Am I A Moderate?

Themoderatevoice.com ^ | David Schraub

[Lorianne]

I started blogging in June of 2004. In July of 2005, I was invited to co-blog here at The Moderate Voice, an invitation followed a short stint co-blogging at Centerfield (I still technically can post there, but I haven't in over a year). The site being called "The Moderate Voice," I've always felt a vague compunction to be a "moderate," even though I admittedly lean liberal.

So, how do I justify calling myself "moderate"? Well, a couple things. A general abhorrence of partisanship and power politics would be one. A vague preference for free trade would be another. But the big issue was foreign policy. I strongly, truly believed in the moral obligation of the US to use its global power for good in the world--to fight tyranny, end genocide, and battle human rights obligations wherever, whenever, on behalf of whomever.

It was always exaggerated how that viewpoint was considered unwelcome in Democratic circles, but it certainly was a break with the party orthodoxy, and Democratic hawks were considered to be "moderates" in the popular parlance. And since that was the biggest issue of the past few years, that was enough for me to comfortably call myself a bona fide "moderate liberal."

But what about today? I am not ashamed to admit that the Iraq debacle has seriously shaken my belief in traditionally liberal (Wilsonian) foreign policy. Obviously, there are plenty of intellectual defenses I could run to if I wanted to preserve that perspective, not the least of which is the appalling incompetence of the Bush administration in prosecuting this conflict. But while I'm not ready to abandon my idealistic foreign policy beliefs quite yet, I believe it would be quite hubristic to not at least recognize that the past few years have complicated them significantly. And until I get it all sorted out, I imagine I'll look with a bit more humility at how America should be behaving on the global stage.

All well and good. But now the question comes back: Am I a moderate? While I suspect I'm still more hawkish than the average Democrat, I'm no longer noticiably outside the Party mainstream I feel. On several social issues I'm not just liberal but flagrantly so (pro-gay marriage, pro-immigration amnesty and removal of immigration quotas (or at least raising them significantly), pro-Affirmative Action and reparations, anti-"under God" in the pledge). Even on abortion, an issue I'd been floating into the pro-life camp for a few years, I find that I'm coming back to a rather strong pro-choice position. I could cherry-pick issues, of course, but by and large I'm not just liberal, I'm very liberal (Carleton skews my perception of course, because even in my most liberal persona I'm on the right side of things, but I think on a national scale I certainly qualify as a hardcore liberal). So where do I get off blogging at TMV?

I think in terms of temperment, I might qualify as moderate, in that I prefer consensus to division and try to accomodate opposing beliefs instead of demonizing them. But I'm not sure if that makes me a moderate or just a significantly uglier, less talented, and Whiter Barack Obama. In other words, a liberal who genuinely wants to engage in dialogue with the rest of the country. That's noble, perhaps, but distinct from "moderate." Ditto with any of the other nice, non-partisan adjectives I could potentially tag myself with ("free-thinker" or "engaging" or "sharp" or whatever).

I want to stress that this post does not come due to any questioning or prodding from Joe or any of the other co-bloggers. And it's not really a crisis of confidence either: I'm quite happy with where I am politically, and very much enjoy the conversations I have here and elsewhere. But in keeping with that tradition, I feel I should ask the readership: Do I still belong here?

[goldstategop]

A moderate is someone who basks in lavish media praise for "growing in office."

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[evad]

flagrantly liberal

Liberalus Flagrante

[Balding_Eagle]

I think in terms of temperment, I might qualify as moderate, in that I prefer consensus to division and try to accomodate opposing beliefs instead of demonizing them.

Two issues immeadiately come to mind:

Abortion, YES or NO. Can't do anything with consensus on that one.

Terrorism. YES, cut my head off (or blow up the plane), or NO don't cut my head off.

[RegulatorCountry]

Don't forget "maverick."

[goldstategop]

Excellent points. On some things in life, you can't waffle. You have to take a clear stand. That's why both Left and Right despise moderates. They're a political tabula rasa who sit around and wait to go whichever way the media tells them to go. A moderate is someone who can't make up their own mind regardless of what other people think.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[hosepipe]

Political moderates are craven COWARDS..
Only decisive when knifing someone in the back..

[Secret Agent Man]

Ummm,

make no mistake. You're a liberal. You're not moderate.

[Secret Agent Man]

And I forgot to add:

And using liberalspeak, "Just embrace who you are."

You'll feel SO much better....

[PAR35]

Needs a 'barf alert'.

[Torie]

As one who thinks I am more of the genuine moderate, rather than the pseudo one, here are the edits I think necessary for you to be a moderate in good standing:

All well and good. But now the question comes back: Am I a moderate? While I suspect I'm still more hawkish than the average Democrat, I'm no longer noticiably outside the Party mainstream I feel. On several social issues I'm not just liberal but flagrantly so, such as (pro-gay marriage, but not on many other issues, such as I am pro legally immigration amnesty and removal of immigration quotas (or at least raising them significantly), - a guest worker program with some path for citizenship for those who work hard and play by the rules and pay taxes, after and only after the federal government can demonstrate that it has secured our borders, and raising quotas for the best and the brightest to come in, against pro-Affirmative Action and reparations because that is a racial spoils system, and inimical to the invocation of Martin Luther King, that we should judge folks by the content of their character, not the color of their skin, or other ersatz and degrading the demeaning criteria, anti- wasting time worrying about ritualistic invocations such as "under God" in the pledge).

Even on abortion, an issue I'd been decided upon since I assumed maturity floating into the pro-life camp for a few years, I find that I'm coming back to a rather strong pro-choice position still of the opinion that while reasonably folks of good conscience can disagree about pre sentience first trimester abortions, third trimester abortions are shocking to the conscience and aborting viable fetuses is very close to the same thing as murder, as a moral matter, where morality and Supreme Court fiat edicts have tragically diverged, both as a legal and moral matter. . I could cherry-pick issues, of course, but by and large I'm not just liberal, I'm very liberal (Carleton skews my perception of course, because even in my most liberal persona I'm on the right side of things, but I think on a national scale I certainly qualify as a hardcore liberal). So where do I get off blogging at TMV? More to the point, I think you are just superficial and confused.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Proof that any nut can write for publication, and anyone can have a website and call themselves whatever they want to. *Rolleyes*

"The Moderate Republican:

If you are a moderate Republican who wants to bring the Party of Lincoln back to its roots, you've come to the right place. I am your host, a 30-something, gay, African American, Republican minister living in Minneapolis, Minnesota."

http://moderaterepublican.blogspot.com/ (In case you want to egg this Moderate on...) ;)

[AmericanExceptionalist]

A moderate is someone who basks in lavish media praise for "growing in office."

That is a very good point--unless, of course, said moderate is a former liberal. In that case, he (or she) is something of a backslider.

Of course, this just speaks to the point that liberals fervently believe, but never quite articulate: that their worldview represents an enlightened state. Anyone, therefore, who has found his way out of the backwaters of conservatism has "grown." (Pardon the mixed metaphor, please.)

[IronJack]

You nailed it.

[Balding_Eagle]

A moderate is someone who can't make up their own mind regardless of what other people think.

Which explains why all moderates, on the radio, here at FR, and elsewhere, all voted for Kerry.