Through education, religion, and culture we must inspire the American people and ourselves to rise above the all-consuming passion for ourselves. To infuse our democratic society with republican virtue, and live up, even if just a little, to the challenge Benjamin Franklin gave us so many Septembers ago.

It is time we choose them, the individuals, our communities, families, the little platoons instead of bureaucrats and big government, those we trust instead of distant politicians.

At times it seems as if the term liberal has as many definitions as it does detractors and advocates. To help make sense of the confusion we asked some of our editors and advisors to provide their own definition of liberalism.

This publication takes its name from a 1949 book by Arthur Schlesinger Jr. But what did he mean by the term The Vital Center?

The preservation of liberalism requires a new way of looking at things. Here are our guiding principles as we try to forge that new path.

By debating and refining liberalism we hope to promote the very best of humanity.