Moderation

[Aimhigh2000]

Ok, I am sure my karma will bounce all over the place for this one but here goes:

I get a sense on a lot of these posts that most everyone (appears to me) as either way right or way left. This only my observation and not finger pointing, but I am wondering where all the moderates are. To me, it seems if you are not conservative, you are wrong, and if you are not liberal, you are wrong. I know there are die-hard republicans and democrats, but I wonder if over the last few years, we haven't gotten off balance on both sides and now the middle road has gone without getting a resurfacing in a while. (like Great Mills Road ) Here are the questions to ponder.

Do you think that the country may be divided because each side is trying to out do the other?

Are we letting our personal values intercede in our beliefs?

Is America losing its foundation and identity?

It just appears that a lot of people have a "my way or the highway" train of thought, and I am wondering if there are middle ground issues that somehow we can unite around and work together, heck, even some controversial issues that might have some compromises with. ( on both sides) :shrug:

 

[vraiblonde]

Do you think that the country may be divided because each side is trying to out do the other? A little, but not for the most part.

Are we letting our personal values intercede in our beliefs? Of course. Typically your beliefs are based on your personal values.

Is America losing its foundation and identity? Absolutely not. America was FOUNDED on diversity and the right to a different opinion.

To me, there are only a handful of people on here that I would describe as "completely liberal" or "completely conservative". Most have a mix of beliefs from both sides of the fence. When there's a "political belief" quiz that someone links to, the vast majority of us end up as Libertarian.

 

[UrbanPancake]

To me, there are only a handful of people on here that I would describe as "completely liberal" or "completely conservative". Most have a mix of beliefs from both sides of the fence. When there's a "political belief" quiz that someone links to, the vast majority of us end up as Libertarian.

I must have taken the same quiz!!!

 

[sleuth]

I'm a conservative, but I think the Republicans have the wrong attitude on gay rights and the environment. :shrug:

Vrai's right though... according to my political quizzes.. I always end up as a Libertarian.

 

[SamSpade]

I'm actually a registered Democrat who votes conservative - in fact, I haven't seen a Democratic candidate in a long time on a national ticket I'd *ever* consider voting for, except maybe Joe Lieberman. If someone like Zell Miller or Evan Bayh ever ran, they'd have my vote. I've always been basically a moderate, but I'm slightly right of center. So the ultra left p*sses me off more than the ultra right.

 

[SmallTown]

Do you think that the country may be divided because each side is trying to out do the other?

Divided? No. I have always felt that the two major parties exist for one reason: To moderate each other. The liberals keep conservatives in check, and the conservatives keep liberal in check. The worst thing that could happen to this country is if we woke up tomorrow and we only had one political party that everyone followed, be it conservative or liberal.

 

[vraiblonde]

Evan Bayh

Watch for him in 2008.

 

[czygvtwkr]

I feel both Republicans and Democrats have moved to the left. In the 70's and 80's I saw Republicans as far right rich old men and Democrats as the "average man" (forgive me I am only 30 so it was through a childs eyes). But now the Republicans seem to be more moderate and the Democrats are at the far end of the spectrum.

The nature of only two major parties pretty much means whatever one party supports the other oposes just to pander to people who think differently. Unless of course it is something so far out there, but in most cases its true.

 

[SamSpade]

Divided? No. I have always felt that the two major parties exist for one reason: To moderate each other. The liberals keep conservatives in check, and the conservatives keep liberal in check. The worst thing that could happen to this country is if we woke up tomorrow and we only had one political party that everyone followed, be it conservative or liberal.

I used to think that. But I've been reminded that it used to be on Capitol Hill that at the end of the day a Republican and a Democrat could go have a drink together after having argued vociferously on the floor. It wasn't personal. It was like playing a ball game - you fight for the win, but at the end, you shake hands and say "wait till next time" and you all go out for beers.

It's no longer the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Yankees - it's the Hatfields and the McCoys. The rancor has grown so bitter that compromise isn't even attempted nowadays. At one time, Tip O'Neill and Ronald Reagan could still sit together and tell Irish jokes and sing Irish songs together, even though they were political opponents. They wouldn't be "opponents" today - they'd be ENEMIES. When you have election headquarters being SHOT AT, and the kind of language we have now, I don't know WHAT will happen when the dust settles.

 

[Larry Gude]

Sam...

...the difference is glaring.

The days of old you refer to, the days of comity, were days where the Republicans were in a long term minority status in the House, some 40 years up until 1994.

They treated it as a job and as a challenge. They were the loyal opposition.

Todays Democrats treat losing an election as a violation of their civil rights.

 

[Hessian]

How can you tell how far a ship have drifted if land is shrouded in fog?

Conservatives are angry: Our nation has drifted after years of lower and lower standards, failed social programs, whining social issues, anti-capitalistic restrictions, high taxes...and we place the fault of those issues squarely at the doorstep of liberals.

Want to look through that fog to sense our drift?
Look at JFK...threatening Cuba, pledging billions to the industrial complex to get into space, spying on the Soviets, Facing down Khruschev, and moving slowly on social issues....and this was a Democrat of 1960???

Now Liberals deny right & wrong...appoint the most twisted Judges, want religion excluded totally from public life, no death penalty, open immigration, sympathy with Anti-American celebrities & causes, support the ACLU, want to clamp down on gun owners, shut down right-wing radio, and force Homosexual acceptance as part of a civil right. And...the government is the answer to all our problems.

Thus...Dems shrink from the label "Liberal" but quietly embrace many of those causes. Meanwhile...some people confuse George Bush as a conservative: Perhaps on some issues but, he has enlarged our debt, built more bureacracy, opened the door to millions of illegal immigrants, and has not acted on abortion.--Despite having a majority in both houses: That is status quo moderation-NOT CONSERVATIVISM. Hence: he did not get my vote.

Liberals endanger the welfare and freedoms of America: Screw um.