80/20 Government
Far too often government policies inadequately focus on the 20% that’s causing 80% of the problem. For example, if the current financial crisis focused on fixing the housing problems in California, Nevada, Arizona and Florida they might actually have fixed something by now.
Value for Tax Dollars
It’s not unreasonable to ask the government what we’re getting for our tax dollars, and to see annual measures of the overhead in the services provided. Americans don’t mind getting value for their tax dollars – it’s bridges to nowhere, $50 toilet seats, bloated bureaucracies, corporate welfare and cushy government retirement benefits that raise centrist citizen dander. The federal government has started the process of evaluating program efficiency, which is a good beginning. Another way of expressing this is...
It's Our Money
Centrists would align with conservatives in asserting that the money we earn, the wealth we accumulate, belongs first to we the people. Government of the people only earns the right to use some of it in the form of taxes by spending it wisely, with the consent of the people. Obviously we the people don't agree on everything, so not all expenditures will be made with the consent of all the people. That does not, however, give elected officials carte blanche to spend wildly, which is the perennial danger of those who deal with Other People's Money (OPM can be as addicting as opium).
What Does Government/The Market Do Well?
Typical conservative/liberal spitball fights are full of generalizations and often low on specifics when it comes to the relative competencies of government and markets. Centrists want the facts – inquiring minds want to know.
Reason Rules
Going back to Plato, centrists have advocated that reason should rule over passion, both in government and individual behavior (see http://theglitteringeye.com/?p=2926 for a thoughtful advocacy of moderation).
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