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What ever happened to moderates?

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*NOTE: This is not intended to be a political debate thread. Please do not turn this into a debate.*

It seems that whenever I voice my opinion on a subject I have one side calling me a conservative while the other calls me a liberal. Have we become so polarized that there is no room for moderates anymore?
 
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Actually I believe that if you get that response you are truly a moderate. There are more of us than you may suspect and we make up most of middle America.
 

eric


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you're always going to be left or right of someone no matter where you stand.

i could tell my friends that i'm turning vegetarian, but if i'm not going to be vegan i might as well be a bloody murderer to someone i know who may be vegan.
 
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yah, i think that we have become so polarized as a nation that we believe that we need to be one way or the other on everything...

i am doing a research project on the polarization of our nation in social problem
 
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I believe there are many people that would just rather not think about things too critically. So instead of contemplating each issue or debate individually, they just stick to whatever party they agree with most of the time. I think if you could get people to look at individual issues, you would certainly find a lot more 'moderates' than you would zealots for either side. I'm not overly concerned with where I fall on any particular politcal spectrum, and I think we'd get a lot more accomplished if we eliminated the two party system and had a lot more choices. I always feel as though I'm settling for someone each time I vote, which is quite unsettling if we're such a great democracy. Anywho, that's my opinion and I certainly hope I didn't step on anyone's toes.
 
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Moderates are just like the middle class in America. They are squeezed from both sides, yet they cannot make a definite choice for themselves. Because their ideas are spread over the party lines, they have to choose one or the other. Some parties don't even get on the ballot, because they don't receive enough signatures from the public. Part of the reason for that is not having enough money for the party to raise public awareness. People don't take time to think. Voting is much like the stock market. It takes second guessing what the other side would do. It is safe to go with the flow instead of taking chances. So, most people do what others do. Remember, the choice you make may last 8 years. Yikes!

:eek:
 
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The media is more than partially responsible for promoting this.

Here in Chicago, we have two radio stations that have ad campaigns that include billboards that say "Liberals Hate Us!" and "Conservatives Hate Us!"

Whenever I see these ads I can only think that the companies that own these stations are laughing all the way to the bank.
 
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I'm pretty much centrist, leaning slightly right. :)

...although at work I'm considered the "resident hippy" - mainly because I drive a VW, love the outdoors, use Mac's, and my second vehicle is a Jeep. Beyond that I ride a bicycle to work and love coffee.

I think I'm just a stereotypical Seattlite, lol.
 
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I took the test and it came pretty close to guessing my stances. I don't know how accurate it was because some of the questions wording seemed to oversimplify the issues and there wasn't an "undecided" box to check, even though there were a lot of questions (especially on social issues) where I wish there had been.
 
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We all have something to say

It is unfortunate that people cannot talk to each other and hear each other out.

Like it says in Corinthians "we know in part" In other words no one knows it all. We should speak about what we see to be true and respect other peoples point of view.

One thing I really like about the US is seeing events where all the living presidents are together talking to each other. They don't seem to hate each other or have their own militias. But they do represent differing points of view.
 
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Woohoo, I'm the Dalai Lama!

Your political compass

Economic Left/Right: 0.00
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: 0.82

Well, I'd say that's about as moderate as you can get. :)
 

eric


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Woohoo, I'm the Dalai Lama!
Well, I'd say that's about as moderate as you can get. :)

that's what you'd think, but if you scored where the dalai lama is, you're actually pretty far from centrist.

heh, i'm about where the Dalai Lama is too:

Economic Left/Right: -5.13
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.13
 
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Last time I did it I think I was close to the Lama too

Economic Left/Right: -4.38
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.31

But how do you calm a Llama down?
 

eric


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definitely do not throw casserole at her and call her a fat lard (or llard).
 
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that's what you'd think, but if you scored where the dalai lama is, you're actually pretty far from centrist.

heh, i'm about where the Dalai Lama is too:

Economic Left/Right: -5.13
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.13

I was saying bagss was very moderate. Note the quoted text. :black:

I already know I'm a dirty hippy.
 

eric


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Your political compass

Economic Left/Right: 4.63
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -2.46

I don't know what that makes me. Certainly not the Dalai Lama.

Penn Jillette maybe?
 
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My political compass
Economic Left/Right: -3.38
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -3.28

That's about where I expected it to fall.
 

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