Where is the Center?

[Nosmo King]

The preoccupation with partisans on the Left and the Right is telling everyone what they want to believe about the other. Liberals will tell you that the Right is composed of Bible Thumping anti-science mouth breathers who are here to retard the social concept, rape the poor and the middle class in the economic concept and bloody up the world in the global concept.

Meanwhile, ask a Conservative and he will tell you that Linerals are composed of aethistic, big government supporting, wealth re-distributing, limp wristed who would destroy job creators, punish those with great wealth for their success, and kow tow to every tin horned mullah or dictator.

But what about THE MIDDLE?

Another third of America does not buy fully into either political camp. What would a Conservative tell us what constitutes "the middle"? Where's the middle road on tax reform? On immigration? On the government's role in the economy, on social services?

Where would a Liberal's attitude be on the middle ground on marriage equality, on gun control, on environmental policy?

We already know all the adjectives, accusations, and admonitions Liberals throw at Conservatives and vice versa so bag it. Let's talk about the Midddle first, then tear each other limb from limb.

Maybe by clearly defining the Middle, we could stumble onto common ground.

 

[william the wie]

I find that doubtful.

 

[jwoodie]

Pick a subject and then let's talk about the middle. One of the problems is that the two political parties often view issues from different perspectives: Conservatives tend to be more ideological, while Liberals tend to be more political. For example, after the 9/11 attacks Conservatives were talking about homeland security from an efficiency standpoint, while Liberals were primarily concerned with making sure that it would be carried out only by unionized federal employees. Where was the "center?"

 

[MeBelle]

The preoccupation with partisans on the Left and the Right is telling everyone what they want to believe about the other. Liberals will tell you that the Right is composed of Bible Thumping anti-science mouth breathers who are here to retard the social concept, rape the poor and the middle class in the economic concept and bloody up the world in the global concept.

Meanwhile, ask a Conservative and he will tell you that Linerals are composed of aethistic, big government supporting, wealth re-distributing, limp wristed who would destroy job creators, punish those with great wealth for their success, and kow tow to every tin horned mullah or dictator.

But what about THE MIDDLE?

.

Snip*

I would wager most of the middle is fiscally conservative and liberally social.

BUT~

The middle remains undefined because their 'platform' (for lack of a better word) varies so much in both fiscal and social issues.

Happy New Year!!

 

[Nosmo King]

I b

Pick a subject and then let's talk about the middle. One of the problems is that the two political parties often view issues from different perspectives: Conservatives tend to be more ideological, while Liberals tend to be more political. For example, after the 9/11 attacks Conservatives were talking about homeland security from an efficiency standpoint, while Liberals were primarily concerned with making sure that it would be carried out only by unionized federal employees. Where was the "center?"

eieve that the middle on homeland security holds that security is essential, but not intrusive. While TSA agents are unionized, the union did not establish protocol.

I think the middle wants security, but screenings at airports are too intrusive. That's why pat downs were dropped.

Efficiency versus political concerns while the real question is efficacy versus intrusion and inconvenience.

 

[OKTexas]

I b

Pick a subject and then let's talk about the middle. One of the problems is that the two political parties often view issues from different perspectives: Conservatives tend to be more ideological, while Liberals tend to be more political. For example, after the 9/11 attacks Conservatives were talking about homeland security from an efficiency standpoint, while Liberals were primarily concerned with making sure that it would be carried out only by unionized federal employees. Where was the "center?"

eieve that the middle on homeland security holds that security is essential, but not intrusive. While TSA agents are unionized, the union did not establish protocol.

I think the middle wants security, but screenings at airports are too intrusive. That's why pat downs were dropped.

Efficiency versus political concerns while the real question is efficacy versus intrusion and inconvenience.

You got one thing wrong, the TSA is unionized now thanks to maobama, in fact it's the largest public sector union in the US.

 

[Katzndogz]

There is very little middle and less every day. It's part of the progression of division.

 

[Judicial review]

The center is usually right of left and left of right and somewhere in between.

 

[Bfgrn]

As someone who has been around since Harry Truman was in the White House, I can tell you that what was once the middle is now much farther right, NOT left.

“Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that Richard Nixon did not and in a way that Bill Clinton did not. Reagan was an ideological inflection point, ending a 50-year liberal ascendancy and beginning a 30-year conservative ascendancy."
Charles Krauthammer

 

[TheOldSchool]

The center is where the vast majority of America is. Living and working every day. Doing what they have to do.

Ted Cruz read some Dr. Suess? Irrelevant. Obama went golfing? Irrelevant. John Boehner cried? Irrelevant. Hillary asked what difference it makes? Irrelevant.

But if you fuck decide to fuck them... start a bunch of wars; mess with their healthcare; demonize some minorities; weaken their union... then you'll hear from them and it won't be pretty.

 

[The Rabbi]

As someone who has been around since Harry Truman was in the White House, I can tell you that what was once the middle is now much farther right, NOT left.

“Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that Richard Nixon did not and in a way that Bill Clinton did not. Reagan was an ideological inflection point, ending a 50-year liberal ascendancy and beginning a 30-year conservative ascendancy."
Charles Krauthammer

That's sort of true and kind of a good observation.
The defintion of "conservative" changed with reagan. Nixon was considered a conservative in his day. That meant staunch anti communism and pro big business. Today he'd be considered like GW Bush, a big government type. It was under Nixon that a lot of gov't agencies, including EPA, got started.
Reagan made the small government individual freedom idea the conservative idea.
As for the OP, it is nonsense. Everyone wants to see himself as "middle". And there are always freaks on either side to make that happen.

 

[Wyatt earp]

The preoccupation with partisans on the Left and the Right is telling everyone what they want to believe about the other. Liberals will tell you that the Right is composed of Bible Thumping anti-science mouth breathers who are here to retard the social concept, rape the poor and the middle class in the economic concept and bloody up the world in the global concept.

Meanwhile, ask a Conservative and he will tell you that Linerals are composed of aethistic, big government supporting, wealth re-distributing, limp wristed who would destroy job creators, punish those with great wealth for their success, and kow tow to every tin horned mullah or dictator.

But what about THE MIDDLE?

Another third of America does not buy fully into either political camp. What would a Conservative tell us what constitutes "the middle"? Where's the middle road on tax reform? On immigration? On the government's role in the economy, on social services?

Where would a Liberal's attitude be on the middle ground on marriage equality, on gun control, on environmental policy?

We already know all the adjectives, accusations, and admonitions Liberals throw at Conservatives and vice versa so bag it. Let's talk about the Midddle first, then tear each other limb from limb.

Maybe by clearly defining the Middle, we could stumble onto common ground.

from my perspective the war started.up with the supreme thomas , antia hill and we have been at total war ever since and we kept on electing.dumber and dumber presidents ever since. With the middle class ? The cream always rises to the top we don't need no help, in fact just get the fuck out of our way

 

[tonystewart1]

I am a Republican and I believe that social programs like social security have a place in our society. I am a Christian and I believe that we should hand out birth control in schools.

The middle is where life meets common sense. I believe that the vast majority of Americans fall in the middle.

 

[ImGoing2Heaven]

The middle is Jesus, after all we're all human!

 

[Mac1958]

The preoccupation with partisans on the Left and the Right is telling everyone what they want to believe about the other. Liberals will tell you that the Right is composed of Bible Thumping anti-science mouth breathers who are here to retard the social concept, rape the poor and the middle class in the economic concept and bloody up the world in the global concept.

Meanwhile, ask a Conservative and he will tell you that Linerals are composed of aethistic, big government supporting, wealth re-distributing, limp wristed who would destroy job creators, punish those with great wealth for their success, and kow tow to every tin horned mullah or dictator.

But what about THE MIDDLE?

Another third of America does not buy fully into either political camp. What would a Conservative tell us what constitutes "the middle"? Where's the middle road on tax reform? On immigration? On the government's role in the economy, on social services?

Where would a Liberal's attitude be on the middle ground on marriage equality, on gun control, on environmental policy?

We already know all the adjectives, accusations, and admonitions Liberals throw at Conservatives and vice versa so bag it. Let's talk about the Midddle first, then tear each other limb from limb.

Maybe by clearly defining the Middle, we could stumble onto common ground.

It depends on who is in the conversation.

If you have people from both "sides" who are mature, civil, intelligent, creative and humble doing the communicating, finding significant common ground and actually improving things would be relatively easy. Relatively.

But unfortunately, what passes for political "debate" today is completely and thoroughly dominated by dishonest, narcissistic partisan ideologues who are far more driven by ego and some perceived "victory" than they are about anything else.

Our decay is a self-inflicted wound, and the biggest perpetrators are only pointing the finger at each other.

.

 

[Wry Catcher]

The preoccupation with partisans on the Left and the Right is telling everyone what they want to believe about the other. Liberals will tell you that the Right is composed of Bible Thumping anti-science mouth breathers who are here to retard the social concept, rape the poor and the middle class in the economic concept and bloody up the world in the global concept.

Meanwhile, ask a Conservative and he will tell you that Linerals are composed of aethistic, big government supporting, wealth re-distributing, limp wristed who would destroy job creators, punish those with great wealth for their success, and kow tow to every tin horned mullah or dictator.

But what about THE MIDDLE?

.

Snip*

I would wager most of the middle is fiscally conservative and liberally social.

BUT~

The middle remains undefined because their 'platform' (for lack of a better word) varies so much in both fiscal and social issues.

Happy New Year!!

I agree with this caveat, the middle is socially liberal and fiscally RESPONSIBLE.

 

[Wyatt earp]

What ticks me off the most is children posting on these boards, they don't pay a Dime yet want to post LIb nonsense

 

[Iceweasel]

As someone who has been around since Harry Truman was in the White House, I can tell you that what was once the middle is now much farther right, NOT left.

“Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that Richard Nixon did not and in a way that Bill Clinton did not. Reagan was an ideological inflection point, ending a 50-year liberal ascendancy and beginning a 30-year conservative ascendancy."
Charles Krauthammer

Oh yeah sure, gay marriage, legalized pot, exploding entitlement spending, debt piled up too the moon, federal takeover of our health care, etc., we're marching steadily to the right!

LOL

 

[squeeze berry]

IMO someone in the "middle" does not follow lockstep with ideology associated with either extreme , whatever extreme is ??

is it possible to be

anti- abortion, but pro- gay marriage
pro - pot legalization but tough on crime
pro -union but against illegal immigration
atheist but believe that a manger scene hurts no one

some of the issues are personal and defy a label on way or another.

When I consider some issues I can not take a strong stance one way or another. I take those "political spectrum" tests and always get 1 click to the right and 1 click libertarian

shrugs

 

[Iceweasel]

IMO someone in the "middle" does not follow lockstep with ideology associated with either extreme , whatever extreme is ??

is it possible to be

anti- abortion, but pro- gay marriage
pro - pot legalization but tough on crime
pro -union but against illegal immigration
atheist but believe that a manger scene hurts no one

some of the issues are personal and defy a label on way or another.

When I consider some issues I can not take a strong stance one way or another. I take those "political spectrum" tests and always get 1 click to the right and 1 click libertarian

shrugs

I think those are probably good examples of a centrist, meaning you agree with the left and right on different things while most on the left or right agree with most left or right issues. So it depends on the individual on the particular issues, and as such, there is no such thing as a center belief and no such thing as "the" center.