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View Full Version : Define a Moderate on the issues



BRUTALITOPS
09-03-2006, 06:19 AM
I would like to see how we define who a moderate really is.

One thing I think we have to be clear about however, is not how the moderate stands on an issue, but how that issue compares to the rest of the general public.

For example..gun control. Lets just assume that 80% of the country is for ZERO gun control.. Would one be a moderate if they supported SOME restrictions when 80% of the country is against something? I would say no.

So.. lets fill out this list:

Gun Control
Abortion
Drug War
Gay Marriage
Illegal Immigration
Foreign policy

---- United Nations
---- Iraq War
---- General Attitude towards world affairs
---- Aid

Welfare
Taxes
FCC - Related Issues


I was inspired by a few former so-called conservatives on this site who are now writing revisionist history about their past and trying to pretend to be more middle of the road...

klaatu
09-03-2006, 07:00 AM
If you are acusing me .... which I think you are .... my break away issue is on this War and how the So called Conservitives in Congress have botched everything up, including spending. They dont deserve my vote. As Ronald Reagan once said ...when giving his reason for leaving the Democratic Party.. " I didnt leave the Conservatives .., they left me"

Gun Control ... I support the NRA


Abortion ... I support the Right to Life .. but I also support Abortion in extenuating circumstances through the first 3 mos.

Drug War ... I am for the legalizaition of the drug lite variety, natural stuff like Marijuana ... although I do not use it myself. And for the decrimnilazation of all other drugs.


Gay Marriage .. I'll support Civil Unions .. Marriage is a Religous Institution.

Illegal Immigration ... its Illegal ..plain and simple

Iraqi War .. we need a smart withdraw..asap, we must no longer be seen as a force of aggression in that region. My TV and Democrats thread says it all.

Taxes ... I am for Sales ConsumptionTax

Overall attitude about the World ... is we need to get back on the Peace Train ... we can do that through a common goal.... and there is no more an important common goal than our energy situation .... we need to reduce our dependency on foriegn oil by implementing a fast track program towards alternative energy sources ..we do this by creating an infrastucture that will allow for it .. and this can only be done by a Government led project.

Times change and There are circumstnaces that neccessate a certain type of Leadership that will guide us in the proper direction. We are in that time.... I believe we need tehnocratic leadership to get us through the changes that will allow us to continue on with this grand experiement that we call the USA. We need sharp minds that understand the Science available that will get us through what is a most difficult period of History.

At this time in juncture.. as Conservative as I am on many issues ... I do not believe the Conservatives that are in power .. get it ... so I am looking towards the other side.

The most important issues facing us are in this order:

Energy
Environment
National Security

toby
09-03-2006, 07:12 AM
The moderate postion:

Gun Control> they support the selling of guns but ban bullets

Abortion> They would only allow the killing of babies on odd days of the month.

Drug War> the would declare war on drugs but provide no soldiers to fight it

Gay Marriage> They support it as long as you don't call it marriage and instead call in Civil Union.

Illegal Immigration> They support illegals who "know how to keep thier place."

Foreign Policy> They support a policy where the US agrees with any other country

United Nations> Total support as long as it doesn't do anything\

Iraq War> support when things are going well, but not then things get hard

klaatu
09-03-2006, 07:19 AM
Marriage needs to be removed from Government ...marriage is a relationship between or among individuals, usually recognized by civil authority and/or bound by the religious beliefs of the participants. I have no problem with two adults contracting a partnership for life .... through a Civil Union, I do have a problem with Government getting involved with a religous practice.


As far as the Iraqi War ... Toby... why are we there?

BRUTALITOPS
09-03-2006, 07:20 AM
toby is a funny guy ;) I think he is smarter than people give him credit.

Klaatu.. LOL.. I don't think I have ever made any remark to you about this subject... I am amazed you would have saw your name in that.... guilty conscience? :)

Cause you're right ;)

But you aren't the only one.

- Grind

Care4all
09-03-2006, 07:20 AM
Gun Control-I think that there should be SOME control of our Arms, for example, I don't think that we should be able to have rockets or missles or dirty bombs etc in our possession...and I do not believe that ex-felons should be able to possess arms, but outside of that AMMO UP BABY!

Abortion- I think that an unborn child is a human being and the mother and father's offspring at its earliest stages....

I do not believe the Federal government should be involved in this issue, I think this is a state's issue and should be handled at the state level and NOT the federal level. I also believe that States should have little say over this issue, other than a cut off, like 10 weeks, because it is a personal issue, between the mother and the father and the doctor.

I am against abortion but there are many religions, that do not believe that an unborn child has the same worth as an already BORN human being. There are Secularists that believe the same also...

and even the Christians on this board have also shown that they too believe that the BORN person DOES have a greater worth than the unborn child because they ALL seem to give exceptions to the mother when her life is in danger and not give equal weight to the unborn child.

I think that the approach of prolifers needs to start focusing on the family and teach parents how to discuss this issue with their children.

I think that men should be "temporarily sterilized" at 13 thru 25.... :D

Drug War- I think it is a waste of money...and way too controlling of personal behavior. Too many people are taking up room in our prisons for something that may not have hurt ANYONE but themselves.

Gay Marriage-leave marriage to the church, synagogue, temple, mosque etc... the feds should authorize civil unions to all that want one, including brother and sisters or mother and daughter or father and daughter etc....if they choose them as their partner for a union, otherwise it would be discriminatory against SOMEONE, and not change a thing regarding the unfairness the gays are claiming. :)

Illegal Immigration- I think that we need to secure our borders and fine businesses that hire illegals BIGTIME! We need to increase our LEGAL guest worker QUOTAS bigtime... Then we need to address those that are here already....One thing for certain is that I believe that those that are here, if given a chance to get amnesty, they should NOT BE FORCED to become a citizen here as the plan is writen now....they MUST have an option to be a guest worker, where they just come here to work and go home every once in a while...and not force them to become a citizen and which then forces them to bring their families here... we can't handle this influx all at once.

Foreign policy- follow our constitution, be a Sovereign country, stay out of the world's business with our military, unless it is absolutely necessary...in other words, stop pretending it is our duty to democratize the rest of the non western world.


---- United Nations- We need to get it back to being OUR TOOL to use, as it once was.

---- Iraq War- WRONG, UNJUST WAR.

---- General Attitude towards world affairs-see above

---- Aid- It is necessary to move our agenda peacefully, and it is sooooooo miniscule, it is not even worth discussing.


Welfare-Could use reform-but it is necessary if we want to take care of the least among us...the children of those single mothers that are the primary receivers of welfare....imo. a Good educational system for all children including the neglected neighborhoods could eliminate most of welfare in the future and develop working tax payers.

Taxes-I believe in a flat progressive system that was first developed. I don't believe in deductions etc...that's where the corruption and ineffieciency comes in to play.

FCC - Related Issues-not sure. I do think that there has to be some control over how BIG these media conglomerants become...don't need just a few duopolies controlling the supposed "free press", the 4th wheel in a free and just government.


care

maineman
09-03-2006, 07:22 AM
I am quite close to Klaatu on everything but taxes. I strongly support a progressive tax structure that puts a greater burden for the operation of society on those who have disproportionately profited from living in that society.... and that has been the position of both parties for nearly a century - the only real argument is the slope of the curve. I also cannot see how any good can come from allowing the government to dictate what goes on inside a woman's uterus - especially prior to fetal vitality.

maineman
09-03-2006, 07:24 AM
toby is a funny guy ;) I think he is smarter than people give him credit.

Klaatu.. LOL.. I don't think I have ever made any remark to you about this subject... I am amazed you would have saw your name in that.... guilty conscience? :)

Cause you're right ;)

But you aren't the only one.

- Grind

toby is a funny guy if you find reading sexually deviant news articles every day "funny". I don't.

klaatu
09-03-2006, 07:31 AM
toby is a funny guy ;) I think he is smarter than people give him credit.

Klaatu.. LOL.. I don't think I have ever made any remark to you about this subject... I am amazed you would have saw your name in that.... guilty conscience?

Cause you're right

But you aren't the only one.

- Grind

I did see my name written all over it .. because its true to an extent ... :)
But as I said .. times change and different times call for different action .. maybe looking at it this way demonstrates that Im not really as Conservative as I once thought ...
Hey ... if i see something aint right.. im not going to blindly follow a destructive path .... Im just not that partisan .... no excuses here ....

BRUTALITOPS
09-03-2006, 08:26 AM
care i don't care about your position, I care about what we feel a true moderate is..

A lot of times on this site we see a common convo go like this:

1: "So and so is WAY LIBERAL"
2. "No way, so and so is center-right"

I am interested in coming to a consensus on what a REAL moderate is.

Care4all
09-03-2006, 08:41 AM
care i don't care about your position, I care about what we feel a true moderate is..

A lot of times on this site we see a common convo go like this:

1: "So and so is WAY LIBERAL"
2. "No way, so and so is center-right"

I am interested in coming to a consensus on what a REAL moderate is.

I knowwwwww, but I think that I am a TRUE MODERATE and all moderates should think like me, me, me! :D lol

good morning btw...is it crappy weather there too? Where the hell did summer go btw? Not a native to New England, has this happened before where August's warm weather turned to Fall weather by august 20th...? Summer cut so short?

care

klaatu
09-03-2006, 10:02 AM
As far as the Iraqi War ... Toby... why are we there?


Still waiting .... :eek:

toby
09-03-2006, 10:13 AM
Wrong thread Klaatu, but we have beat that horse plenty of times

toby
09-03-2006, 10:15 AM
But Klaatu didn't you support the war when all was going fine and now find yourself opposed to it? Are you a MODERATE? lol

toby
09-03-2006, 10:16 AM
And BTW where is Gort?

IHateGovernment
09-03-2006, 04:58 PM
I'm not a moderate on almost anything but I am very well versed in political thought.

Here goes my guess as far as moderate views.

Gun Control - A moderate most likely support the right to own a handgun or hunting related weapon. They would not support a citizen having a fully automatic weapon or ordinace. They would support background checks and maybe waiting periods.

Abortion - A moderate most likely would support a ban on partial birth abortion with an exception for the life of the mother. They would also likely support reducing by a large amount public monies that are used to fund agencies which offer abortions. However they would support right to choose everywhere else.

Drug War - Supprt decriminalization of marijuana, reduce sentences for drug possession when not involved in its sale. Keep all other illegal drugs ilegal.

Gay marriage - Civil unions for same sex couples, marriage for straight couples keep intra family and polygamy illegal.

Illegal Immigration - Those who have been here a short time should be deported. Those who are here for a longer time should pay fines but be allowed to remain and obtain citizenship.

Foreign policy

---- United Nations
---- Iraq War
---- General Attitude towards world affairs
---- Aid

Support the UN but want to clean it up

Iraq War - End the war as soon as possible. Begin to reduce troop strength but no timetable.

World Affairs - involve itself when US concerns are threatened or humanitarian crisis. Economic interests should not be interfered with

Aid - Provide Humanitarian aid but not development or military aid.

Welfare - Support welfare reform act of the nineties. Want so called handup not handout.

Taxes - Taxes on lower and middle class should be lower, taxes on rich should be higher. Government should spend less. Support Progressive income tax.

FCC - regulate radio and broadcast tv, hands off cable and satellite. No seven dirty words or sexualized nudity. Anything short of that is ok.


Thats pretty much my view of a moderate wishy washy views with little conviction. These are also the most common view.

NOVA
09-03-2006, 08:58 PM
Thats a tall order.....No one wants to believe themselves far right or far left...in their own eyes they are moderate, maybe leaning slightly left or right....moderates would believe themselves to be fair and just and woud view just about everything from their own values and morals....as many of these topics must be viewed....a moderate would realize their own limitations and talents and rely on others to make political judgements as long as those judgements don't conflict with sense of right and wrong....so even those we might believe to be moderates, would probably have differing views on all or at lease most of these stated topics....left wing, right wing, moderate? all very relative terms....so this is probably useless exerise, but informative nonethe less.....I might add as an observation that one that self describes themselves as a neo-con Republican or Yellow dog Democrat is by definition telling us they are not moderates...that they can see issues only from one narrow-minded perspective ...and give little creedance to the opinions of others.....but even at that, we are all mostly moderate in our own eyes....

maineman
09-03-2006, 09:21 PM
being a yellow dog democrat does not mean that I am not moderate on many issues..it only means that the platform of the democratic party encapsulates my views and the platform of the republican party does not.

I have been in politics long enough to know that politics is a team sport.

Given that I believe in the platform and philosophy of the democratic party, I will not vote for someone from the other team...that does not make me radical or narrow minded...it makes me a realist as to the way that politics works.

NOVA
09-03-2006, 09:25 PM
Of course Maine...Pardon me...how could I have been so crass...you're a typical Democratic moderate.....

maineman
09-03-2006, 09:27 PM
I really am.... I am just very much against the war in Iraq...but there are folks from all political persuasions that feel that way....

maineman
09-03-2006, 09:28 PM
what positions other than my opposition to the war make me a radical?

IHateGovernment
09-03-2006, 09:46 PM
Maine you strike me as a liberal democrat. The most anomolous of your positions appears to be strong support of Israel.

maineman
09-03-2006, 09:48 PM
so tell me then...what position of mine is other than moderate?

NOVA
09-03-2006, 09:53 PM
I don't accuse anyone of being radical....just that we all see ourselves as more or less moderate in our own eyes.....some will argue the most innane points to get the better of someone, the most minor slipup magnified beyond its importance, while ignoring the the more salient object of a post....thats life...I do it sometimes as a point of sarcasm, lost on some....or when posters just ignore my arguement as if it weren't there...some as their primary defense....
a picture builds over a period of time from these minor skirmishes and leaves one with am impression of the posters desire to be fairminded or open to any debate.....I'm sure you have perceptions of Dixie or Tody and now the Evil one that you've developed....are they fair, do they ever make a point I should consider and so on....

At the end of the road, we all want to be moderates, but others have their pictures of our fairness and openmindedness....If I claimed to be a religious fundamentalist I'm sure you would grab that label and run with it without any word passing between us....you picked your label and what it means to you is what it means to you....

maineman
09-03-2006, 09:59 PM
I don't accuse anyone of being radical....just that we all see ourselves as more or less moderate in our own eyes.....some will argue the most innane points to get the better of someone, the most minor slipup magnified beyond its importance, while ignoring the the more salient object of a post....thats life...I do it sometimes as a point of sarcasm, lost on some....or when posters just ignore my arguement as if it weren't there...some as their primary defense....
a picture builds over a period of time from these minor skirmishes and leaves one with am impression of the posters desire to be fairminded or open to any debate.....I'm sure you have perceptions of Dixie or Tody and now the Evil one that you've developed....are they fair, do they ever make a point I should consider and so on....

At the end of the road, we all want to be moderates, but others have their pictures of our fairness and openmindedness....If I claimed to be a religious fundamentalist I'm sure you would grab that label and run with it without any word passing between us....you picked your label and what it means to you is what it means to you....

but yet you say: "I might add as an observation that one that self describes themselves as a neo-con Republican or Yellow dog Democrat is by definition telling us they are not moderates...that they can see issues only from one narrow-minded perspective ...and give little creedance to the opinions of others....

you are telling me what I am telling you by labelling myself a yellowdog democrat and you are saying that I am "by definition" claiming to be not a moderate. That is flat out wrong.

NOVA
09-03-2006, 10:17 PM
I don't feel like getting into a long and in the end usless debate about YOU...
I was using the term Yellow Dog Democrat in its general historical context...

My opinion is just my opinion....I'm entitled to one as you are...if I called myself a neo-con I would be prepared to live with what impression that gives others....even if MY definition would differ with what others think a neo-con means to them...

Damocles
09-03-2006, 10:20 PM
A moderate is somebody who is not 100% in agreement with a platform of a party. Their beliefs are as strong as any others, but they find that they are often at odds with their own party as well as that of the other party. They may or may not find agreemnt.

A moderate is often confused with the unconcerned or uncommitted, they are often said to have no strong beliefs, but that is a mischaracterization....

IHateGovernment
09-03-2006, 10:20 PM
I don't want to sit and tell you what you think Maine. I'm just talking about my perception of you.

Take a look at the post of my opinions of what I would think a moderate would have. See how you rate against it. I think my synopsis of moderate views is pretty accurate.

OrnotBitwise
09-04-2006, 02:14 PM
A moderate is somebody who is not 100% in agreement with a platform of a party. Their beliefs are as strong as any others, but they find that they are often at odds with their own party as well as that of the other party. They may or may not find agreemnt.

A moderate is often confused with the unconcerned or uncommitted, they are often said to have no strong beliefs, but that is a mischaracterization....
That's one kind of moderate, I suppose. Another is the one who has passionate beliefs but is willing to compromise when necessary.

maineman
09-05-2006, 11:41 AM
I don't want to sit and tell you what you think Maine. I'm just talking about my perception of you.

Take a look at the post of my opinions of what I would think a moderate would have. See how you rate against it. I think my synopsis of moderate views is pretty accurate.

and I only askeded upon what you derive that perception. I read your post on moderates and while I agree with nearly all of those points, I hardly find them "wishywashy".

IHateGovernment
09-05-2006, 12:21 PM
Such position are wishy washy because they are more rooted in pragmatism then principle. A change in what the situation calls for creates new political views.

However if you do ascribe to most of those viewpoints I recant labeling you as a liberal democrat and will consider you a moderate democrat from this point.

Damocles
09-05-2006, 12:24 PM
I don't think that anybody who refuses to vote for anybody of a different party shown by the label of "yellow dog" can be considered a Moderate.

IHateGovernment
09-05-2006, 12:36 PM
If Maine lived in the south I could accept that one could always vote democratic and be moderate.

However Maine is a liberal state with very moderate Republican Senators. I don't think they get more moderate than Snowe and Collins. I'll venture to say that any democratic nominee for Senate in such a state would be much further left of the moderate realm then either of those two canidates.