Broder Weighs In

Washington Post columnist David Broder joins the fray to discuss the utility of Centrist principles in today's op/ed piece, "Proving the Value of Consensus."

"Consensus is not sexy or exciting, but it has its uses, as two reports issued this week remind us. When people who are smart and experienced and willing to engage honestly with each other address a problem, they can really move toward a solution," Broder notes, going on to discuss important new efforts from the nonpartisan Election Center and the Constitution Project at Georgetown to reform election procedures and federal sentencing guidelines (respectively).

The Election Center's report is based on testimony and input from current and former elections officials around the country, and the group responsible for the sentencing report was headed by former Reagan Attorney General Ed Meese and former Clinton deputy Attorney General Philip Heymann. I look forward to reading both of those reports and commenting on them separately (although in the interest of full disclosure I admit I will look most closely at the one dealing with elections).

Broder ends his column by noting, with sentiments that I would echo, "Those who know far more about the conduct of trials or the management of elections than I do may well find fault with the recommendations in these two reports. But both have moved the ball forward, and both have demonstrated the benefits of bringing people together across partisan and philosophical lines."

Another small step. One at a time!