What does "moderate" mean again?

Does that mean that one is ok with the status quo of corporate fascism and the destruction of individual rights and the constitution?

Or does that mean on your imaginary scale of what these politicians really represent, you fall somewhere in the middle of absolute state control and absolute anarchy?

 

Depends on your definition of moderate. The dictionary definition kept or keeping within reasonable or proper limits, not extreme, excessive, or intense. However, in politics, this can mean a variety of things.

 

Yes, but I thought of this when I heard a local radio host saying that most people are "moderates" while talking about how everything is okey dokey and one must not desire change.

That's what moderate means to me, it means you are at the middle of the current American compass, you do not want change, thus you see nothing wrong with the path we are travelling.

 

From my perspective, a moderate is one that desires reasonable change. Essentially, change that maintains the positive aspects of the status quo, but forwards ideas that will lead to positive results in the future.

For example, you could probably call me a moderate because I believe there are quite a few aspects of society that should be preserved, but I am willing to implement reasonable change to for the betterment of society.

 

And that shows that you are not in the mindset that this nation is already off the rails.

 

In my case, I use the word to convey that I don't hold a conservative stance on all things... not the Republican stance at least. I consider myself an independent, moderate conservative. I don't quite fit in with Republicans, Constitution Party , Tea Party, or Libertarians... not enough so that I'd officially join anyways.

 

Good answer, leftleg. So your definition of moderate is in the frame of the literal definitions and not actually what is going on in America.

I'd say America is off the scale and left/right does not describe a super-capitalist/communist manifesto. -credit Congressman Larry McDonald for coining that merger.

 

I certainly consider the United States off the rails, NetworkCitizen. However, I do not consider this nation to be at or near the point of no return, meaning the only option is dismantling of the entire status-quo, and a clean slate. We need to take what is working, and rid the nation of what is destroying.

 

I define 'moderate' as one of inconsistent principle, and muddled logic.

Explained pictorally, I define moderate as:

 

It doesn't mean becoming neutered. It means being able to intelligently think through both of those questions - and a whole of other ones as well - and then reach conclusions based on that analysis, without having to rely on some lame political party's canned ideological bs. Oh wait - that's more like an "Independent"...

 

Good description, darckriver. You actually elaborated upon my political character. I always do my own analysis on issues, and then draw conclusions. I use partisan ideological BS as references to point out logical, empirical, and analytical fallacies.

 

Well, based on that post here is what I would recommend to find a definition:

Go to the mirror.

Look at yourself

Look at everything that is not you

All of that which is not you would probably be classified as "moderate".

Just trying to help

 

I make a lot of mistakes as I bounce around testing out and discovering what's what. I change my mind as I find out some piece of crap that I believed was just that - crap. It takes me a long time to settle with anything. There's way too much nonsense and deception to wade through. Sometimes I feel like just saying Fk it - what's the use...

 

Stupid post, fear. The good doctor would laugh at you here.

Anyways, I like this thread and the other responses, therefore, it shall continue, in moderate fashion.

 

Crap! It started out like a poem... then ya let me down.

 

I tried it, but you opened a can of worms and fried it. Because that's what we're left with, that and violence. The masses sit in a corner in silence, as bankers ignore the riots and take time to sniff the violets.

 

yeah - yeah - yeah!!!

You've proved it at last! There are living beings behind these posts.

[Edit: No offense - I didn't mean... I meant.... awww, never mind.]

 

I'm so human, I feel the pain of moderates.

They think they stick to the middle of an imaginary scale. hahahah

You're all fascists. Better recognize.

 

Well, it's not like most Republicans and Democrats have any principles either... They're very diverse groups with different opinions that often tend to contradict their stated "principles". (and even those are subject to rapid change over time.)

I think a better question is: What is the opposite of being a moderate? Someone who simply sticks to the party line?

 

If one is a 'moderate' for the sake of being moderate, one couldn't be more emblematic of the definition I gave.

The core of my ideology is consistent principle. It's well considered, and well defended - while simultaneously refusing to claim that it has all the answers.

 

If you are an extremist, it's unlikely that you would understand what a moderate is.

 

Moderates are necessarily defined by the extremes.

In the US one group wants more bigger government.
The other major group wants much less government.

Splitting the difference is wishing to retain the (unacceptable) status quo.

 

OK - I'll buy that. Not only is it so, it's actually logical. There are different facets to political moderation. Being a wishy-washy, compromising wuss for the sake of garnering support from both sides may unfortunately, in many cases, be one of them. However, I'm not sure how one legitimately goes about going from the current trajectory of an "inflationary universe" of government coddling and class warfare nonsense, to a more sustainable path of smart scale-down toward moderation, sanity, and responsible government. Aside from Paul Ryan (and some of Ron Paul), I've yet to listen to anyone with a practical chart for that journey. But I doubt many on either side would call them moderates.

 

It's actually neither.
Only to an extremist does a moderate look like someone who is satisfied with the status quo.
As I said earlier, extremists have no clue what being a moderate really means.

 

It means you're all crazy and I don't want to be associated with any of you.