Call Me A Raving Moderate
By Steve_in_KC on November 18, 2008 at 10:20 AM in Current Affairs
(Steve is one of our regular readers who submitted his way of “venting.” More of your submissions are coming, and we’re so excited about the quality and diversity of your submissions! – Susan)
STEVE: Politically, I am an Independent Moderate, like an increasing number of people. Some call us Centrists, but that epithet actually better describes those who are members of one of the major parties but avoid the extremes of their own party. President Clinton was a Centrist, and Garry Trudeau turned him into a waffle. (I can’t wait to see what he does with Obama. A radiant messianic angel, perhaps, so he can gradually molt feathers from his wings and crumple his halo as reality sets in).
Also, I like the initials for Independent Moderate: I.M. I am an I.M. Or I.M. what I.M and that’s all what I.M. After all, I’m sure Popeye the Sailor was an Independent Moderate. He hated extremists.
There are lots of I.M.s and Centrists in this country, flying beneath the radar of the political pollsters and spin-doctors. We been hesitant in the past about spouting our voting preferences or positions on controversial topics because we don’t like being assailed by the political proselytizers who can only see things in black and white, for or against, left or right, friend or foe, beans or slaw.
But I think it is high time we Moderates started thinking about banding together to take this country back from the extremists on both sides of the two-party system. I believe there are more Moderates in this country than there are Liberals or Conservatives, not counting the clueless imbeciles who vote for fad candidates. Clearly, being a Democrat does not mean one is fanatically Liberal, and being a Republican doesn’t mean one is zealously Conservative, especially in an election year (or months with an R in them).
The political system has lately become so polarized, with the country almost evenly split between Republicans and Democrats, I think the time has come to do away with the two-party system and implement a three-party system. Forget about Democrats and Republicans. We should have three parties: Liberals, Conservatives, and Moderates. If you don’t fit into one of those categories, perhaps the Libertarians have something for you. They would like to pay no taxes, own any kind of weapon they want, and grow their own marijuana without government interference. Sounds good, but without taxes, how would we raise the money to build more prisons to incarcerate the pot smoking gun owners?
I know there have been attempts to create a major third party for Independent candidates, but since they were usually founded by loonies on the extreme edges of the political spectrum, they never really caught on. For example, when that rich jug-eared Texan, Ross “I’m in, I’m out, I’m in, I’m nuts” Perot finally gave up, the political party he formed, “United We Stand, America,” pretty much evaporated. I’m not sure what those people stood for, but I’m pretty sure who they voted for this year. The fad candidate.
I think it’s high time the Moderates of this country got bold and crossed the aisles in both directions. We can only hope that many politicians of both major parties finally start speaking their own consciences instead of the “party line” (yes, I admit, I am old enough to remember using and listening in on party lines, but I was just a kid).
I can hear it now: the wing-nuts of both parties will be calling Moderates “Mugwumps,” fence-sitters, indecisive, and worst of all, Compromisers! Ridiculed for seeking compromise! Imagine that! Boy, we really haven’t progressed much since the Hatfields and McCoys were feuding; “Yer either fer us or agin’ us!” Right, Dubya?
But seriously, when one looks at some of the positions supported by the two major parties, one might easily recoil in horror, but I can think of many important issues on both sides of the aisle that split me down the middle. I really can’t say that a majority of my political beliefs are held by either major party right now. How could I register as a Democrat, for example, when I’d rather have us drill for oil in Alaska than be put over the barrel by Jihadists? How could I register as a Republican when I fully support a National Health Insurance plan?
But when the roll is called publicly, politicians feel the peer pressure. The Democrats can’t let the Republicans get their way, or vice versa, even if they happen to agree with them. So whether they agree or not, they go along party lines (I swear, I wasn’t eavesdropping!)
Many politicos have been party switchers because their consciences finally woke up and they realized they were out of step with their party. Others switch parties simply because there was more political opportunity for them that way. And yet others switch parties because the liquor ran out.
I firmly believe that there are MANY voters like me who think all primaries should be open to all registered voters to vote for the best candidates from all parties. Let them all put their ideas and candidates out there and we’ll have a run-off election. Best two out of three. Then maybe the levelheaded, mainstream candidates might have a chance against the wing nuts from both wings. So, by creating a three party system, we could have three wings… or two wings and a drumstick with your choice of beans or slaw on the side.
Hey, it couldn’t be any worse than the system we have now.
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