The New Political Compass
Thursday, September 3, 2009 at 9:57PM 
Thanks to Ken Chapman, I am reading an excellent document written by Paul H. Ray, PhD. Although 7 years old; it is very elightening on what the future of politics might look like.
Here are some words from the Executive Summary:
"We are entering into a time of transformation, i.e., changing shape and function, of many of our institutions, our political institutions are very much in need of repair or replacement, and this paper shows how to look at the emerging culture of our time as a support for positive change. indeed, it says that political culture, which is the substrate politics rests on, has already been changing for some decades now, and at this point in history, leads to new kinds of political demand.
Today's politics is dismal in part because of it's rigidity, it's corruption, and it's inability to supply what people want. We are looking at the political equivalent of what would be called market failure in economics and business:
the breakdown of supply and demand. Our democracy is at great risk of turning into a plutocracy: rule by and for the benefit of the rich."
I highlighted that one line because it really rang true with me, and particularly since this was written in 2002, a full 6 years before the major economic meltdown that proves ironic in this.
I strongly recomment this as a read, and you can download the full PDF version here. The real question of course is how can we reinvent our government within this new reality. Add to this social media tools and a fickle and non-partisan younger generation and we have a real environment for change. I have some ideas, and will make it my goal to share some of them here.
One last sentence that rings true, and will consume much of my thoughts over the next little while:
"In partisan political terms, we are looking at a slow decline of both left and right, and of both political parties. The term "center" doesn't communicate anything, and my research suggests it is a fiction. Social conservatism is slowly declining as its underlying culture slowly dies off: In the last fifty years, Traditionals have shrunk from about half of the population to under a quarter. We are also looking at the demise of the left, since only about twelve to fifteen percent of the people identify with it anymore."
Some interesting thoughts.