jsamuel
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Tue Jul-26-05 03:17 PM
Original message |
Is "Moderate" a bad word? |
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Edited on Tue Jul-26-05 03:33 PM by jsamuel
This thread is not for bashing one side or another, but rather to look at how the media will label candidates as "moderate" or not.
John McCain has been seen as a "moderate" while many of us here have seen him fall in line with Bush on everything except for torture. This is a powerful word that would cause any uninformed member of the public to say...
Hmmm... either the "moderate" or the "extreamist".
Most people who are uninformed would choose the moderate. This can be a problem when being "moderate" has a nothing to do with record and everything to do with a label.
In other words, calling one candidate a "moderate" is as effective as smearing the other one.
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bryant69
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Tue Jul-26-05 03:21 PM
Response to Original message |
1. There's also Moderate in Style vs. Moderate in Policy |
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As another split. Bryant Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com
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ibegurpard
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Tue Jul-26-05 03:31 PM
Response to Reply #1 |
7. Any moderates in policy |
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should be outraged at the current state of our nation and screaming with the rest of us.
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bryant69
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Tue Jul-26-05 03:34 PM
Response to Reply #7 |
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But that doesn't mean there aren't "fault lines" on our own side for when we oust the Bush Gang.
Bryant
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julialnyc
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Tue Jul-26-05 03:24 PM
Response to Original message |
2. I find people usually use the word "moderate" |
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when they are trying to be as complimentary as possible over the actions of someone in the opposite party. I've heard people here call McCain, Hagel, ect... moderate after they have stood up to the president. On the other end, I've heard my husband's republican father ask us why democrats won't lean to the more moderate side like Lieberman. It's almost like a compliment from the opposite side (and sure to make a person disliked on their own side of the aisle).
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sui generis
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Tue Jul-26-05 03:28 PM
Response to Original message |
3. there is one thing that the "other" side seems to be better at |
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Edited on Tue Jul-26-05 03:29 PM by sui generis
than us, when under political heat, and that is to appeal to their base.
We want a huge tent, and that's great, but the reality is the tent is only one size and if you slide it too far to the right the people on the left are "left" out in the rain.
Using "moderates" to appeal to the "middle" means defining everyone who is not a moderate as an extremist.
It's a divisive argument. Do they represent our values or not. If they don't then terms like "moderate" are meaningless. It's not extremism to expect that Americans shouldn't have to starve to death in our own streets, or that our seniors should not be homeless and sick, or that our children should have an education.
It's not moderate to think that favoring faith based 501(c)3's over secular orgs is how we should prioritize our public money spend.
All that matters is whether our candidates support our base. Until we learn that lesson winning is going to be impossible.
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julialnyc
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Tue Jul-26-05 03:31 PM
Response to Reply #3 |
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It fails to go after what could be the winning group of voters.............. people who have never voted before........ they need inspiration (not "I guess I'll vote for you because you're not as bad as the other guy). You have to risk turning some people off in order to turn more onto your message.
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julialnyc
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Tue Jul-26-05 04:15 PM
Response to Reply #3 |
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That if a woman's right to choose is a voters number one concern, there is no way they would vote republican even if they tried to look like they "understood". Why can't democrats realize that if someone is really crazy about anti-abortion they will NEVER vote democrat no matter how much politicians act like they "understand".
Democrats are supposed to be the party of civil rights and they shouldn't be ashamed of it..... THAT will inspire new voters!
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sui generis
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Tue Jul-26-05 04:17 PM
Response to Reply #22 |
23. right on! we need to stand up for what we are, not try to be |
julialnyc
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Wed Jul-27-05 09:38 AM
Response to Reply #23 |
25. honesty goes a long way |
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The fundies know that Bush is being honest about wanting to stop a woman's right to choose, bash gay people, make church and state as closely connected as possible, ect..... and their voters got to the polls for these issues.
There are more of us then then, but for some reason democratic politicians don't realize that standing up for civil rights, justice and peace will get soooooooo many more voters than trying to coerce a few from the other side (who won't be coming any way)
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Lerkfish
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Tue Jul-26-05 03:29 PM
Response to Original message |
4. its shorthand for "someone who agrees with me" but is meant to mean |
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"someone you should agree with".
its an attempt to make something unpalatable more acceptable to someone else.
hence, the DLC saying we should be more "moderate" and accept anti-abortion, anti-gays and prowar hawks as our leaders.
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Hosnon
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Tue Jul-26-05 03:31 PM
Response to Original message |
5. In its strictest sense I think that 'moderate' is a beautiful word. |
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Everything in moderation.
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julialnyc
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Tue Jul-26-05 03:33 PM
Response to Reply #5 |
9. sure in the strictest sense in the way we live our lives (work, eat,ect..) |
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but in politics............ rights, freedom, compassion should come with passion not moderation
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KarenInMA
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Tue Jul-26-05 03:31 PM
Response to Original message |
8. No. Moderate means not extremist. |
sui generis
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Tue Jul-26-05 03:35 PM
Response to Reply #8 |
14. so one moderate in the barrel makes all the rest of us extremists |
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that's how it's used. Joe Lieberman is a moderate, you know.
:shrug:
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KarenInMA
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Tue Jul-26-05 03:58 PM
Response to Reply #14 |
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Just because I believe in the free market economy, and I'm not screaming about black hellicopters and I'm not a PETA member, and I can shoot a gun, and I want to see welfare reforms, and I think the death pentalty is sometimes justified, that does not mean I am a republican.
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jsamuel
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Tue Jul-26-05 04:05 PM
Response to Reply #18 |
19. right, but does it mean your "moderate" |
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Edited on Tue Jul-26-05 04:06 PM by jsamuel
and even if you would call yourself one, would the media bestow it upon you like they have for John McCain and other "moderate conservatives"?
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sui generis
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Tue Jul-26-05 04:09 PM
Response to Reply #18 |
20. oh, but you sound kind of normal |
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in the base, even though you paint everyone not like yourself as an extremist with those examples above . . . as we all do when start comparing.
I'm talking about the ones who think that maybe sexual orientation issues aren't very important, and that it's okay to use the constitution to REMOVE rights (exactly what a constitution is never supposed to do, by definition) or that there really shouldn't be a separation of church and state or that intelligent design should be taught as science, etc. etc., or that a woman shouldn't have the right to choose what happens to her own body.
Because those people do not represent the base, and going after the long shot chance that they might vote, whatever you want to call them, means abandoning me and abandoning my support and the support and the sure vote of my family, and that's just stupid.
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KarenInMA
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Tue Jul-26-05 09:11 PM
Response to Reply #20 |
24. those aren't democrats, silly! Those are republicans!! |
dogday
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Tue Jul-26-05 03:33 PM
Response to Original message |
10. If Moderate means Liar-then forget it |
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McCain lied like a dog last weekend and it made me sick. I kind of admired him in the past and when he resorted to touring with Bush during 2004, I got a yuck feeling and after last weekend, I would not vote for him ever..
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geek tragedy
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Tue Jul-26-05 03:34 PM
Response to Original message |
12. Nothing wrong with being a moderate. However, there is a problem |
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with being a dick about it, like the DLC does.
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BurtWorm
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Tue Jul-26-05 03:35 PM
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13. Moderate has come to mean something other than non-extreme. |
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Because the extreme right owns the US government now, "moderate" has come to mean "accommodationist with the extreme right" when it's applied to a Democrat. When applied to a Republican, it means "less extreme."
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julialnyc
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Tue Jul-26-05 03:50 PM
Response to Reply #13 |
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in means out of touch with the base constituency of your own party!
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stillcool
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Tue Jul-26-05 03:35 PM
Response to Original message |
15. I find the use of speech in all things cable media provides.... |
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provocative, and approaching a near perfect art form. Their usage of the oh so right demeaning phraseology at the right time is uncanny. And the way they turn around any and all bits of criticism right back from whence it came, without a whiff of acknowledgement to facts in evidence, is anything but informative. The corporate media is only a problem for those who watch it. There are a slew of newspapers reporting great articles on a daily basis without the use of such lingual gymnastics.
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jsamuel
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Tue Jul-26-05 03:50 PM
Response to Original message |
16. One thing I hear all the time is "moderate conservative", but I never hear |
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Edited on Tue Jul-26-05 03:51 PM by jsamuel
"moderate liberal"
Almost like it is a prequisite to be a conservative in order to be moderate...?
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LittleClarkie
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Tue Jul-26-05 04:11 PM
Response to Reply #16 |
21. I'm a liberal where I live and a moderate here |
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Depends on who's lookin' at ya I guess.
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