[Siberian Fox]

Are there ten people on PoFo who would be interested in discussing current affairs through the prism of normal party politics?

There are so many people here who are so dismissive of the current system, and yet it is what we have and arguments among its politicians decide how we are governed day-to-day. What I'm suggesting is a group to discuss news and issues that the mainstream parties need to tackle to win the centre ground - and thus win elections.

I would foresee participants sharing a few common values such as:

• Considering representative democracy to be a reasonable, if imperfect, system of government.
• Rejection of extremist political parties and politics, such as Marxism, Fascism and Libertarianism.
• People who in major elections normally vote for mainstream political parties, i.e. conservatives, liberals and social democrats.
• Belief that the best hope for positive change is gradual reform using our current systems of government, not a revolution.
• Rejection of conspiracy theories, like Jews control the world, or the US government blew up the WTC.

[U184]

Yes, if you are suggesting that it would be in a structured environment. I mean a club is great, but if the club is full of opposed and aggressive members, it might just disintegrate into a normal thread.

[mikema63]

I am opposed, only the communists should organize themselves effectively.

[Siberian Fox]

Yes, if you are suggesting that it would be in a structured environment. I mean a club is great, but if the club is full of opposed and aggressive members, it might just disintegrate into a normal thread.

Structured in what way? If you mean like a debating society, I don't see a problem with allowing members to choose either an 'open' thread or a 'structured' thread if some sort of debating rules can be agreed upon for such threads.

[Smilin' Dave]

Working within existing power structures is just the kind of kooky and zany thing I love to see. I'm in.

[unbalanced zealot]

I'm in.

As long as there is scope for the occasional revolution here and there if absolutely need be.

[Lexington]

I'm in.

But it just won't be PoFo without someone jumping in on an innocuous thread with a "Jews control the world" or "Let's nationalize the means of production!" post.

[mikema63]

You could let in a token member of each group.

Or perhaps even just pick one of the more articulate and less nasty posters from an outside camp to at least give an opinion from the outside of the center looking in.

After all, while most communists focus mainly on the broad disagreements with liberalism many probably do care about local short term stuff.

[Goldberk]

What Mike says is true, many on the far left still engage with representative politics, and vote in elections.

[slybaldguy]

I would like to participate.

[Technology]

I'm open to it. I consider my short term politics flexible and pragmatic.

[Lexington]

You could let in a token member of each group.

That would kind of defeat the purpose...

I was joking about how PoFo threads posted on centrist/not-gonna-blow-up-the-world-about-this issues usually end up.

[Eauz]

Oh, how cute. The Liberals (general term) are going to ponder new ideas to propose to distract the masses in order to keep the good times rolling for them.

[Technology]

Oh, how cute. The Liberals (general term) are going to ponder new ideas to propose to distract the masses in order to keep the good times rolling for them.

The scary thought for you: the liberals are the masses. There is no "consciousness" to awake.

[Lexington]

Oh, how cute. The Liberals (general term) are going to ponder new ideas to propose to distract the masses in order to keep the good times rolling for them.

It is as it was meant to be.

[Siberian Fox]

Okay, so it looks like so far we have seven people interested:

KFlint
Lexington
Siberian Fox
slybaldguy
Smilin' Dave
Technology
unbalanced zealot

Assuming we can get three more, is anyone willing to volunteer to be group leader?

[Lexington]

I would be happy to volunteer.

But probably someone with more time on their hands would be better.

[Kaiserschmarrn]

This sounds like a place where "liberal" is not an insult. I'm in.

[Beren]

This sounds like a place where "liberal" is not an insult.

And leftist doesn't equal communist.

Sure, I'd like to join.

[Nets]

I am in.