Manifesto Of The Militant Moderate

My name is Majic, and I am a militant moderate.

So what does that mean? It means that while I may hold many strong opinions, I recognize that I could be wrong about some or all of them.

Does that mean I can't take a stand on one principle or another? No, definitely not. However, it does mean that even when I take a stand on principle, I also accept that I could be wrong about it.

Does that mean I can't take sides on an issue? Nope. However, as a moderate, I reserve the right to change sides if I later decide I chose the wrong one.

Does that mean I'm a coward for not taking a stand, right or wrong? Perhaps. But I think it takes more courage to admit I could be wrong than to cling to a discredited position because I can't admit I was wrong.

It is apparently popular for extremists to criticize moderates as being wishy-washy and muddled in our thinking. To that, I say this: Maybe! Maybe not!

So where does that leave moderates? In the most powerful political column of all: the undecided column.

I am a moderate, hear me roar! Well, not so much a roar as a reserved shout. Okay, actually I didn't want to make such a big deal about it.

Um, never mind....

Does that mean I'm a coward for not taking a stand, right or wrong? Perhaps. But I think it takes more courage to admit I could be wrong than to cling to a discredited position because I can't admit I was wrong.

Never have more true words been spoken.


It is apparently popular for extremists to criticize moderates as being wishy-washy and muddled in our thinking. To that, I say this: Maybe! Maybe not!

Extremists have to criticize us moderates to cover up there flaws . Extremists are against progress.
The greens are against GM & GE products and seem to think everyone agrees with agenda. Here in NZ they are against nuclear power (and to fair others are to) they would rather we spend winter in an ice box then keep warm.
The conservative right are against stem research even thou it could cure diseases and help paralyzed people walk again.

Before I open my mouth again I must ask what you mean by militant?

Thinking...

Um...

Help me out here.

Clinton and Nixon positioned themselves as moderates. Of course, like most moderates they had ethics problems.

Still thinking...

Very few 1000-Year Reigns of Lieberman to point to. Why is that?

Umm RANT, you won't have no problem at all if Hillary moves from her liberal left-leanings to moderate in her possible attempt at the 2008 presidential bid, will you?

Why do there have to be "famous" moderates, as you have postulated?

You claim that you cannot 'remember' famous moderates. Does Eisenhower ring a bell anywhere?
Does Lincoln?
Franklin and Washington?
How about McCain?
"Like most moderates, they had/have ethical problems," also?


Good grief....



seekerof

[edit on 3-12-2004 by Seekerof]

Originally posted by Seekerof
"Like most moderates, they had/have ethical problems," also?


Good grief....

Based on an ongoing tongue in cheek discussion across several threads. Not exactly serious about that.

Originally posted by Seekerof
Umm RANT, you won't have no problem at all if Hillary moves from her liberal left-leanings to moderate in her possible attempt at the 2008 presidential bid, will you?

Why do there have to be "famous" moderates, as you have postulated?

You claim that you cannot 'remember' famous moderates. Does Eisenhower ring a bell anywhere?
Does Lincoln?
Franklin and Washington?
How about McCain?
"Like most moderates, they had/have ethical problems," also?


Good grief....

seekerof

[edit on 3-12-2004 by Seekerof]

Moderates? Eisenhower... I'll give you that one.
Lincoln...No way! A moderate would have "negotiated" with the south. But Lincoln knew this would not have worked.
Franklin was not a moderate, he was a leftist, and remember democrats were not always weak on defense like they are now.
Washington was not a moderate. Just ask the British
McCain is definately a moderate, which is why he is stuck as a senator. He has no chance (in the Republican party) to be a VP or Presidential Candidate.

Sign me up to the moderate club.

I'll wear the badge with honor.

Originally posted by Carseller4
and remember democrats were not always weak on defense like they are now.

Carseller, take a look at the record of today's congressmen and senators.. MORE Democrats are war vets than Republicans - by far. Today's "Republicans" don't like to talk about that, tho.

Kudos to you Majic. There is nothing wrong or cowardly in your position. I commend you for being willing to look at all sides of an argument and to admit when you might be wrong about something.

The biggest problem I see in politics today is that too many people, for whatever reasons, support their parties blindly - at the expense of our nation. Put America first, party loyalty second.

Majic, Please don't take this the wrong way.

You just described a WOMAN.

Flame on...

The Fairer Sex

Originally posted by Dissension
You just described a WOMAN.

Well, I'm not sure I just described a woman, since I posted that over a year ago.

And in all fairness, most women I know are a lot more rational and coherent than I'll ever be.

Still, you may on to something, since the implication is that women are less likely to populate the lunatic fringes than men -- not that we don't have our share of wild-eyed "conspiracy grrlZ", mind you.

Besides, what's so bad about changing your mind when you know you're wrong?

It could hardly be as difficult as stopping to ask for directions when you're lost.

Majic, that was the most honest and intellegent posts I have ever read and you are my new hero!

I totally agree, being a militant moderate is being able to admit when we are wrong so that we can fix it and make it right, somthing that I feel lefties and righties can't do.

We can do it...we just can't agree on who is actually wrong, and that is why we need moderates. Moderates are so agreeable...it makes you want to be one.

There lies the problem. A moderate can never be wrong. They can just switch their viewpoints whenever they want.

Does that also mean a moderate can't be right? Or just right long enough until someone changes their minds? It all just seems to flakey to me. But to each his own. At least you have the right to think like you want.

I don't think moderates are truly centrists. I believe most people who consider themselves moderates actually have a belief system that falls either left or right of center.

As moderates, we can pick and choose the stance we take on issues we feel strongly about. For example, I consider myself a moderate who leans left. I favor abortion rights, affirmative action, healthcare reform AND the death penalty.

Do I intend to flip-flop on any of these issues? Heck, no! These are firmly held beliefs. Are there issues I may change my mind about? Possibly. But I truly make an effort to listen to all sides of an issue before I take an educated stance.

I am a moderate, and I too wear the badge with pride.

There is a myth in America that everything is "Left, Center, Right." We don't Live in a Bipolar world, Though People like to believe So.

Personally, I am neither Left or Right. But follow the Anti-Authoritarian paradigm of Libertarianism.

For the Left, Smoking and Eating Fatty Foods is worse then medical marijuana.
For the Right, Medical marijuana is worse then smoking and Fatty Foods.
For the Center, We have the mixing of the left and right position. Depending with whom they want to associate with. At the time.

Notice something, Go either left, Center, or Right. And you still lose your freedoms.

Libertarians Support your Right to a Camel. We Support your right to a ho ho, And we support your right to a Bong.

And I am a pacifist libertarian. And Yes, Fatty Foods is Banned in My House. Since my Wife is a leftist Commi. And a darn pretty one to Boot.

"In the final analysis, this was not solely about the United States. The global empire had become just that; it reached across all borders. What we had previously considered U.S. corporations were now truly international, even from a legal standpoint. Many of them were incorporated in a multitude of countries; they could pick and choose from an assortment of rules and regulations under which to conduct their acitvities, and a multitude of globalizing trade agreements and organizations made this easier. WORDS LIKE DEMOCRACY, SOCIALISM, AND CAPITALISM WERE BECOMING ALMOST OBSOLETE. CORPORATOCRACY had become a fact, and it increasingly excerted itself as the SINGLE MAJOR INFLUENCE ON WORLD ECONOMIES AND POLITICS."

"Ask yourself these questions. What do I need to confess? How have I deceived myself and others? Where have I deferred? Why have I allowed myself to sucked into an system that I know is unbalanced? What will I do to make sure our children and all children everywhere, are able to fulfill the dream of our Founding Fathers, the dream of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? What course will I take to end the needless starvation and ensure there is never again a day like September 11? How can I help our children understand that people who live gluttonous, unbalanced lives should be pitied but never, ever emulated, even if those people present themselves, through the media they control, as cultural icons and try to convince us that penthouses and yachts bring happiness? What changes will I commit to making in my attitudes and perceptions? "
'Confessions of an Economic Hitman,' - by John Perkins.

Perhaps by moderate, you mean meek. Moderates would surely espouse the moderately balanced dispersion of resources in favour of the deceptive hoarding of wealth and power. Moderates would surely recognize the inherent evil involved in the vast disparities and high concentrations of wealth that make political semantics meaningless. Surely they could admit the error in this.

May the meek inherit the earth.

Disguise In Blessings

Originally posted by clearwater
May the meek inherit the earth.

If they do, will they share it?

Originally posted by Majic
Disguise In Blessings

Originally posted by clearwater
May the meek inherit the earth.

If they do, will they share it?

Hmm, Wouldn't they be forced to? They would cetainly be too meek to object, right?

Originally posted by clearwater
May the meek inherit the earth.

I too, am a meekalomaniac...
we should take over the world (as long as it's ok with everyone else)

Originally posted by xpert11
Before I open my mouth again I must ask what you mean by militant?

Since no one answered your question, figured why not pick this up.