Reply #12: I think part of the problem is the ill defined middle.... [View All]

[Solon]

I think we need to move the middle to the left, so to speak, the Republicans, for years, have moved it to the right, successfully, by appealing to fearmongering, mostly. What we need to do is stop being on the defensive, go on the offense in the debate and shift the debate and the terms used for it to the left. In the example of gay marriage as you said, you are for it, and admittedly "far left" position, we can make it a moderate position by framing it within "common sense" grounds. Kinda like this.

Potential Voter: "Don't you worry about all those Gays getting married?"

Potential Politician: "Hell no, just because they are getting married to each other, does that mean that I have to marry one too? Of course not, I don't give a flying fuck what they do to their lives, why would I want to interefere with thier lives?"

Granted my Politician is rather crass, but this is only an example as to how to frame the debate to appeal to moderate voters, even though the position itself may be percieved as "far left". Its common sense, and can appeal to a large range of voters, with the exception of the Religious Right.