So moderates dont exist individually. its really just a group of people's average that lands somewhere in the middle even though it has almost extremists on both sides.
i like it better when people define themselves in terms of principles, that way i know where they stand. red says that moderates can be all over the board, so i guess we are trying to make the word meaningless. i think for the purposes of being descriptive people should say things like "i am a small government christian", or "i am a bleeding heart nanny-state liberal", or "i am freemarket athiest". this tells you where a person stands. red is basically a clintonite.
Already answered. Post 29. "Moderates are governed by principles of prudence, balance, and wisdom." -- red55. What a short, short attention span you have today. Unproven allegation already refuted in detail. You're starting to repeat yourself and are also clearly just pulling my chain.
i mean principles that are not so vague as to be used to mean anything. if i ask saltyone why he opposes abortion, he might say that he thinks life is sacred and must be protected. that is a principle with specific meaning. if he said "because i am wise and prudent", he has told me nothing.
i'm betting that if you polled any conservative, liberal, dems, republican, neo con, libertarian, etc. you would get the same non-speak. gee red, running for dog catcher or someting?
Hey, you asked! Those are the basic principles that guide my decisions and my positions. Is it prudent, is it balanced and is it wise. Salty's belief that life is sacred is not a principle, it's an ideology. principle n. -- A fundamental, primary, or general law or truth from which others are derived, ideology n. -- A set of ideals, doctrines, and beliefs that form the basis of a political or economic theory or policy. You've read my posts many times on the importance of equilbrium and balance. As a moderate,I don't need to find a centroid, just a balance point. It is important for a decision to be prudent, with thought for future consequences, and sensible rather than ideologic. It is important to be wise and use the shrewdness and sound judgement acquired by a lifetime of experience and observation. So tell me. What principles guide your decisions? Your principles, not your ideological beliefs. But the issue is between moderates and extremists, not political factions. You tell me if you see any extremist advocating balance, I ain't holding my breath. As far as wisdom and prudence, you must judge them on their actions, not their talk. In general, extremism is both unwise and imprudent. Extremists are governed by ideology and dogma. Moderates are governed by true principles.
If theres one thing I've learned from this thread is that I can also consider myself a moderate since I'm not an extremist.:lol: I see why Red considers himself a moderate. I would also say that no one considers themselves as an extremist for what its worth!:wink:
those definitions overlap, they are not opposed. if you believe that life is sacred, that is a principle, a "truth" that you believe, that forms the basis of your ideology. i believe that the government that governs least governs best. i believe that individuals are better equipped to adapt and solve problems, and they should generally have the freedom to make their own decisions and not have the will of the collective forced upon them. i believe that for any given problem, the government is more likely to be the cause than the solution. furthermore, i think that an economy free from manipulation by coercive forces runs best and most efficiently, providing the maximum amount of wealth and highest standard of living. i also believe that the solutions to our problems always lie in using reason rather than superstition. see how i said specific things there, without just calling myself wise? i am wise, but i like to give reasons why. i am also prudent and balaned, i just place the balance point somewhere else. everyone does, so there is no point in saying your are balanced and fair. it is like saying "i am right because i am right".
Of course there is overlap, but they connote two very different ideas. Not quite. A belief is not a truth. You claim you are balanced also. Well this is not a balanced belief. You want little or no government while Communists want total government. Moderates seek a workable balance between the government and the individual. An ideology based on principles of efficiency and prosperity. Yet, you say that the sacredness of life is a principle, even though it is a belief based on superstition. I rarely advocate fairness, but of course there is a point to balance. Your ideology shows little evidence of these principles. I do not consider you to be balanced in any fashion, marginally wise due to inexperience, and imprudent to the point of rashness. Quick and clever does not equal wisdom. Steadyness does not equal balance. Shrewdness does not equal prudence.
