Reddit mentions of The Radical Center: The Future of American Politics

> Ted Halstead, who leads the Climate Leadership Council, applauded the new legislation. His group is pushing another proposal to tax carbon dioxide emissions and to return the money to taxpayers, an effort backed by former Republican political leaders including former Treasury Secretary James Baker and former Secretary of State George P. Schultz.

> Halstead said in a statement that the bill “provides a clear proof of concept that a conservative-inspired carbon dividends framework can attract bipartisan support.”

If you haven't before, watch Ted Halstead's TED Talk on this carbon tax + dividends solution that his current group endorses, as mentioned: A climate solution where all sides can win.

Ted Halstead co-founded the New America Foundation, a non-partisan think tank, and is co-author of the book The Radical Center: The Future of American Politics, which I also highly recommend!

>it's retarded to the point of being a meme.

How on earth is it retarded? It's fine if your argument is it's nothing new, as your second statement suggests, but pragmatism isn't retarded to the point of being a meme.

Assuming your position is the latter, I'd certainly argue a wholesale rejection of partisan politics is pretty damn radical. The Radical Center: The Future of American Politics is a thought provoking and influential read on the topic:

>Record numbers of Americans describe themselves as “independents” and reject the conventional agendas of Left and Right. In this widely acclaimed book, Ted Halstead and Michael Lind explain why today’s ideologies and institutions are so ill-suited to the Information Age, and offer a groundbreaking blueprint for updating all sectors of America society. Taking on partisans and experts on both sides of the political divide, they propose far-reaching reforms for the way we provide health and retirement security, collect taxes, organize elections, enforce civil rights, and educate our children.

>Twice before the United States has dramatically reconfigured itself, shifting from an agrarian to an industrial society after the Civil War and successfully adapting to the massive technological and demographic changes of the early twentieth century during the New Deal era. Uniting a sweeping historical vision with bold policy proposals, The Radical Center shows us how to reinvent our nation once again so that all Americans can reap the benefits of the Information Age.

One of the authors, Ted Halstead has done a ton of good work toward bridging political divides, especially on climate change.

Do you think the way american politics currently functions is "just pragmatic"? Do you not agree that changing the system to a degree that enables the suppression or elimination of partisan bullshit would be pretty damn radical? For example, banning political parties and requiring everyone to run as independents with their own ideas rather than party talking points is radical IMO.