Comments for Moderate America

Comment on What is a Political Moderate? by POOP

POOP — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 23:51:37 +0000

Your all poop monsters

Comment on What is a Political Moderate? by Fred

Fred — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:26:35 +0000

What a wonderful oasis this website is! Reasonable dialogue at last! It serves to support my view that if all moderates and independents were counted as one group it would far exceed, in numbers, either the idiological right or left. I would also like to reinforce the notion that most of us, as humans, are terribly inconsistent in our views. We are driven, more than we care to admit, by emotional cues derived from our life experience. The “moderate” philosophy acknowledges and tolerates this. Facts, as stated in other posts, are truly quite rare. Core values, however, are our bedrock. Those at the extremes need to see the world in black and white terms, for a variety of reasons that are mostly emotionally based, they cannot be comfortable with the shades of gray we all live with.

Comment on What is a Political Moderate? by Ian Davis

Ian Davis — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 23:22:45 +0000

One of the best examples of a common sense moderate principal is in the field of financial regulation. Small government conservatives believe there should be little or no regulation of the financial markets. Big government liberals believe the government should regulate these markets tightly. The historical evidence has shown that both ideologies are bad. Too much regulation causes stagnation and makes it difficult for companies to earn a profit. This was the case in the 1960′s and 70′s with the S&L industry. Little or no regulation causes extreme risk taking, the kind that can collapse an entire industry. This was also the case in the late 1980′s with the collapse of the S&L industry after Ronald Reagan went way too far with deregulation. We saw the same thing occur in the 1929 crash of the mostly unregulated banking system and just recently with the 2008 stock market crash where the deregulation of 10 years prior allowed banks to package and sell bad mortgages to Wall Street.

The proper common sense approach to the financial markets is moderate regulation. Not too much to suffocate growth, but enough to prevent market crashes like the ones in 1929 and 2008. For the most part, that is what this country had during the 40′s, 50′s, 60′s & 70′s. The middle class was strong during most of that period and most people had good retirement programs. There was a recession here and there, but nothing major.

Comment on What is a Political Moderate? by Timothy

Timothy — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 13:53:40 +0000

This thread has been interesting, but I see a fundamental flaw in the position that political Moderates are the only group that seeks facts and then looks at them objectively to form a reasonable and common sense conclusion, derived from a perspective which balances heart and head. While this philosophy seems to adhere admirably to an ideal, Platonic type of Centrism, please consider that the reality is not so ideal, but is instead very human. All people seek out facts (tricky little devils that are in fact much harder to pin down than you want to believe), sometimes to understand and sometimes to reinforce that which they already “understand”. Much more rarely, some people are honest enough to “seek contrary evidence”, or facts that contradict their apprehended understanding of things. They hope to whittle away at their preconceptions until only the enduring parts remains. Since this is undeniably true, a fundamental trait of people is that they will only look as far as they need to to find their happy place, and will often vigorously attempt to defend that contentment, even flying in the face of “the facts” People are not honest brokers of truth. Secondly, whatever facts we collect for ourselves are rarely derived from personal study and investigation, we do no have enough time and energy in our short lives to investigate everything we have opinions on responsibly, so we depend on perceived “trustworthy experts” to have done the hard work for us. So we start not with objective facts, but with “factoids” of questionable parentage. Since we lie to ourselves if we say that any of us is completely objective, (free of clouding emotions, prejudices, stubbornness or blindness), we must also admit that we all interpret the facts on hand though a worldview constructed throughout our lives which is almost always riddled with inconsistencies and contradictions. Only those who habitually “seek contrary evidence” can ameliorate this reality of human nature, albiet not fully. Do not rest so complacently in your own understanding, test it heartlessly and you will be amazed where you end up.

Comment on What is a Political Moderate? by Adam

Adam — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 11:06:05 +0000

I prefer the title: Independent to moderate. I have quite conservative and liberal values depending on the specific issue being discussed. I believe in; marriage equality (gay, straight, non-gender specific), strong national defense (including border security), and renewable energy.

I would not say I compromise my values on these issues; however, I might be forced to compromise on which candidate I will support as rarely do these issues fall in line for me in one political figure.

I agree with several of the previous posts that made the point that these issues are far more complex than either side would have you believe.

It is also important to point out that, unfortunately, because there are only 2 parties and the system allows each party to choose their candidate that the fringe of each party often steer the course of the election. Until there is a change in the system, or a third party emerges that can withstand the pressure of the political machine things are destined to remain status quo.

Comment on What is a Political Moderate? by Michael

Michael — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 18:03:11 +0000

Paul said, “We average out in the middle, but on any individual issue any individual moderate can be liberal or conservative.”

I think I agree with the sentiment, but I have to take issue with the notion of moderates having blended, or averaged-out views. I don’t think that’s what you’re saying, but I want to dispel the notion as false anyway.

I think it’s simply that most real people have a variety of views, some of which that span the political spectrum. I don’t have weak or averaged-out views on national security or what I believe is the proper use of military resources, for example. These views are fairly conservative, so I tend not to raise them in conventional “liberal” discussions. Similarly, many of my views related to social policy tend toward the liberal end of the spectrum, and I feel strongly enough about these that I’m aware how poorly they would be received in conventional “conservative” circles.

Here’s the main thesis of the article above, which I wrote about two years ago: Most people don’t fit neatly into pigeon holes defined for us by the true believers on both sides of the conservative-liberal divide. I think I’m pretty normal, and I think that having strong feelings that cover the most of the political spectrum is probably pretty normal too.

Comment on About Moderate America by Michael

Michael — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 17:32:57 +0000

Sure thing. I have been very busy with other ventures, and let this blog sit for some time. Looks like there’s still a little interest out there, so I’ll make sure I update Moderate America.

Comment on About Moderate America by David B

David B — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 02:54:37 +0000

Nice to see another moderate web site. Can I link to your page?

Comment on What is a Political Moderate? by Fox

Fox — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 22:24:48 +0000

Saying that we easily dismiss principles and values is about as agenda-driven as you can get. Maybe some moderates dismiss YOUR principles and values, but they have done so after thinking things through and finding them detrimental rather than waiting for the almighty liberal or conservative deputies show you the way. Your short-sighted need to classify and categorize every opposing or altered view – as other comments have stated – weak or lackadaisacal, let alone damaging to the way of life and freedom is more of a concern for freedom than our ability to think for ourselves and not let external definitions dictate our actions or morality. People like you disgust me because you think you can take the high road, acting high and mighty about your cherished declaration of wing-tendency because you have highly opinionated but well recognized speakers to back you up.
Not everyone has an agenda, not everyone wants to spin the system, and most certainly not everyone is out to get your precious values. Some of them we agree with, some we don’t, and we have our reasons. It’s as simple as that.
Being a true moderate is not about dismissing morality, and certainly not about compromise. It’s about choice. Take your pretentious canned speech elsewhere, and quit trying to act like intellectuals can’t be moderates.

Comment on What is a Political Moderate? by Franklin

Franklin — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 12:05:50 +0000

Almost uniformly, these writing submissions are impressively moderate. And by moderate, I mean lacking care for understandability, consistency, authenticity, or dispassionate presentation. It’s a good thing submissions pass through a spell checker; too bad there’s no grammar check.

Reading these has been a seminal education for me. It is not that political moderates and their views are the most common or the least extreme. Like their writing, their reflexive disregard for principles obscures unacknowledged self-serving prejudice; they’re not really moderating. This aligns well with professional moderates who enrich themselves while selling out their allies, all the while insisting such compromise is a virtue.

Above all they trot out that chimera of problem-solution. They would baffle us with what bedevils them: the illusion that there are solutions for problems. They have it backwards: there are problems for solutions. Problems exist in the perception of life. But problems are created too. Look at any problem in the public sphere and you will find it was caused by an old solution to an older perceived problem. (E.g. The automobile was the solution to the problem of pollution: horse dung and smell everywhere. Overpriced neighborhoods are destroyed and homeowners ruined by government mortgage subsidies supposedly intended to promote stable home ownership.)

Moderates’ easy dismissal of principles and values legitimates a culture of meddling busybodies. Their disingenuous helpfulness smothers liberty. Who let the dogs out? Moderates.