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That's not really a moderate though Isaac Send a noteboard - 06/01/2010 06:51:05 PM
Maybe I just haven't met enough of the kind of moderates you describe - after all, my face-to-face experience with Americans isn't all that extensive, mostly it's through this site.

But on general principle, seems better to me when people aren't fanatically devoted to one or the other side, or rehashing whatever nonsense their guru or preferred pundit has been spouting. Sometimes not having an opinion on something and acknowledging that is better than repeating somebody else's opinion, or adhering to an opinion just because it's your side's general opinion.


By and large, if you have opinions on stuff, one party meets your needs better than another, and you say, 'better 6 out of 10 then 4' very few genuinely straddle the middle. Some, of course, simply have views which are too antithetical to be with either group, many libertarians are of this group, I wouldn't call them moderate, even though many if judged on a dem-rep axis would show up as such.

We are very specifically not talking about people who after careful study and review just can't align with either party, we're talking about people who don't know much and have chosen to assume non-partisianship is somehow on a higher moral plane, a celebration of ignorance, though they would never admit to it.

It is definetly better, as you say, to acknowledge neutrality if you meet that bill, but really, how often does someone who is genuinely knowledgeable of politics have no opinion on something? Fairly common, sure, but all the issues? Not very often. Yes, later on it isn't abnormal to have some sort of issue where you say "Well, I don't really support tariffs but I understand why we need them, so either is fine by me" or such. This is that less than 10% I refer to. They're entirely ready to give the pros and cons.

Let's take a case like israel and palestine. Lots of people have a side on that issue, right or wrong. How often do you hear some ninny say "I just don't see what their arguing about" that's the group of mods I dislike. They don't know what they're talking about, but they still decide to have a position and they basically picked it for some sort of illusionary 'higher moral ground' when in reality they simply don't know what they're talking about, and they simply don't get that while neutrality is an option, neutrality through ignorance is just as bad or worse than picking a side.

These are the sorts who if one side was horribly wrong and the other totally right would still be 'moderate', and they're saved from this normally because on most major issues if both sides don't have a bunch of good points one side would already have one. I truly think a lot of them would be neutral on genocide or slavery in the right circumstances, and I think history circa 1930s or 1850s backs that.

But I'm not trying to make a blanket statement, it is entirely possible to be moderate and know you're stuff, it just tends to be the minority, and I generally dislike the reasoning of most who pick this stance.
The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.
- Albert Einstein

King of Cairhien 20-7-2
Chancellor of the Landsraad, Archduke of Is'Mod
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Moderates, Idiots, Apathy, and Mass Hysteria – A post-holiday rant - 06/01/2010 04:51:41 PM 1072 Views
I generally agree with you - 06/01/2010 06:10:45 PM 495 Views
Re: I generally agree with you - 06/01/2010 07:11:22 PM 512 Views
you should sneer at asprin anyways *NM* - 06/01/2010 07:55:29 PM 209 Views
It's the whole 'natural' thingy... - 06/01/2010 08:14:45 PM 404 Views
if there was a berry i could stick up my nose... - 06/01/2010 08:17:00 PM 538 Views
When spring rolls around again I'd probably join you - 06/01/2010 08:42:05 PM 421 Views
well, just as a note to life expectency - 06/01/2010 09:55:12 PM 411 Views
Re: well, just as a note to life expectency - 07/01/2010 05:30:41 PM 555 Views
I don't believe we can say either way at the moment - 08/01/2010 08:40:30 PM 433 Views
I dunno, I tend to prefer moderates above partisans. - 06/01/2010 06:29:27 PM 524 Views
That's not really a moderate though - 06/01/2010 06:51:05 PM 514 Views
Re: That's not really a moderate though - 07/01/2010 11:10:17 PM 628 Views
Re: That's not really a moderate though - 08/01/2010 07:26:14 PM 590 Views
This was a fun post to read. - 06/01/2010 07:52:46 PM 473 Views
One tries one's best - 06/01/2010 08:28:08 PM 559 Views
Jindal is well meaning, but he's a horrible governor. - 06/01/2010 09:29:57 PM 416 Views
So I presume he is republican? - 06/01/2010 09:56:42 PM 483 Views
He was seriously talked around for the 2012 pres bid - 07/01/2010 01:05:35 AM 524 Views
you're not wrong - 07/01/2010 01:11:17 AM 430 Views
It sounds harsh but sometimes cutbacks help - 07/01/2010 02:58:24 AM 623 Views
it's more a matter of the degree - 07/01/2010 05:07:18 AM 450 Views
That's true, but as LL said, the balance is completely off. - 07/01/2010 05:30:56 AM 440 Views
Re: That's true, but as LL said, the balance is completely off. - 07/01/2010 06:18:08 AM 474 Views
that would actually be quite interesting - 07/01/2010 06:26:36 AM 392 Views
But you already have insane amounts of people in jail. - 07/01/2010 11:22:19 PM 458 Views
The higher crime rate in the US is something of a different issue - 08/01/2010 08:26:00 PM 644 Views
That's a long post... - 08/01/2010 08:58:07 PM 648 Views
I agree. *NM* - 07/01/2010 01:18:06 AM 220 Views
Huh. That wasn't offensive. It was interesting. *NM* - 06/01/2010 10:48:17 PM 205 Views
muon, proton, and moron? Lol. *NM* - 07/01/2010 01:22:19 AM 383 Views
I enjoyed your post, except for one part. - 07/01/2010 01:23:09 AM 581 Views

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