Or, let’s have a platform. Or, let’s have a plank. “A party” sounds most attractive, but I have reason to consider a plank first.
The kind of plank I am considering is political. It is the name given to fundamental parts of a political platform. Political party platforms are made up of planks. This kind of plank does not come from a tree, but rather from the minds of men and women. We can shape one, or more.
We have some ideas about the nature of a political party. Historically each person running for political office usually had a platform much like the platform of his party. So we know that a platform is what a person running for office stood on. I Great Britain, I believe, stood for office rather than running for office as one does in the US. A platform was once more about what party stood for rather than stood on. A party and it’s platform may be much about wants, interests, needs, desires, values, and even philosophy of citizens, the men and women of the nation.
So, parties had platforms. An important of those platforms were its planks. Each plank was likely to represent a specific want, interest need, etc.
Right now I a less interested in specific candidates, elections, or parties and am more interested in the specifics the platform they stand on. The specifics are best found in the planks
So, I am interested in platforms and the planks of those platforms, I am interested in specific planks and sets of planks one can stand on and for.
I want a solid plank I can work on and see implemented in our nation. I am interested in a plank I can be proud to stand up for. I am interested in a plank which represents real and specific values and interests in an understandable and attractive way.
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First we form some great planks. With them we can make a great platform. On that great platform can stand a great (new) party. A party to be proud of.
Heaven forbid that other parties should copy a plank of ours.
by Richard Sheehan
for Mago ill
