Anyone can except a politician running for office. What I mean. there is a dilemma when you have candidates trying to run on a party ticket when they go against the party on issues. The candidates have to be able to win the primaries of their own parties before running for president, this rules out a lot of candidates that might otherwise have a shot at winning. Its not that I or some march to one party or the other. Its that my beliefs fall in line almost perfectly with the Republican party. I have thought about being an independent from time to time when the Republicans tick me off.
I think a moderate can be classified as one whose opinion falls between particular extremes of an issue or idea. And its by chance, randomly and where it happens to end up on the graph yet not a conscious choice. This same person could easily however, be considered extreme on any other issue since they are mutually exclusive. So are they considered moderates? depends on the issue. Another can claim to be a moderate by consciously making every decision or opinion based on what they consider the midpoint of two extremes. they don't scatter naturally as you say. it is a conscious decision based on a hypothetical graph of each. This of course, is a centrist view yet what you claiming you are not? Im not so sure thats the case. those are 2 completely different things in my view. the latter has no basis of principle and is exclusively forming a stance based on 2 relative, arbitrary extremes that define absolutely nothing. that is not a stance or a position or a view. Its simply the mean of 2 random points of opinion. You speak of "we" when referring to moderates. I dont understand this. So all of you agree on every issue presented as long as its within a certain range that is arbitrarily set? What are the parameters of this range and how do you determine it? Any given person is likely to be liberal on some views and conservative on others based on simple probability. theres like a billion views of things, ya know. Since these extremes are relative to each particular situation, one usually has nothing to do with the other. How can every view two or more people have fall within a given spectrum of complete randomness? Moreover, why would anyone declare this as a position or want to classify themselves as such? And what is that really saying? simply nothing except we dont necessarily agree on anything but its ok because we landed in between the others, thus we are moderates. You said, what the hell does that mean? so a moderate can favor slavery as long as they have mixed feelings or second thoughts that straddle both ends of extreme? thats one random group of non-ideas it seems.
I find this post interesting for example a agree with Supafan with everything but 2 points. 1) I am pro death penalty 2) I disagree that the pro-free speech, anti censorship, pro-free trade legalization are left wing ideas. It is the left wing that tries to censor free speech and free trade in this country unless i'm misunderstanding something.
I think freedom of speech is more of a leftist ideal. It is the conservatives who want to put labels on vulgar music, pass flag burning amendments, and shut down internet porn sites. I also think of free trade as a more leftist ideal because conservatives routinely support protective tarriffs and complain about export deficits like they matter.
i looked at a couple polls, and i think pretty much everything you said marches in exact lockstep with america, except your stance on marijuana. only like a quarter of americans favor legal marijuana. so on that you are an extremist, by your standards. an example of you left leaning stance, abortion rights, isnt really that lefty but exactly in line with the rest of america, the majority of america is with you. same thing with capital punishment (over 2/3 of people favor capital punishment), even though that is your self described right stance. you are left when america is, and right when america is. you must be pretty happy with the state of things. you are very electable, whether that is a good thing is a matter for debate. it is interesting to me that you are almost never in the minority. what you call your most non-centrist views are basically exactly centered. your non centrist issue, marijuana, will be centered in a few years, you are a little ahead of the curve on that one. in 10 years america will catch up to you on that one. maybe i miscalculated, and you are the one leading, not following.
No moderate has ever described himself in this fashion. This is the Limbaugh line pushed by people who simply refuse to understand what a moderate is and must try to make up a scenario that they can understand. You just don't get it, do you? I've already explained the principles that govern moderate opinions and that issues are not defined by their extremes. Of course not. Once again you are inventing a scenario that no moderate has advocated. Read the definition again. Moderates are independents, for the most part and each determines what he considers to be moderate or extreme, just like conservatives and liberals do. You can't possibly be this daft. I think you are just pulling my chain. In fact, I'm sure of it. Foolish of me not to have spotted it before. You disguise it well.
And you think this is bad somehow? I pointed out earlier that most Americans are moderates, even though most are registered as Democrats and Republicans. tirks thesis that moderates don't exist is simply unsupportable. Moderates have opinions all over the board, which is logical because the balance point on each particular issue sometimes is to the left or the right. Extremists must be extreme in all things, apparently. That's what we thought in the 1970's but it didn't happen. I hope you are right, though. You are indeed gaining wisdom, Grasshoppa.
yes, because when you allow your opinions to be be dictated by the polls you have no principles. i know you will argue it just chance that you agree with the polls every time. i would argue that you take the opinion that seems most agreeable to people, without regard for what is actually right. basically, you are a politician.
