<p>I am a moderate aka centrist on most issues. However everywhere I go, my peers and friends seem to make fun of my belief since I take the middle ground on most subjects. They seem to believe that centrists are people who can’t make up their mind and are dependent on others to make their decisions, which are untrue. </p>
<p>I am a centrist but I am not moderate on all issues. I won’t necessarily seek the middle ground on every issue. Most of the time I side with the right on economic issues and side with the left on social one (doesn’t that make me a libertarian lol). </p>
<p>My question is why are centrist viewed as unintelligent individuals that cannot make up their mind? Sometimes, I am even afraid to admit that I am a moderate because most people are either liberals or conservatives.</p>
<p>Am I not allowed to have views from both sides of the fence? Am I not allowed to say “I am pro-choice” as well as “I love capitalism”? The issues don’t overlap; why should it matter if I like to take the middle ground?</p>
<p>I think people make fun of American centrists because the two parties are fairly close together (that is, centre-to-right wing) in the first place. With two parties with ideologies that, save for a few red-herring issues, do not differ that much, you still can’t make up your mind? While the hysteria and name-calling in American politics are very polarized, the views are pretty much the same. The Democrats approved things like the PATRIOT Act and the Iraq War Resolution, and the DLC’s (which spawned Clinton, Gore, Edwards, etc.) economic beliefs are not that different from the Republicans’ platform.</p>
that’s exactly what makes me a centrist. if they were really different it would be more important to “pick a side,” but since it’s really just those several issues that make a difference I end up in the middle. I’m not going to base my opinions on those issues just because I consider myself part of a particular party. I have completely different opinions on those issues, so I don’t completely agree with any party.</p>
<p>It’s more of a high school thing to have centrist ideaology. At that age people see convincing arguments for both sides because lets face it, from the surface both sides have good points. Once people mature they realize how these public policies affect them at a personal level and when the conflicts of interest are established in their daily lives, a solid position will be taken on most issues.</p>
<p>Hey Clinton was a centrist…i guess because they are indecisive…in the middle. And most people just want a candidate to be right or wrong…straight democrat or straight republican.</p>