Discussion Are there moderates here?

mikegg

Golden Member
Jan 30, 2010
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People who:
  • Understand why both sides are they way they are
  • Use data, information, and logic to analyze each policy instead of siding with a party no matter what
  • Have a good heart, and a brain
  • Pro business and pro people
  • Don’t like radicals on either side
  • Think things aren’t always black and white
  • Value safety, security while wanting to abolish systems that hold many minorities back
  • Support the police but also want to keep police in check and continuously implement changes to make them a better force for society
  • It’s ok to help people when they fall but don’t implement policies that incentivize entitlement
  • Supports legal immigration and immigration for really talented people but doesn’t think America should provide a home for every poor person in the world
  • Think America does many things right but understand that other countries can do things better and America can learn from them

I’m just wondering if there are people like me out there or are most people really left or really right?
 
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ivwshane

Lifer
May 15, 2000
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The issue isn’t usually the goals people want as I suspect most Americans want the same things. The issue is how do we achieve those goals and that’s where the differences between left and right are.
 

Starbuck1975

Lifer
Jan 6, 2005
14,698
1,909
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People who:
  • Understand why both sides are they way they are
  • Use data, information, and logic to analyze each policy instead of siding with a party no matter what
  • Have a good heart, and a brain
  • Pro business and pro people
  • Don’t like radicals on either side
  • Think things aren’t always black and white
  • Value safety, security while wanting to abolish systems that hold many minorities back
  • Support the police but also want to keep police in check and continuously implement changes to make them a better force for society
  • It’s ok to help people when they fall but don’t implement policies that incentivize entitlement
  • Supports legal immigration and immigration for really talented people but doesn’t think America should provide a home for every poor person in the world
  • Think America does many things right but understand that other countries can do things better and America can learn from them

I’m just wondering if there are people like me out there or are most people really left or really right?
Welcome fellow traveler. You said bothsides, that makes you a fascist to some in these waters. Your bullet points 5 and 6 are where most discussions derail.
 
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SmCaudata

Senior member
Oct 8, 2006
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The reality is that everything you posted is what the democratic party is about. We've been both sides so much that even some normal liberals are being molded to believe that the democratic party is full of extremists. Look at how moderate Obama court appointees were. Its the conservative ones that legislate from the bench. Anyway, I think most people here, and most of the democratic party, fit your description.
 
Nov 8, 2012
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The reality is that everything you posted is what the democratic party is about. We've been both sides so much that even some normal liberals are being molded to believe that the democratic party is full of extremists. Look at how moderate Obama court appointees were. Its the conservative ones that legislate from the bench. Anyway, I think most people here, and most of the democratic party, fit your description.

Not really. You let your extremists do the majority of your talking - and the moderates feel ostracized to remain quiet.
 

ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
37,734
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You'll find moderates here, but out in the world it's a bunch of social media extremists who prefer not to use the old noggin

I used to be considered a moderate, but by our political standards, I'm now a libtard.
 
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SmCaudata

Senior member
Oct 8, 2006
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Not really. You let your extremists do the majority of your talking - and the moderates feel ostracized to remain quiet.
Left "extremists" would be full blown communists. There are none here. 90% of the US dems would be right leaning in most of the world. The Repubs have gone full fascist as a reaction to having a black man in the white house and as a result, the moderates only look extreme by comparison. There is a thread here questioning the idea of gun control. One prominent, liberal poster in another is questioning purpose of unions. Are people here passionate and opinionated? Yes. That doesn't make them extreme when it comes to policies. Most here believe in universal Healthcare, progressive taxation, green energy, and socially liberal views. In other words, main stream America pre Reagan.
 

ewdotson

Golden Member
Oct 30, 2011
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Yeah, I'm pretty much a mainstream Democrat. By any reasonable evaluation, that makes me pretty moderate. I don't even particularly like Bernie, let alone genuine leftists. Seriously, leftbook is a scary place if you've never inadvertently wandered into it.

But because I don't have a whole lot of tolerance for false equivalencies, some folks will insist that I'm a partisan hack. *shrug*
 
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SmCaudata

Senior member
Oct 8, 2006
969
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Yeah, I'm pretty much a mainstream Democrat. By any reasonable evaluation, that makes me pretty moderate. I don't even particularly like Bernie, let alone genuine leftists. Seriously, leftbook is a scary place if you've never inadvertently wandered into it.

But because I don't have a whole lot of tolerance for false equivalencies, some folks will insist that I'm a partisan hack. *shrug*
Its easy to get labeled as such considering people simply wanting every vote to count are labeled as cheaters. Again, modern mainstream Republicans are lunatics. I can say that because none of them stood up to Trump.
 

cytg111

Lifer
Mar 17, 2008
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Not really. You let your extremists do the majority of your talking - and the moderates feel ostracized to remain quiet.

This talking point is a radical one according to some1.
Yet most Americans want it.
Some1 is swallowing Ruperts * and repeating talking points designed to keep rich rich and poor poor. Some1 prefers the blue pill.
Most Americans wants it but is only really championed by the Sanders segment therefor it must be radical. Radical to the tune of ~60% of the population.
Ok then.


 
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[DHT]Osiris

Lifer
Dec 15, 2015
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Like most, I think, it depends on the thing. I'm pretty moderate about most things, and I can see both sides of a few prickly topics like 2A for instance (I'm a fairly ardent supporter of 2A FWIW). I'm extremist regarding climate change action though, as I think that's our most immediate existential threat. I honestly give zero shits regarding economic plans, healthcare coverage, etc. I just want my nephews to not have to kill their neighbors for food when the collapse comes.
 
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SmCaudata

Senior member
Oct 8, 2006
969
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Like most, I think, it depends on the thing. I'm pretty moderate about most things, and I can see both sides of a few prickly topics like 2A for instance (I'm a fairly ardent supporter of 2A FWIW). I'm extremist regarding climate change action though, as I think that's our most immediate existential threat. I honestly give zero shits regarding economic plans, healthcare coverage, etc. I just want my nephews to not have to kill their neighbors for food when the collapse comes.
I dont understand why this is "extreme." Continuation of the human race should be a fairly standard desire. The world we live in today....
 
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[DHT]Osiris

Lifer
Dec 15, 2015
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I dont understand why this is "extreme." Continuation of the human race should be a fairly standard desire. The world we live in today....
It's extreme for our political climate, even the global political climate. There's very, very little impetus to start paying down the climate debt we've incurred.
 
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ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
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I dont understand why this is "extreme." Continuation of the human race should be a fairly standard desire. The world we live in today....

It's only extreme because so many people believe we're in the "end times", so the destruction of modern society fits with their idea of how the world should progress to trigger the return of Christ and the end of the world as we know it
 

Commodus

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 2004
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I won't belabor the "US is to the right of most of the planet" part, but I will note a few things.

The notion that we must do whatever it takes to avoid catastrophic levels of climate change shouldn't be considered "extremist." We don't get a do-over if we screw up the planet.

Nor is it extreme to believe that your income shouldn't determine your health. Many countries juggle socialized health care with capitalist enterprise and don't explode.

It's not extreme to believe that a country that likes to pitch itself as a land of opportunity should offer legal paths to residence and citizenship for many people, not just the highly talented, especially when companies currently abuse the current limited path to hire illegal workers.
 

MtnMan

Diamond Member
Jul 27, 2004
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Extremist's are a threat, regardless of which fringe they are on.
 

hal2kilo

Lifer
Feb 24, 2009
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This talking point is a radical one according to some1.
Yet most Americans want it.
Some1 is swallowing Ruperts * and repeating talking points designed to keep rich rich and poor poor. Some1 prefers the blue pill.
Most Americans wants it but is only really championed by the Sanders segment therefor it must be radical. Radical to the tune of ~60% of the population.
Ok then.


Facebook is a big problem is seems. So much need to keep the veils in place.