What is the most boring document you will read this year? It better not be our philosophy. It may seem pointless. Why spend months bothering to write something nobody will read? Our answer is this:
Our philosophy will be the guiding document for The Common Good Party. We can’t go to a Common Good manifesto written 200 years ago, so we have been writing our own. We are looking to set the bounds and direction of the Common Good party. Not just us setting the bounds but everyone contributing.
Consultation takes time, but it is needed. The more minds looking at our philosophy, the stronger it will be. We want to be using this document to build policy issues we couldn’t dream of in 20 years time.
Our party started around four key issues.
- Compassion for refugees
- Family and life issues
- Religious freedom
- Climate change
All are still important, but some are now less prominent. We now particularly see issues like inflation and the cost of housing affecting our common good.
Beyond everyday issues, we see a general frustration at politics. So short term and so tribal. Our philosophy will help us be a coherent party that can think long-term.
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If you have engaged with our members you will quickly realise that we come from across the political spectrum. From the “far left” to the “far right” and everywhere in-between.
Our “Lefties” are passionate about social justice, but find some of the social policies of the ALP and particularly the Greens unpalatable.
Our “right wing” members tend to be traditional conservatives who are looking for a serious ethical alternative to vote for.
Our philosophy is trying to include both of these groups. This is at the heart of who we are and the party we are creating. We recognise that both the left and right speak clear truth and clear lies. We utterly reject the tribalism and dogmatic partisanship that plagues our politics.
We don’t seek to blend red and blue into some kind of dusty Dame Edna mauve hairwig.
No. Iron sharpens iron. The best policies come from robust debate, not groupthink. Political differences must remain within the party.
This philosophy aims to set the bounds of those differences and unite us behind a common flag as we work towards the common good.
This said, there are a few disclaimers.
- It is not professionally written. It is designed to serve its purpose rather than be brilliantly written or cover every possibility.
- It is not going to make everyone happy. Most will have some issues with it.
- It is not definitively setting the bounds of who is in or out of the party.
- It IS expected to be added to and improved in the future.
That said, the goals of it are as follows:
- To be a declaration of values of who we are as a party that others can confidently join for the next 20 years.
- To let us make consistent policy decisions and moral judgements.
- To use clear language attractive to both left wing and right wing members.
- To protect the party’s values from rapid growth and changing leadership.
If you have read through here, then the journey is just starting. Please read through our draft philosophy here and make comments. We will be releasing it in more manageable chunks over the next few months, but it is best read in its entirety.
Now is the time to join in and help set the direction for our party for the next fifty years.