The Great Moderate political thread

[The Feral Slasher]

So what are the policies that moderates support ? What are there values ? Their accomplishments ? Of the recent Presidents were any of them moderates ? What Republcans and Democratic politicians do moderates support ? Inquiring minds want to know

Some specific topics that Id be interested in moderate positions on:
Medicare for all
Deficits
Military Budget
Tax rates

[The Feral Slasher]

So what are the policies that moderates support ? What are there values ? Their accomplishments ? Of the recent Presidents were any of them moderates ? What Republcans and Democratic politicians do moderates support ? Inquiring minds want to know

A couple more, what do moderates believes are the biggest challenges and issues facing America ? What are the biggest problems moderates hope to fix ?

[Sour Masher]

This is a dangerous thread, but I'm anxiously awaiting 1jay's post stating that Trump is a moderate and my head is going to explode.

I do suspect there is going to be a lot of difference, especially on the right, on what a moderate is candidate looks like. But there may also be significant differences on the left too, so it should be interesting to see how different folks define these terms.

[The Feral Slasher]

This is a dangerous thread

If there's one thing I like it's a dangerous thread. Anyway, should be an interesting topic.

[The Feral Slasher]

I will admit, I sort of feel like moderates are the new conservatives -- "Just keep running things the way we were before America went crazy and elected Donald Trump"

[The Feral Slasher]

This is a dangerous thread, but I'm anxiously awaiting 1jay's post stating that Trump is a moderate and my head is going to explode.

I do suspect there is going to be a lot of difference, especially on the right, on what a moderate is candidate looks like. But there may also be significant differences on the left too, so it should be interesting to see how different folks define these terms.

Ted Cruz is the greatest moderate politician of our time, perhaps history. I'm not saying I like him or would vote for him, just that he is nearly the perfect politician.

[swampdragon]

Are these moderate or liberal platform ideals?

https://democrats.org/about/party-platform/

some of these you can figure out the basics just by the title - most need further digging


RAISE INCOMES AND RESTORE ECONOMIC SECURITY FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS
Raising Workers’ Wages
Protecting Workers’ Fundamental Rights
Supporting Working Families
Helping More Workers Share in Near-Record Corporate Profits
Expanding Access to Affordable Housing and Homeownership
Protecting and Expanding Social Security
Ensuring a Secure and Dignified Retirement
Revitalizing Our Nation’s Postal Service
CREATE GOOD-PAYING JOBS
Building 21st Century Infrastructure
Fostering a Manufacturing Renaissance
Creating Good-Paying Clean Energy Jobs
Pursuing Our Innovation Agenda: Science, Research, Education, and Technology
Supporting America’s Small Businesses
Creating Jobs for America’s Young People
FIGHT FOR ECONOMIC FAIRNESS AND AGAINST INEQUALITY
Reining in Wall Street and Fixing our Financial System
Promoting Competition by Stopping Corporate Concentration
Making the Wealthy Pay Their Fair Share of Taxes
Promoting Trade That is Fair and Benefits American Workers
BRING AMERICANS TOGETHER AND REMOVE BARRIERS TO OPPORTUNITIES
Ending Systemic Racism
Closing the Racial Wealth Gap
Reforming our Criminal Justice System
Fixing our Broken Immigration System
Guaranteeing Civil Rights
Guaranteeing Women’s Rights
Guaranteeing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights
Guaranteeing Rights for People with Disabilities
Respecting Faith and Service
Investing in Rural America
Ending Poverty and Investing in Communities Left Behind
Building Strong Cities and Metro Areas
Promoting Arts and Culture
Honoring Indigenous Tribal Nations
Fighting for the People of Puerto Rico
Honoring the People of the Territories
PROTECT VOTING RIGHTS, FIX OUR CAMPAIGN FINANCE SYSTEM, AND RESTORE OUR DEMOCRACY
Protecting Voting Rights
Fixing Our Broken Campaign Finance System
Appointing Judges
Securing Statehood for Washington, DC
Strengthening Management of Federal Government
COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE, BUILD A CLEAN ENERGY ECONOMY, AND SECURE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
Building a Clean Energy Economy
Securing Environmental and Climate Justice
Protecting Our Public Lands and Waters
PROVIDE QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE EDUCATION
Making Debt-Free College a Reality
Providing Relief from Crushing Student Debt
Supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions
Cracking Down on Predatory For-Profit Schools
Guaranteeing Universal Preschool and Good Schools for Every Child
ENSURE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF ALL AMERICANS
Securing Universal Health Care
Supporting Community Health Centers
Reducing Prescription Drug Costs
Enabling Cutting-Edge Medical Research
Combating Drug and Alcohol Addiction
Treating Mental Health
Supporting Those Living with Autism and their Families
Securing Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice
Ensuring Long-Term Care, Services, and Supports
Protecting and Promoting Public Health
Ending Violence Against Women
Preventing Gun Violence
PRINCIPLED LEADERSHIP
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS AND KEEP FAITH WITH OUR VETERANS
Defense Spending
Veterans and Service Members
Military Families
A Strong Military
CONFRONT GLOBAL THREATS
Terrorism
Syria
Afghanistan
Iran
North Korea
Russia
Cybersecurity and Online Privacy
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Weapons
Global Climate Leadership
PROTECT OUR VALUES
Women and Girls
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People
Trafficking and Modern Slavery
Young People
Religious Minorities
Refugees
Civil Society
Anti-Corruption
Torture
Closing Guantánamo Bay
Development Assistance
Global Health
HIV and AIDS
International Labor
A LEADER IN THE WORLD
Asia-Pacific
Middle East
Europe
Americas
Africa
Global Economy and Institutions

[TranaGreg]

It would also be interesting to see who here self-declares as a moderate.

I used to think of myself as one, but I've come to realize I'm probably not.

[Teenwolf]

It would also be interesting to see who here self-declares as a moderate.

I used to think of myself as one, but I've come to realize I'm probably not.

Much of the polling indicates this is a wide-spread phenomenon. Mainstream media has shifted the Overton window so far to the right that people think they're centrists while actually supporting progressive policies.

This is why polling in Ohio shows 91% of Democratic primary voters would support a candidate pushing for the Green New Deal over one who doesn't, over 80% for Medicare for All. People are further left than they realize.

[B-Fly]

I view myself as a practical, incremental progressive. I support most of the same goals as progressives, but think the nature of our political system renders it very difficult to get dramatic changes approved into law, and particularly not quickly. Accordingly, I support legislation that moves us slowly but surely in a positive direction, rather than making the perfect (e.g., single payer) the enemy of the good (e.g., the PPACA). Once single payer (e.g., Medicare for All) becomes politically achievable, I'm very happy to go there. So my question in some respects is whether "moderate" is more about the ends or the means? I'm not a moderate with respect to ends, but perhaps I am with respect to means.

[B-Fly]

On the Democratic side, there's a piece at 538.com identifying six "wings" of the Democratic Party.

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-six-wings-of-the-democratic-party/

By those definitions, I'm probably most aligned with "The Progressive New Guard", lol.

[Gregg]

Much of the polling indicates this is a wide-spread phenomenon. Mainstream media has shifted the Overton window so far to the right that people think they're centrists while actually supporting progressive policies.

This is why polling in Ohio shows 91% of Democratic primary voters would support a candidate pushing for the Green New Deal over one who doesn't, over 80% for Medicare for All. People are further left than they realize.

Good post.

While I disagree with you on a lot of things as well as some of your reactions/responses I am impressed on how much you know about politics.

I enjoyed this one.

[Sour Masher]

On the Democratic side, there's a piece at 538.com identifying six "wings" of the Democratic Party.

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-six-wings-of-the-democratic-party/

By those definitions, I'm probably most aligned with "The Progressive New Guard", lol.

That fits me too. Hard for any box to neatly fit anyone, but that one is closest for me. And your incremental, practical progressive description fits me too. I'd say I'm firmly to the left of most Americans, but do have a part of my brain that is cautious of the blind enthusiasm of the super progressive movement. I think there is a place for the corrective cautiousness of moderates and conservatives, to ensure we dont go down a road of good intentions towards a taxation hell. But I also believe progressives have pulled us, kicking and screaming sometimes, into our better selves throughout our history. Still, sometimes they want to pull too fast or too far for our own good. I sometimes cringe at the extent to which some now get offended and indignant over the smallest perceived slights. And how willing some are to take issues I believe in to extremes I am not comfortable with.

[TranaGreg]

I'm much less of an incrementalist than I used to be; I'm much more of an opportunist now. I kind of think of politics now like crossing a busy downtown street - wait for your opening, then when the timing is right and you've got everything lined up, go.

[Sour Masher]

Perhaps it would be useful for me to articulate my perceived reactions from various factions on an issue I consider myself a moderate progressive on--over fishing. It would be illuminating to me if folks who identify with these different categories let me know if I'm being fair with my characterizations. It is also important to note that on this specific issues, those who are very progressive or very conservative may find themselves being more moderate. I know that very conservative people are sometimes more moderate when it comes to sustainability of fishing and wildlife, so perhaps this isn't the best example in terms of identifying those who are very conservative here. Global warming might be a better test case for that end of the spectrum, but the general sentiments would be the same on that and other issues, so insert issue of choice as you see fit.

Very Progressive Response: The science on this is alarming and clear. If we don't address this problem quickly and aggressively, the damage we do to certain species will be irreversible. The greater good is obvious on this issue. We must immediately enact regulations to combat this issue for the long term sustainability of our fishing and the long term health of our ecosystems. Yes, fisherman will suffer in the short term, but if we don't act now, they won't have any fish to catch in 30 years. The people who deny these facts are ignorant.

Moderate Progress Response: The science is concerning and we need to address this issue. We need to enact regulations to curtail over fishing, but there are short term economic factors to consider. I want this issue fixed, but I'm also worried about the economic impact regulations will have on local fisherman that depend on the income they make with the fishing practices currently allowed. The best solution is to focus more on regulations that mostly affect large scale fishing companies that have the greatest negative impact, allowing for small scale businesses and indigenous populations to continue practices that are not ecologically ideal, but are necessary for their livelihood.

Moderate Conservative Response: The science and data on this gives me reason to think something is going on that probably needs to be addressed to some degree. But the hysteria over this issue is probably overblown by the media. I'm in favor of sensible, reasonable solutions as long as they don't have a significant negative economic impact or put America at a clear disadvantage in relation to more permissive countries. We can wait awhile to deal with this.

Very Conservative Response: I'm highly skeptical of the science on this, which is likely being used by the media and/or government, ours or someone elses's, to manipulate me. Those who buy that this is a problem are naive. There are plenty of fish in the sea. This is not something that needs to be addressed, and any reactionary changes we make will do more harm than good.