Where have all the moderates gone?

a reply to: muse7

Where have all the moderates gone?

Nowhere....

But the anonymity of the internet allows a lot of moderates to spread their extremist wings just to see what it feels like to engage in intellectual fantasy. The internet is a cultural "no mans land" a theater of fabrication where daydreams take on a life all their own.

Not to mention that a lot of "moderates" are hammered on pills and cheap vodka and not really in their right mind. I read somewhere that after 7pm, 50% of Americans are drunk. Ive noticed that a lot of posters get noticeably "sloppy" as the day wears on. I know I do....

a reply to: muse7

I can only be me, a far Leftist, an Anarchist with brains enough to know that mainstream society isn't ready for Anarchism (but can use an injection of anti-authoritarian dissent once in a while) but that knowledge can't change my heart.

I have plenty of love for moderates and Progressives, even Conservatives if they're not about control and conformity to their morals. What I can't stand is corruption. And it's everywhere but especially in the current crop of moderates (not all). I think it's one of those times when someone from further Left can contribute significantly to put us on a good path.

I won't vote for corruption.

a reply to: evenkeel

I'm not saying it can't be tweaked...a lot. 'cause it can be.

But for it to be second to none, money needs to be spent. But in the right places.

I'm a moderator. True...doesn't necessarily hold that I'm moderate. Or that any of my compatriots are, either.

Interesting. I think minds have a need to sum the people up, but I see a stochastic layout... it can be assessed in the moment, yet will continue to change course, pace, texture, and style. To keep with that moment seems a want to fulfill one's own ideal, or cast away feelings not wanted. The world is what we make of it.

originally posted by: muse7

The people who are screaming "Bern it all down" are mainly entitled young white men who have nothing to lose. Just like a large majority of Trump supporters are young entitled men who watch anime 24/7 and are insanely misogynistic. That's why these two candidates trail by large margins amongst minorities.

Although this is an interesting take, I think you are generalizing a bit too much for your statement here to be considered accurate. For one thing, I know a lot of people who watch anime and are interested in Sanders winning and dislike Trump. I can see Trump supporters being misogynistic as he has expressed those tendencies in public. But I don't think his supporters are all "entitled men."

At any rate, it is dangerous to generalize a group of people that support someone for President in such a way when the group is probably a lot more diverse than you are suggesting. I could just as easily say that Hillary Clinton supporters are feminists who simply want a woman in the White House.

Moderate is regarded as leftist by most ATS right wingers and right wing by ATS leftists, both sides have gone to the extremes, creating their own definition of moderate

originally posted by: ugmold
a reply to: muse7
I think more Parties would help this greatly, it would cut down on the hyperbolic behavior.

The Power Elite love this, we're at each others throats instead of theirs.

While the "main" parties are the Democratic and Republican, we do enjoy a slew of parties; Green Party, Libertarian Party, Constitution Party, America First Party, etc, etc.

Now discussing the Parties that control, I can understand your statement. It starts at the local level. Get involved and speak. Drive the local politics to recognize a third, fourth or even fifth party and the next level will be backed against a wall to accept that party.

originally posted by: Gothmog
a reply to: muse7
It began about 7 years ago now. The derisive talk from the President every chance he got. Very unprofessional. And he continues today . The great uniter turned out to be the great divider .
Come back Teddy , we miss ya.

At least the true blue Ds do.

???????????????????????
Obama has reached across the aisle again and again. The GOP responded by spitting in his face. Remember Mitch McConnell's quote, that they were going to make him a one-term president? They started his Presidency by screaming hysterically about how evil/left wing/divisive he was. They are still doing that even now.

originally posted by: AngryCymraeg
??????????????????????
Obama has reached across the aisle again and again. The GOP responded by spitting in his face. Remember Mitch McConnell's quote, that they were going to make him a one-term president? They started his Presidency by screaming hysterically about how evil/left wing/divisive he was. They are still doing that even now.

While Mitch's comments were absolutely idiotic (and yes the were), it is hard to claim that President Obama has reached (or reaches across) the aisle. I think that view, just as the "right" views Bush...or the "old" left view Clinton as reaching across the aisle is just public theater.

a reply to: AngryCymraeg
Remember Republicans to the back of the bus ? All the rest after that ?
Dont be silly....just speeches , just rhetoric. All these Progressive Liberals disguising themselves as Democrats...
Sad...

a reply to: seagull

the mod thing was a joke

I meant to include this in my previous post. Hopefully I can bern down some of your misconceptions about us Bernie supporters.

but I also believe in the free market albeit with strong regulations in place to protect the workers and consumers.

We aren't trying to destroy the free market and Bernie Sanders is still a Capitalist. Though I am, as well a small number of supporters a full on Socialist, Bernie himself isn't. He's for exactly what you're talking about. Strong worker advocacy, consumer protections and regulations designed to rein in the cronyism and legalized tax evasion.

The people who are screaming "Bern it all down" are mainly entitled young white men who have nothing to lose. Just like a large majority of Trump supporters are young entitled men who watch anime 24/7 and are insanely misogynistic. That's why these two candidates trail by large margins amongst minorities.

This Bernie Bro thing is largely a myth. There's a few articles on this topic out there but here's one from Vice

Every tribe needs its mythical figures, big striding symbols that can gather together the general mess of humanity into a simple archetype. Lately, Western society has developed a new one: the Bernie Bro. He is a young male whose chief interests are partying, knocking back some brews, hating women, and, for some reason, tepid socialist politics. He supports Bernie Sanders in his race for the Democratic nomination in the US presidential election, because the Bernie Bro does not want Hillary Clinton, a woman, to take power. He demonstrates this support by being crude and abusive to Clinton supporters online, pumped up by male self-righteousness, socialist insensitivity, internet anonymity, and creatine. He is thoughtless, vicious, and stupid. He also doesn't really exist, but that's not really any problem for a myth.

For most of us, we are just drawn to his integrity and the deep rooted belief that nothing can change unless we rid ourselves of corruption at all levels. I think one one the main reasons we are so polarized now is because it feels, well felt like such a hopeless struggle, that there was no way for an honest person to get into the system without becoming corrupted though a few have they don't seem to ever be able to get far enough to make a real difference.

Instead we cling on to the outrageous set of social issues that politicians keep us distracted with by using them like footballs and we are stuck in a very long pattern of choosing the "at least my player isn't _____" candidates. We are sick of a government that behaves as if it's a game.

a reply to: evenkeel

I know.

That's why I replied as I did. I was picturing/remembering some of the conversations (?) that've taken place between some of us...your comment amused me. Blood gets fetlock deep, metaphorically speaking, upon occasion.

originally posted by: ugmold
a reply to: muse7
I think more Parties would help this greatly, it would cut down on the hyperbolic behavior.

The Power Elite love this, we're at each others throats instead of theirs.

Even with multiple parties, it would still split about the same. We would have the same mess but with an emphasis on a handful of special interest being the only separating factor.

There's a cold war in this country and it is between the right and left. People follow and believe in their political party like they do their religion. The stranglehold of the two party system is getting worse, not better and quite frankly it is disheartening. Out of a country of 300+million these are the best the country can come up with to run it?

a reply to: DBCowboy



Browncoats Unite!

Right now the Left is the Man and the Man meddles. They tell us what to think, what to say, what to learn, what care we must have ... I'm tired. If they get too much more pushy. I aim to misbehave.

a reply to: woodwardjnr

That's the U.S.A. in a nutshell. My parents and in-laws think I'm a left-wing radical. My siblings think I'm a right-wing sell out. The only time they aren't bitching at me is when they're tearing into each other.

The fact that people can label Sanders as extreme just shows how far right the US has drifted.

He's proposing policies that are already implemented among all other G8 nations except Russia. To think that Americans freak out when you hear universal health care when Britain, Canada, Germany, all the Nordic countries, France and more have it just shows how ignorant you are. Call yourself a moderate if it assuages your ego so you can think of yourself as rational as opposed to ideological, but it just means you're ignorant of the modern world.

There's a reason so many countries mock Americans as being insular, and it's because of this.

a reply to: kosmicjack
Ah, politics- the one thing to keep people attacking each other while distracting them from the fact that the noose is around both their necks.

a reply to: WhateverYouSay

And you think we care what the rest of the world thinks?

We are not the rest of the world. They may all decide to jump off of very tall buildings someday too, but does that mean we have to also do it?

Sometimes, independence and individuality are actually good things.