Baggs It appears you take issue with my use of the word "havoc" to describe the current state of many people's lives in this country. You, imply that my comment is merely a reflection of my irrational dislikes (havoc = "things I don't like").
I stand by my statement that this government has wreaked havoc ("widespread destruction, damage, depredation") in the lives of many people. I think you will find that this is not merely a personal reflection based on my own impliedly knee-jerk reactions and prejudices but is a view supported by many (not necessarily especially radical) people who see the day-to-day effects of government policy on education, health, the justice system, housing, etc. etc.
The Bo Winegard article you provided a link for suggested that centrism is about applying caution, temperance and compromise to achieve political and cultural progress. BW suggests that the great achievements of Western civilisation - free markets, equal treatment under the law, admiration for open inquiry - should inspire reverence. And so they should - where they are in evidence. But he goes on to give as an example:
"In the US, the notion that all people are equal under the law and should be treated as individuals is a sacred value".
In seeming disregard of this "sacred value" I can recall from my childhood seeing young black people being manhandled and attacked by white mobs who opposed the de-segregation of schools, and many police officers not being over zealous in their efforts to protect these young people. No doubt some people on here will also remember there were many amenities (diners, public toilets, public transport, etc. etc.) to which black people were forbidden access or had access restricted. Of course, the situation in the US is nowhere near as terrible now as it was then but it is still far from ideal and I guess many black people will laugh mirthlessly at the idea that they have fair and equal access to the justice, health, employment and housing systems.
It seems to me that BW, whilst making a plea for centrism (and who exactly defines what the "centre" is?), spends very little time criticising the right and radical right but instead concentrates his attention on the left and radical left.
In his mentionof the Charlottesville situation, for instance, it is left groups (some of which no doubt deserve to be criticised), which receive all his attention, whilst the right groups, including some openly neo-Nazi groups, do not appear to get much of a mention. Yet it was the violent protests and murders committed by right wing individuals and groups that initiated all the subsequent public disorder.
I agree there are times when compromise is necessary, but there are also times (as happened in 1948) when mere "notions" of equality and justice are not enough and material efforts need to be made to provide for the health education and general wellbeing of a country and to combat unfair treatment and discrimination.