions, states and countries. And they know the difference between wishful theorizing and hard evidence.

So what is a Bold Centrist? A centrist willing to aim high, responsibly.

The Mission of Government:

Leaving aside environmental protection for now, the government’s main job is to secure the people’s right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The policy challenge is to secure each right without losing sight of the others, e.g., to protect life but not to the point of smothering liberty or undermining the pursuit of happiness. It’s a balancing act - and one that calls for a mix of caution and boldness.

While the general mission hasn’t changed much since the Constitutional Convention of 1787, what that mission means in practice certainly has changed. For example, securing the right to life implies a duty to protect from harm - but only to the extent that is doable given current resources and capabilities, which change over time. It would have made little sense in the early 1800s for the federal government to mandate and subsidize universal access to healthcare services when such services were rather risky propositions and the government was near-broke. Today’s a different story. The medical field has evolved and the resources are there. We could have an affordable universal healthcare system in the US. All we need is the political will and a way to do it responsibly.

There’s that word again: responsibly. What does that mean? Let’s start with some dictionary definitions:

Responsibility: reliability or dependability, especially in meeting debts or payments. Dictionary.com

Responsibly: in a way that shows that you have good judgment. Example: He tried to manage his land responsibly, with an emphasis on conservation. Cambridge Dictionary 

Judgment: the ability to make decisions or to make good decisions, or the act of developing an opinion, especially after careful thought. Cambridge Dictionary

Putting it all together, to act responsibility is to consider the potential consequences of one’s actions and to avoid undesirable or harmful consequences. People who act responsibly think hard about the broader and long-term ramifications of their actions. They don’t waste resources or incur excessive debt. As an approach to governance, acting responsibly might entail:

Regulatory Caution: accept the necessity of government regulations while mindful of trade-offs, costs, and the possibility of unintended consequences.   

Fiscal Responsibility: assume a "good householder" approach to government finances, with a focus on efficiency, accountability, and restraint.

Ok, so that sounds Republican. But Republicans tend to be conservative, small-government incrementalists. In contrast, Bold Centrists are fine with ambitious policy goals - as long as they’re conceived and implemented responsibly.