To all of these enlightened centrists in the comments: Just make sure to get down off the fence before the barbed wire goes up.
We are already at the point of campus grounds fenced up against protesting at multiple places,
Nazi germany had grocery stores. We won’t notice democracy ending.
What a crazy analogy… What it sounds like you’re saying is join the left or right before things get violent (the barbwire). We need to stop all this grouping and separating people. We’re all American! That is the identity we need as a group, not left, right, centrist etc etc.
Says the account with endless far-right commentary while claiming to be “centrist”.
I dont mean to promote any right, much less “far-right” anything. I have opinions, though. I have opinions that agree with things left of center as well as right. I hate that while arguing my opinions, I get grouped as “left” or “right”, but that’s what naturally happens. So many opinions about anything these days are considered “political” opinions.
On lemmy and most other social media, it’s 90% left. (If you don’t realize this, you aren’t even ready for an objective argument). Im also on Truth social, that’s 95% right folks. On there, I also argue things I disagree with. Anyway, it’s mostly ignorant, left sided folks here. I can’t change anyone’s mind about anything, all I can do is plant seeds and hope that people look beyond the box they have put themselves in.
On lemmy and most other social media, it’s 90% left. (If you don’t realize this, you aren’t even ready for an objective argument). Im also on Truth social, that’s 95% right folks.
No dude, you’re just so absolutely brain poisoned by concentrated fascist propaganda that you see center-right opinions as left. No actual centrist would think Truth Social is a reasonable example of normal right-wing dialogue, that’s a cesspit of far-right extremism. What you think of as left is just normal right.
The irony…
Also, don’t be so agro, bro. You’re making assumptions based on stereotypes and generalizations. 1. You don’t know me. 2. You apparently don’t understand what is left or right. I can make assumptions, too, and mine would be that what you know has been spoon-fed to you by mainstream media.
mine would be that what you know has been spoon-fed to you by mainstream media.
Not even remotely close to the case and only shows how mired in far-right extremism you are. A fish doesn’t know what water is, and you don’t know what far-right extremism is.
The fact that you think “the mainstream media” is what is on the opposite end of the spectrum from Truth Social is proof that you are deep in the fascist propaganda.
Lol, all you are doing is generalizing and making assumptions. I’m not going to correct you, though. It’s funny. I can feel the hate radiating from you, it has blinded you.
Okay, I’ll bite, you wanna share some of those left of center opinions? Because as some other commenter pointed out, you comment history makes you look like far right.
No, I don’t. I don’t need to qualify myself to you or anyone here. I don’t want to be on your side. I don’t want to be on either “side.” You want to make a division and put me into a group. It might be better to look upon our similarities rather than differences.
We’re getting into dangerous ground around here… I heard a narrative the other day that “‘centrist’ are actually just conservatives.”
Oh, so basically, it’s “if you aren’t for us, you’re against us”?
This is how civil wars start…
Sorry but your comment history really just proves the point of conservatives and fascists masquerading (badly) as centrists. You’re doing that exact thing. All you’ve shared on this site paints you as being far right, but the moment someone points that out you feel unfairly treated. That’s bust the fascist playbook of using civility as a shield.
And no, not all centrists are right wingers in disguise, you sure seem like one though.
No? Didn’t think so…
Your comment is more level-headed than most here, but you also are wrong/misled and making assumptions.
All you’ve shared on this site paints you as being far right
No… it doesn’t. Just because some things I’ve said are “right” of your political opinions doesn’t mean I’m “right”, much less far-right. I’m sick of grouping others and being grouped myself. But on the political spectrum, I am in the middle, usually.
Quote me something from my comment history that “paints me as being far right,” and I will tell you why you’re wrong.
I didn’t want to say this, but I have never in my life voted democrat OR republican, for anything. I shouldn’t have to admit to that to try to make all of you understand… the term “radical left” seems to be more and more appropriate to me lately.
Neoliberalism in the early 90s pulled in a few people from the Republican party, cost a shit ton of voters who had been faithfully voting D for their whole lives, and despite never really pulling anymore voters than that initial wave, the DNC still wants to continue the march to Reagan era trickle down economics hoping they can guilt trip voters because Republicans have gone absolutely insane on social issues to differentiate.
Meanwhile a candidate with an actual “centrist” economic policy isn’t something we’ve been able to vote for in a generation, let alone someone that would be described as “leftwing” in any other 1st world country. Because the billionaires donate to both parties to ensure they always win.
The only difference were allowed to have these days is social issues, and apparently it’s so bad now that genocide is one of the things the American public isn’t allowed to have a day in anymore.
Political centrism and moderation in the Democratic party didn’t begin with neoliberals.
Look, centrism is a real thing. There are people who really do like to analyze each and every problem from a more or less unbiased viewpoint and form strong opinions without the influence of ideology, while being ready for a compromise. Anyone who was serious about being a centrist I ever talked to defined their ideology this way.
With that being said there also are right-wingers who like to masquerade as centrist or sometimes moderate left just so they can use their supposed position to more effectively plant their ideas and try and normalize them.
But the thing I’m sick and tired of is when people try and pretend that this is true for every centrist, while ignoring the real problem that there are radical elements that try to masquerade as moderate ones and in doing so are polarizing and actively destroying our society.
Being centrist in America is just being right wing then generally. America is very skewed to the right globally
Yeah, it comes a lot from non-Americans on here, then the Americans get upset. The truth is, the Republican party is way further right that most right-wing parties across other western nations. The Democratic is centrist, though has only recently steered away from being a ight-wing party themselves, again, compared to other countries.
The NY Times does a summary of it using data from the Manifesto Project. So, when that’s your environment for the last few decades, it’s hard to notice that a “centrist” from other countries is very likely to share the same and more left ideals than much of the US left-wing.
And the use of the spectrum by Americans is insane as well. It’s so misunderstood and emotional more than anything else. The major criticisms of the left-right spectrum are exactly what Americans do with it and what we’re seeing in comments here. The lines are drawn, the sides are made, they don’t necessarily watch the media, but all of their political consumption is shaped by it and it trickles into their views without realising or intending. This leads to them using the wrong terms for things, explaining traditionally right-wing ideals as if they’re left, and no understanding that a person—and most people—hold both left and right ideas on things. You could package up something right or left with an opposing label on it, and so many would eat it up, because “That’s what I am.” It seems so clear from outside the bubble, but not in there. In there it’s its own beast.
They should be pissed that they’ve come to behave like this, but they don’t realise.
Very well said and you are on point with it. It is emotional because as you said even if you point it out Americans dig their heels in even further. Basically many people unfortunately become victims of propaganda as here in America it is very strong
This view only works in a world where the right and left have a common view of reality and a common agreement on what the outcome should be, they just disagree on how to get there.
Which is why being centre-left or centre-right makes logical sense, since the positions and policies within those halves are consistent with their perception of reality and desired outcomes. And being unbiased about which position to pick within those ideologies is perfectly reasonable.
But being a centrist between the left and right doesn’t make sense, as the view of reality and goals is entirely distinct. There’s no middle ground between “cutting social services for the poor because you believe poor people deserve to be poor, and that hierarchical societies are inherently right”, and that “we should increase social spending to help those that are less fortunate because an equal society is inherently just”.
But centrism isn’t about finding the geometric mean of the two sides it’s about analyzing each problem separately, making compromises and initiating slow change.
There is. It goes like this:
Deficit spending is fucking us as a nation. We cannot add new programs that we cannot afford. I neither believe that total equality is a good thing, nor that absolute hierarchy is a good thing. But having a well-structured hierarchy that facilitates movement around the hierarchy is valuable both from a structural standpoint and from a social standpoint.
Poor-specific social programs should be cut, and replaced with a UBI that is pulled from a universal (including stocks, bonds, etc) sales tax.
A federal health insurance that negotiates with medical suppliers to reduce costs, and that requires hospitals to charge the actual costs.
Being ideologically in between the left and right doesn’t mean that the left and right will provide reasonable options to vote for - just that you’ll vote for them if you can.
As you’ve seen with the massive inflation due to bank bailouts and covid spending (money just printed), we literally must stop the deficit spending, or else the economy will grind to a halt - like with covid, but way worse.
I’m definitely center. There’s a ton of stuff I disagree with the majority of Lemmy on. (At least my home instance .world). That’s because reality is nuanced, not all progressive politics work, or left politicians good.
But I’m not stupid, both sides clearly are not the same. Both bad in unique ways (from an American perspective that is) but one side is so much worse than the other to such a extreme degree that most of their politicians and even to a smaller degree their followers are just not worth the time of day.
I wish we lived in a world where we could all get along and have differing ideas without everyone getting all mad. Sadly we don’t. So I play the line, that way my family can hopefully get the best outcome. It’s all I can do.
The problem with you is Center in America is right wing everywhere else, so you aren’t doing the good you think you are doing
center in america is right wing everywhere else
“everywhere else” is it though? USA center is right wing in many EU countries; most other countries governments are more right wing. Take a look at a map of where gay marriage is legal, or where marijuana use is criminalized.
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This comment is short sighted. As if I, a single person could change the government and slide it left.
Be change you want to see simply doesn’t work in a group setting. I can only work with what I have.
And what you have is a lot more than being a generic centrist- which again is really just being right wing.
Spoken like a true extremist, who can only see the world in terms of extremism.
If centrists are right wing, why would we ever vote left? Oh, it’s because of our right-wing agenda secretly involves voting left sometimes, just to throw you off-balance!
No, wait - it’s because the left can be a bunch of extremist nutbags, just like the right can. They they just think being unrealistic isn’t harmful, because they’re thinking happy equal good thoughts ++ everybody wins, and that can’t be wrong liek evar!
I feel the same. I considered myself just left of center but if the political compass site is to be believed im about halfway from center to the max extreme for both econimic left and social libertarianism. So I guess im fairly over but I still wonder if that site is still effected by current days because I feel like back in the 70’s so much was considered more of a central view.
Alot of this is due to the changes of the times. More people lean harder on both sides nowadays, or so it feels. The political landscape has changed alot since back then.
No idea what to make of all that though. Politics are hard.
Reality is nuances and America is big. Like REALLY big. I don’t think a lot of the policies that are important to big cities make as much sense in rural areas and vice versa.
There are big pictures issues, like women’s rights, gay rights, and trans rights that need to be protected across the country.
Then there are gun control policies that don’t make a lot of sense in towns of 300 people but seem like common sense in cities with millions of people.
Personally, I believe we need to work on cutting out the people and saboteurs who are willfully, vehemently, and incessantly trying to divide us. Those that are doing their damnedest to try and make each other the enemy.
Hard agree.
As someone that grew up most of my life in a tiny, rural Ohio area. There are so many strange laws that extend from the cities, many of which can outright just be bad for the area.
Policy wise, local democrats are rarely liked and seen as weak in rural areas, which in my experience is usually correct, unfortunately. The Republicans are always money grabbers but generally get things done.
Frankly the system sucks.
Honestly, it’s wild when I get into a policy debate and from someone’s stance I can tell whether they live in a city, in the country, in suburbs, or whatever. Its hard to argue policy when people refuse to acknowledge that there are other parts of the country that aren’t like the neighborhood they live in.
From my understanding, which I admit could be flawed, that is why there is the separation of federal, state, and local government.
Federal deals with the big shit across the country but doesn’t get caught up in the small shit that only applies to Montana. It also acts as the check and balance to state laws to prevent them from being too egregious.
Yeah, I think that’s how the separation is supposed to work. That being said, seems like the supreme court keeps poking it’s nose where it doesn’t belong. But all I can really do is complain on a lesser used website and vote.
Also, side note, how is Montana? I live in Texas atm, cause I followed my fiance down here, and it sucks. But we eventually want to get a house and may not stay here.
I recently moved from California to Illinois.
I just used Montana since it’s a low population density state.
I mostly liked California. Other than the CARB restrictions on cars, most of its legislation just let me live my life in peace. But liking to modify cars put me at odds with the emissions laws. It’s not like I was poluting heavily, it’s just that I needed a custom tune to burn fuel efficiently when I had done an engine swap. They won’t even measure the emissions anymore and just have “approved” ECU codes they test for. California is just very expensive, too expensive for buying a home for me right now.
Illinois is good too, at least in the Chicago suburbs. I can hop on a train and go downtown any time I want, I’ve got good schools, good community, and lots to do.
I’ll have to look into Illinois, I’m originally from Ohio, and oh boy let me tell you, I hate Columbus. It’s practically half of the state at this point. And that sucks, the extended area is seriously changing how Ohio looks, so many suburbs, so many factories.
Ewww no. Fuck balance. Go hard when you can, mitigate losses when you can’t.
I’ll count on you to do that.
I’m not from the US but I would describe myself a a left leaning centrist. The parties I voted for in the last 5 elections where all center left.
If you map the parties based on left/right and progressive/conservative my vote is definitely center left and high progressive.
The US has a political system that sucks, where you only have 2 real options. A system where multiple parties have to form a coalition gives you the voter many options.
The parties I voted for in the last 5 elections where all center left.
Part of the problem with American politics is that you’ve got a set of centrist policies (fund public education and health care, regulate hazardous businesses, guarantee some degree of public safety, high speed mass transit, business friendly borders) that are significantly different from actual policy that the Congressional consensus reaches (privatization of education and health care, business deregulation, privatization of security, mass transit neglect, borders that are hostile to trade and travel for anyone who isn’t a corporate entity).
A system where multiple parties have to form a coalition gives you the voter many options.
I haven’t seen that bare out in the European block. Christian Democrats dominated German politics for decades, despite a multi-party system. The Netanyahu government has built coalitions that lean further and further to the right, until he’s embraced outright fascism to stay in power. Taiwanese parliamentarians openly brawl on the assembly floor, without ever shifting domestic policy in a popular direction. The UK political landscape does not appear to meaingfully improve with the introduction of Scottish Nationals or Liberal Democrats.
You might have more options on paper, but the real policies always seem to favor private corporations and international arms dealers, regardless of which faction or coalition composition wins out.
To be fair, Israel and Taiwan aren’t in Europe, and the UK has the same bullshit FPTP two-party system the US inherited.
Israel and Taiwan aren’t in Europe
Do multi-party systems have a geography limit?
the UK has the same bullshit FPTP two-party system the US inherited.
The UK has twelve seated parties and thirteen independent parliamentarians.
I’m not left or right I’m a secret third thing (Our current system is a complete joke and I’m plagued with dread about my inability to enact meaningful change, I still vote and stuff, but I don’t feel like I’m having much of an effect)
Don’t try to put me into one of your boxes please.
A 2 party system is a bad idea.
I have also seen a lot of people who line up squarely in the middle of moderate Democrats on every issue, but don’t like to be associated with the inexperienced college kid stereotype.
Oh, neat. Propaganda done in the style of Far right facebook boomer humor! Love seeing Lemmy constantly generalize and misrepresent people.
I mean, damn, I consider myself a centrist but that basically means “not a worthless shitheel asshole traitor in the bag for russia and against doing anything for the American people”. I think gummint should GTFO peoples lives (so fuck off with your shit about gay people and religion and abortion) and pay its fucking bills (so fuck off with your tax cuts and spending). And it’s fucking absolutely asinine that any mentally defective degenerate can get a goddamn semiautomatic weapon, are you fucking nuts?
So a Manchin Democrat?
No. I do not associate with either party, but vote strictly D because I’m not fucking insane. 20 years ago I could have considered voting for an exceptional R, but fuck all that. I think I’ve always been centrist, nowadays center left, but everything has shifted so far right that I couldn’t possibly associate with the republican traitor filth.
I voted Bernie in the 2020 primary.
I don’t mean to offend. But I see you as a Democrat because the values you hold most-important land you in one party over another. In your case, 100% of the time. It doesn’t mean that you have allegiance to the party or that your views match the party 100%.
Some people are single issue voters who ONLY care about 1 issue and identify politically from that. In the most extreme, a lot of religious folks literally don’t care how evil their candidate is as long as they oppose abortion.
BTW, I voted for Bernie in the 2016 and 2020 primaries.
I take no offense. I just do not ally myself with the party of Biden, who supports Israeli tyranny. I’m Jewish, BTW.
Haha some people can’t helo trying to categorise you
You shoulda voted Bernie in 2016
I shoulda, and it woudn’t have made a difference.
It doesn’t really sound like you want the government to get out of people’s lives. Fair taxation, defending protected classes, and gun regulation are all very hands-on, and I agree that they’re all important. The real thing right wingers mean when they say “small government” is “no regulation for corporations or states” so they can be as authoritarian as they want locally and the rich don’t need to pay taxes. Banning gay marriage, controlling reproductive rights, and immigration control are not small government tasks, they’re just tasks they want the authority to mandate on a state level since they know they’ll never get the entire country on board.
What I wish more “centrists” would realize is that no one in the country, except anarchists, actually want small government, because they can’t enforce control over the things they don’t like without it. Rules for thee, not for me.
What is the word… I used to hear it all the time but haven’t really heard it much these days. Oh what is that word.
Nuance.
This was me before covid, then I got radicalized to the left.
.
Geez… this is scary. Hearing people admit to being “radicalized” by a political ideology, proudly… y’all gonna start civil war or what?
lol Destiny
Neutrals.
Most folks are neutral on a lot of stuff, and it’s perfectly fine to be that way.
