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ORIGINAL: Sanity

I'm center-right, just like most of the rest of the U.S.

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

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ORIGINAL: Sanity

I'm center-right, just like most of the rest of the U.S.

After post after post of Conservative views, Sanity has converted to middle America.

Please welcome him, and fill him in on the reigning moderate views.

In all seriousness---how do you characterize moderate views? What are these?

Let's get a list and a discussion going.

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ORIGINAL: slvemike4u

"Sanity in the center".....Tim are you trying to out whack-job RealOne....next you will be declaring we are all still subjects of the Queen....LOL

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The majority of the posters on CM who identify themselves as "non-center" are pretty damn far left, in comparison to the beliefs of most Americans.

I suspect it's the fact that so many of the "left" here act as an echo chamber for each other, that they believe that they are somehow "in the majority".

Firm

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

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The majority of the posters on CM who identify themselves as "non-center" are pretty damn far left, in comparison to the beliefs of most Americans.

I suspect it's the fact that so many of the "left" here act as an echo chamber for each other, that they believe that they are somehow "in the majority".

Firm

Here's the thing, though, Firm.

Everything is presented as left vs. right, as if no other possibilities exist.

But the majority of people are moderate. The left/right paradigm is a distortion.

So what are these moderate views? Discount those you see as on the left, and set aside your views where you see them as conservative---what are the moderate positions?

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There is a lot of material which agrees with you (as I do) that the left/right paradigm isn't very helpful.

Primarily, most Americans - and most moderate Americans - are generally "liberal" on social issues, and "conservative" on financial and governmental issues.

Firm

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

But the majority of people are moderate. The left/right paradigm is a distortion.

So what are these moderate views? Discount those you see as on the left, and set aside your views where you see them as conservative---what are the moderate positions?

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ORIGINAL: FirmhandKY

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

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The majority of the posters on CM who identify themselves as "non-center" are pretty damn far left, in comparison to the beliefs of most Americans.

I suspect it's the fact that so many of the "left" here act as an echo chamber for each other, that they believe that they are somehow "in the majority".

Firm

Here's the thing, though, Firm.

Everything is presented as left vs. right, as if no other possibilities exist.

But the majority of people are moderate. The left/right paradigm is a distortion.

So what are these moderate views? Discount those you see as on the left, and set aside your views where you see them as conservative---what are the moderate positions?

There is a lot of material which agrees with you (as I do) that the left/right paradigm isn't very helpful.

Primarily, most Americans - and most moderate Americans - are generally "liberal" on social issues, and "conservative" on financial and governmental issues.

Firm

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ORIGINAL: TreasureKY

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

But the majority of people are moderate. The left/right paradigm is a distortion.

So what are these moderate views? Discount those you see as on the left, and set aside your views where you see them as conservative---what are the moderate positions?

You appear to be presenting the "center" as a distinct third alternative.  Often times, those who claim themselves to have moderate positions are merely those who agree with some of the ideas on the left and some of the ideas on the right.  In other words, not agreeing with absolutely everything left or right... placing themselves in the "center".  

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ORIGINAL: slvemike4u

"Sanity in the center".....Tim are you trying to out whack-job RealOne....next you will be declaring we are all still subjects of the Queen....LOL

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

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ORIGINAL: TreasureKY

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

But the majority of people are moderate. The left/right paradigm is a distortion.

So what are these moderate views? Discount those you see as on the left, and set aside your views where you see them as conservative---what are the moderate positions?

You appear to be presenting the "center" as a distinct third alternative.  Often times, those who claim themselves to have moderate positions are merely those who agree with some of the ideas on the left and some of the ideas on the right.  In other words, not agreeing with absolutely everything left or right... placing themselves in the "center".  

So every issue is a left/right issue, with no middle, and moderates just choose from both menus?

I doubt it. Issues are more nuanced than that, except when presented as false dilemma from one extreme or the other.

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To clarify for you, I did not address the classification of issues. I said "often times" with regard to individuals who classify themselves as holding moderate positions and being "center".

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

OK, thanks. So what about the issues and moderate positions on those issues?