Poll: Representing the Political Centrists

[Exaltist Ethan]

There doesn't seem to be a true voice who hold themselves in the middle between progressivism and conservativism, those who see a need for both equality and hierarchy, when it is appropriate. There is no section in RF for those who established themselves as centrists or political moderates. Yes, there is a wing of the Democratic Party, the New Democrats, who have positioned themselves as in the political center, and there's many politicians under this umbrella. However, as it stands there are more Democrat caucus progressives, and New Democrats lately have been moving towards the left. Both those on the left and the right think that centrists don't have the ability to make up their mind on the issues.

This is not the case at all, we just understand that different cases cause for different applications towards those situations. I don't support unbridled capitalism or socialism, I do not support autocracy or anarchy, what I do support is representative democracies to achieve further goals and allowing all voices to be heard. Instead of being a full yes or no on topics many times I can be a maybe on issues, and take some issues as more conservative yet other issues as more of a progressive. The last time America truly had a choice for a voice in the middle was Ross Perot in 1992 and 1996, but support of the Reform Party has evaporated over the years. And over time my opinions and positions have moved closer and closer to the pragmatic center. While I do vote Republican I typically vote for the moderate wing of the party, yet on many issues I am to the left of even many moderate Republicans. Still on many issues I'm right of the New Democrats.

Why can't we have a political section on Religious Forums that represents the centrists? Why can't America have a political party that is primarily aligned towards the middle of the political compass? Why has political centrism and moderates become such a marginalized part of American society? And did you know that the congressional caucus of the Republican Party that was once considered centrist, the Republican Main Street Partnership, has folded? And yes, I know that for a lot of legislation, centrists are the ones who are pulling the strings together, however, as it currently stands Democrats represent the American progressives and Republicans represent the American conservatives. Those who are either centrist or radical centrists like myself have become marginalized politically. Centrism only comes into play when the executive and legislative branches are opposite parties, and when they are, they tend to get the best of both sides, such as what happened with raising the debt ceiling recently.

We need more representation overall for those who consider themselves center-left, centrist, center-right, or part of the radical center, both politically here in America and on Religious Forums too. So I'm making a poll to ask the people in the political sphere here on RF if they would support a centrist forum. Does anyone else agree with me?

If no change occurs and we do not get a section for those who situate themselves towards the pragmatic center of politics, then I want to use this thread as a beacon to discuss with others our politically syncretic and centrist views here on this forum.

 

[Stevicus]

There doesn't seem to be a true voice who hold themselves in the middle between progressivism and conservativism, those who see a need for both equality and hierarchy, when it is appropriate. There is no section in RF for those who established themselves as centrists or political moderates. Yes, there is a wing of the Democratic Party, the New Democrats, who have positioned themselves as in the political center, and there's many politicians under this umbrella. However, as it stands there are more Democrat caucus progressives, and New Democrats lately have been moving towards the left. Both those on the left and the right think that centrists don't have the ability to make up their mind on the issues.

This is not the case at all, we just understand that different cases cause for different applications towards those situations. I don't support unbridled capitalism or socialism, I do not support autocracy or anarchy, what I do support is representative democracies to achieve further goals and allowing all voices to be heard. Instead of being a full yes or no on topics many times I can be a maybe on issues, and take some issues as more conservative yet other issues as more of a progressive. The last time America truly had a choice for a voice in the middle was Ross Perot in 1992 and 1996, but support of the Reform Party has evaporated over the years. And over time my opinions and positions have moved closer and closer to the pragmatic center. While I do vote Republican I typically vote for the moderate wing of the party, yet on many issues I am to the left of even many moderate Republicans. Still on my many issues I'm right of the New Democrats.

Why can't we have a political section on Religious Forums that represents the centrists? Why can't America have a political party that is primarily aligned towards the middle of the political compass? Why has political centrism and moderates become such a marginalized part of American society? And did you know that the congressional caucus of the Republican Party that was once considered centrist, the Republican Main Street Partnership, has folded? And yes, I know that for a lot of legislation, centrists are the ones who are pulling the strings together, however, as it currently stands Democrats represent the American progressives and Republicans represent the American conservatives. Those who are either centrist or radical centrists like myself have become marginalized politically. Centrism only comes into play when the executive and legislative branches are opposite parties, and when they are, they tend to get the best of both sides, such as what happened with raising the debt ceiling recently.

We need more representation overall for those who consider themselves center-left, centrist, center-right, or part of the radical center, both politically here in America and on Religious Forums too. So I'm making a poll to ask the people in the political sphere here on RF if they would support a centrist forum. Does anyone else agree with me?

If no change occurs and we do not get a section for those who situate themselves towards the pragmatic center of politics, then I want to use this thread as a beacon to discuss with others our politically syncretic and centrist views here on this forum.

You make some good points, and I have nothing against having a section for Centrists. At this point, I'd be glad just to be able to get our old frubals back and the New Posts queue that used to appear. I'm not sure if requests for new sections are even up for consideration. But I wouldn't see the addition of a new section, in and of itself, as bringing about more representation of any particular group.

 

[bobhikes]

The moderates of both parties and the centrists are just that moderate. They don't scream or make waves, they also don't donate large sums of money because of this although they are the majority they have no say. Unless they are willing to go out and scream and donate large sums of money we will need election reform. Easy things to do which they do in other countries. Limit the election running time. You only get 6 months that you are allowed to spend money and run ads. Limit the amount of Money they can spend, this will make it more fair for competitors and also limit the influence large donors have. Lastly Term limits for all sections of the federal government. This will force the current parties to constantly recruit new candidates. Neither party has any reason to adopt any of this and many reasons to oppose it. The only way to get it done other than congress is for enough people to get upset at the state level and call for a state convention to make changes to the constitution but you need 2/3 of the states practically impossible.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

There doesn't seem to be a true voice who hold themselves in the middle between progressivism and conservativism, those who see a need for both equality and hierarchy, when it is appropriate. There is no section in RF for those who established themselves as centrists or political moderates. Yes, there is a wing of the Democratic Party, the New Democrats, who have positioned themselves as in the political center, and there's many politicians under this umbrella. However, as it stands there are more Democrat caucus progressives, and New Democrats lately have been moving towards the left. Both those on the left and the right think that centrists don't have the ability to make up their mind on the issues.

This is not the case at all, we just understand that different cases cause for different applications towards those situations. I don't support unbridled capitalism or socialism, I do not support autocracy or anarchy, what I do support is representative democracies to achieve further goals and allowing all voices to be heard. Instead of being a full yes or no on topics many times I can be a maybe on issues, and take some issues as more conservative yet other issues as more of a progressive. The last time America truly had a choice for a voice in the middle was Ross Perot in 1992 and 1996, but support of the Reform Party has evaporated over the years. And over time my opinions and positions have moved closer and closer to the pragmatic center. While I do vote Republican I typically vote for the moderate wing of the party, yet on many issues I am to the left of even many moderate Republicans. Still on many issues I'm right of the New Democrats.

Why can't we have a political section on Religious Forums that represents the centrists? Why can't America have a political party that is primarily aligned towards the middle of the political compass? Why has political centrism and moderates become such a marginalized part of American society? And did you know that the congressional caucus of the Republican Party that was once considered centrist, the Republican Main Street Partnership, has folded? And yes, I know that for a lot of legislation, centrists are the ones who are pulling the strings together, however, as it currently stands Democrats represent the American progressives and Republicans represent the American conservatives. Those who are either centrist or radical centrists like myself have become marginalized politically. Centrism only comes into play when the executive and legislative branches are opposite parties, and when they are, they tend to get the best of both sides, such as what happened with raising the debt ceiling recently.

We need more representation overall for those who consider themselves center-left, centrist, center-right, or part of the radical center, both politically here in America and on Religious Forums too. So I'm making a poll to ask the people in the political sphere here on RF if they would support a centrist forum. Does anyone else agree with me?

If no change occurs and we do not get a section for those who situate themselves towards the pragmatic center of politics, then I want to use this thread as a beacon to discuss with others our politically syncretic and centrist views here on this forum.

Well, then please on the other hand stop doing American politics outside the North American politics sub-forum.
I vote other, since I am torn on this everlasting idea that politics is just USA and a place for all centrists and not just the USA ones.

 

[PureX]

The human brain is a binary function. We think via comparing and contrasting (opposing) sets of information, to establish identity and value.

The world our brains inhabit, however, is a singular whole that includes a seemingly infinite kind and degree of variation. Which is far too much for our brains to comprehend. So we become trapped on our binary cognitive idealizations of it. Hot/cold, here/there, up/down, and right or left. This doesn't really reflect the world, accurately,, but it's how we see it nevertheless.

 

[anna.]

While I do vote Republican I typically vote for the moderate wing of the party, yet on many issues I am to the left of even many moderate Republicans. Still on many issues I'm right of the New Democrats.

I was a Republican from the first time I voted (it was for Reagan) up to but not including the 2012 presidential election. Before November 2012 I changed my CA voter registration to NPP (no political party) and it's been that way ever since, although after the 2012 election I've voted a straight Democratic ticket. I'm not saying I wouldn't vote Republican ever again, but in my opinion Republicans have been so radicalized rightward it's not possible to vote for a reasonable candidate who would have the good of ALL the citizens in mind. Centrism can be found in the Democratic Party as it looks right now, today, but then I don't fit neatly in the Democratic Party either, and it's ironic because I remember when I was on the right (pretty far to the right) debating centrism as fence-sitting rather than bipartisanship, as indecision rather than taking a stand.

 

[Exaltist Ethan]

Well, then please on the other hand stop doing American politics outside the North American politics sub-forum.

This topic is broader than North American politics. Centrists exist in nearly every country. Just because I told you my experiences as an American it doesn't mean I have to put it specifically in North American politics. I covered ground in that, but the poll is directed towards RF, not America, even if I mention how both are lacking presence of those who represent centrism.

 

[PureX]

I was a Republican from the first time I voted (it was for Reagan) up to but not including the 2012 presidential election. Before November 2012 I changed my CA voter registration to NPP (no political party) and it's been that way ever since, although after the 2012 election I've voted a straight Democratic ticket. I'm not saying I wouldn't vote Republican ever again, but in my opinion Republicans have been so radicalized rightward it's not possible to vote for a reasonable candidate who would have the good of ALL the citizens in mind. Centrism can be found in the Democratic Party as it looks right now, today, but then I don't fit neatly in the Democratic Party either, and it's ironic because I remember when I was on the right (pretty far to the right) debating centrism as fence-sitting rather than bipartisanship, as indecision rather than taking a stand.

The problem with becoming a declared independent is that it often stops people from voting in the primaries. And those elections are becoming increasingly important in terms of getting any actual change in the system.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

The problem with becoming a declared independent is that it often stops people from voting in the primaries. And those elections are becoming increasingly important in terms of getting any actual change in the system.

Precisely.

 

[wellwisher]

A Centrist is a practical thinker, in the sense that that can recognize what works and what has the most test proven data. However, they also realize we live in a world of change and are also open to change, but all change needs to be tested and proven to work at least as well.

The extreme Right recognizes time proven things that work, but they may not be always open to change. The extreme Left is open to change, even if untested. It is more about change, for the sake of change, and not just for useful change; fad driven.

As a core example, the nuclear family has centuries of test proven data. This is why it is fully accepted by the political Right. The nuclear family is not fly by night, but has been refined with time with world wide testing data over thousand of years. The political Left, in the 1960's wanted to fix something that was not broken; modernize the idea of the family. This has led to the need for huge Government overhead to compensate for all the unexpected consequence of this change. The proposed change in the 1960's was not first test proven to be at least efficient.

The Centrist can see how the nuclear family was/is more efficient and had many social advantages for the children and the elderly; stable home base. However, they also recognize that the damage has been done and we cannot easily put the genie back into the bottle. We may first need to find a temporary balance, until we can reform something better than what we now have.

The change into a dual injustice system is also change for the sake of change. It was not pilot tested to be optimized for a free country. It was more test proven for a monarchy. This is leading to problems, such as censorship, propaganda, violence, division, corruption and injustice. This fad change has the radical Left written all over it. They never tested it in a free country before going to market. The Centrist has to inherit this confusion and try to find more stability, until equal justice for all can be restored within the unique needs of a free country.

The Left is creative, while the Right is practical and both sides are useful. The Centrist can go both ways; rooted in practical, while open to all change that shows promise. Not all fads are promising.

 

[anna.]

The problem with becoming a declared independent is that it often stops people from voting in the primaries. And those elections are becoming increasingly important in terms of getting any actual change in the system.

That's a very good point and I agree with you in general. In my state in particular though, Democrats have an open primary so I have no problem voting for a Dem in the primary here. The Republicans don't have an open primary so I couldn't for a Republican in the primary but to this point there hasn't been one I'd have wanted to vote for.

 

[anna.]

As a core example, the nuclear family has centuries of test proven data. This is why it is fully accepted by the political Right. The nuclear family is not fly by night, but has been refined with time with world wide testing data over thousand of years. The political Left, in the 1960's wanted to fix something that was not broken; modernize the idea of the family.

In what ways is the family fully accepted by the right, but not by the left, both in the 60s and now? Please elaborate, with specifics.

The change into a dual injustice system is also change for the sake of change.

What's a "dual injustice system?"