Moderate vs. Centrist

[UlrichTheAmerican]

Couldn't help but notice that when you put your political affiliation, there is "moderate" and "centrist". What is the difference? Any specific reasoning? Thanks.

 

[Harshaw]

'Round these parts, both usually mean "rabidly partisan Liberal." :2razz:

But if it were me, I'd call a "moderate" someone who leans one way or the other, but isn't militant about it and willing to go with good ideas from the other side -- and I'd call a "Centrist" someone whose views are somewhere in the middle.

 

[j-mac]

:rofl True that! this is one of the only places where I see Libertarians posting liberal viewpoints then stepping back when called on them saying 'wha....?'
:lol:


j-mac

 

[Zyphlin]

Couldn't help but notice that when you put your political affiliation, there is "moderate" and "centrist". What is the difference? Any specific reasoning? Thanks.

I think this came up recently elsewhere in the forum, but I'll try to give you an actual non-sarcastic answer from best I've been able to tell.

A moderate is someone who doesn't hold any extremely strong views of a particular ideology. A true moderate would be someone that has a relatively mild or middle of the road stance on just about all issues. A moderate liberal/conservative would be someone who definitely has a majority of views leaning one way or the other but is not nearly as extreme in the view and is usually closer to a compromise position than a staunch ideological one.

I actually think you find few real "moderates" on a political website, more likely finding "moderate liberal/conservatives".

A centrist is an entirely different being, and in no ways must have moderate views. A centrist is someone whose views do not follow a strict ideological slope on a majority of issues. Someone that is staunchly pro-gun rights, staunchly pro-choice, staunchly pro-war on terror, and staunchly pro-universal health care would be someone that's could be a "centrist", having strong views from both the right and the left.

The one issue you'll find with people labeling themselves with "centrists" at times are that they're EXTREMELY strongly ideological to one side on a number of issues while very minorly ideological to the other side on a few other issues they rarely talk about. In that case I don't really, personally, view them as much of a Centrist as they are a liberal/conservative that has a few minor disagreements with their ideology.

 

[Harshaw]

:rofl True that! this is one of the only places where I see Libertarians posting liberal viewpoints then stepping back when called on them saying 'wha....?'
:lol:


j-mac

There are various viewpoints consistent with libertarian thought which might be viewed as "liberal" in the common vernacular. Those will mostly be issues pertaining to personal freedom. And, there are perfectly legitimate left-leaning libertarians who hold mostly libertarian ideas but agree with some leftist ideas -- some social programs, some regulation for safety issues -- just as there are right-leaning libertarians such as myself who are pro-strong military and opposed to open borders (and while I agree with the personal freedom issues in principle, I don't have much personal energy behind drug legalization). No one agrees with any full set of principles.

 

[j-mac]

There are various viewpoints consistent with libertarian thought which might be viewed as "liberal" in the common vernacular. Those will mostly be issues pertaining to personal freedom. And, there are perfectly legitimate left-leaning libertarians who hold mostly libertarian ideas but agree with some leftist ideas -- some social programs, some regulation for safety issues -- just as there are right-leaning libertarians such as myself who are pro-strong military and opposed to open borders. No one agrees with any full set of principles.

maybe so, but I still think that monikers like 'centrist', 'libertarian', 'moderate', 'independent' et al. are convenient ways for weak liberals to hide their ideology just long enough to be heard without being dismissed. Anyone that has listened to C-SPAN's Washington Journal knows full well that the independent line is far too often subverted and allowed to be a back door to boost a 2-1 liberal to conservative view.


j-mac

 

[liblady]

There are various viewpoints consistent with libertarian thought which might be viewed as "liberal" in the common vernacular. Those will mostly be issues pertaining to personal freedom. And, there are perfectly legitimate left-leaning libertarians who hold mostly libertarian ideas but agree with some leftist ideas -- some social programs, some regulation for safety issues -- just as there are right-leaning libertarians such as myself who are pro-strong military and opposed to open borders (and while I agree with the personal freedom issues in principle, I don't have much personal energy behind drug legalization). No one agrees with any full set of principles.

hmm....i'm liberal, but also pro strong military and opposed to wide open borders. i support israel, and i still characterize myself as liberal.

 

[Oftencold]

I'll illustrate using metaphor.

A moderate seeks to avoid giving or receiving offense by being the green Jello on the dessert bar of life.

A Centrist on the other hand is somewhat more dynamic creature. Imagine Mr. Yellowline, a Centrist who has a neighbor on the left with a red house and someone on the right with a blue house.

Now, if Mr. Yellowline is pro-pigment, he'll paint his house purple, but if he's pro-radiance, he'll paint it green. If he's neutral on the whole RYB/RGB color scheme issue, he'll paint his house an appropriate shade of gray, averaging the luminosity value of his neighbors

 

[jackalope]

I looked at the following centrist sites, and they all use the words moderate and centrist in ways that seem that mean the same, or perhaps very similar, things to them:

Centrists.Org - Issue Summary: Universal Health Covergae
Centrist Policy Network: Moderate Republicans Need A Tougher, Sharper Identity
The Centrist Coalition :: A gathering place for moderate and centrist Americans. Discussion of candidates, issues, and policy.
Are You a Moderate/Centrist? | The Moderate Voice

 

[Oftencold]

I'll illustrate using metaphor.

A moderate seeks to avoid giving or receiving offense by being the green Jello on the dessert bar of life.

A Centrist on the other hand is a somewhat more dynamic creature. Imagine Mr. Yellowline, a Centrist who has a neighbor on the left with a red house and someone on the right with a blue house.

Now, if Mr. Yellowline is pro-pigment, he'll paint his house purple, but if he's pro-radiance, he'll paint it green. If he's neutral on the whole RYB/RGB color scheme issue, he'll paint his house an appropriate shade of gray, averaging the luminosity value of his neighbors.

 

[jackalope]

I don't really follow your example.

But, if moderate and centrist are different (I don't really see that they are, since moderate and centrist political websites use both terms), then I would say centrists seek the mushy middle b/c they want to be in the center, and moderates pick views from the left and right, rejecting all extreme positions.

 

[Oftencold]

I don't really follow your example.

But, if moderate and centrist are different (I don't really see that they are, since moderate and centrist political websites use both terms), then I would say centrists seek the mushy middle b/c they want to be in the center, and moderates pick views from the left and right, rejecting all extreme positions.

That's what I just said, albeit far more elegantly, and with ample humor for most.

 

[jackalope]

That's what I just said, albeit far more elegantly, and with ample humor for most.

I guess I misunderstood, I really didn't follow your color analogy example, but then I'm not an artist. I thought you were saying the opposite?

 

[Joe1991]

That's what I just said, albeit far more elegantly, and with ample humor for most.

You're a legend in your own mind. :2razz:

 

[tumbleweed]

I would say centrists seek the mushy middle b/c they want to be in the center, and moderates pick views from the left and right, rejecting all extreme positions.

That's my understanding of the difference as well, that a moderate picks views from both sides of the aisle.

 

[Oftencold]

You're a legend in your own mind. :2razz:

Oh, I'm a legend all right.

But under the Auspices of The Covenant, I'm not at liberty to discuss my legendary nature until 2012. At that time however, most folks will be too busy with other concerns to closely consider the matter.

 

[Coronado]

maybe so, but I still think that monikers like 'centrist', 'libertarian', 'moderate', 'independent' et al. are convenient ways for weak liberals to hide their ideology just long enough to be heard without being dismissed.

That's because the political playing field is not just how far left or right of center one may be. It actually has two axes. This is why libertarians agree with liberals on somethings and with conservatives on others.

Anyone that has listened to C-SPAN's Washington Journal knows full well that the independent line is far too often subverted and allowed to be a back door to boost a 2-1 liberal to conservative view.

Washington Journal is a terrible way to measure anything. I detest that show.

 

[Fiddytree]

No one agrees. Some will say we (whatever term 'we' are) are the "weak" "mushy", "indecisive", etc.

I just roll my eyes.

 

[jackalope]

I don't actually think so a moderate or centrist seeks the mushy middle, unless the terms moderate and centrist are considered different. In that case, what can a centrist be except seeking the center, regardless of merit, and a moderate except having points of view from across the spectrum, but no extreme views?

 

[Joe1991]

Oh, I'm a legend all right.

But under the Auspices of The Covenant, I'm not at liberty to discuss my legendary nature until 2012. At that time however, most folks will be too busy with other concerns to closely consider the matter.

Sarah Palin, ... is that you?

 

[emdash]

I'll illustrate using metaphor.

A moderate seeks to avoid giving or receiving offense by being the green Jello on the dessert bar of life.

A Centrist on the other hand is a somewhat more dynamic creature. Imagine Mr. Yellowline, a Centrist who has a neighbor on the left with a red house and someone on the right with a blue house.

Now, if Mr. Yellowline is pro-pigment, he'll paint his house purple, but if he's pro-radiance, he'll paint it green. If he's neutral on the whole RYB/RGB color scheme issue, he'll paint his house an appropriate shade of gray, averaging the luminosity value of his neighbors.

lolwut :cowboy:

 

[Goshin]

:shrug: I chose "independent" because labels don't fit me very well.

I'm staunchly conservative on several specific issues, somewhat conservative on some others. Libertarianism is sort of my "Christmas wish" for a governing philosophy, but with some caveats (like border security), and my position on certain issues like drug legalization.

OTOH I'm something of a moderate, albeit a bit right of center, on some aspects of regulation. I believe a certain minimum of regulation is probably necessary to keep certain sectors of private enterprise within the bounds of reason...but no more than is absolutely necessary.

So anyway... I don't fit neatly into any one ideological category, hence "independent".

 

[Wessexman]

A moderate is someone who doesn't hold any extremely strong views of a particular ideology. A true moderate would be someone that has a relatively mild or middle of the road stance on just about all issues. A moderate liberal/conservative would be someone who definitely has a majority of views leaning one way or the other but is not nearly as extreme in the view and is usually closer to a compromise position than a staunch ideological one.

I actually think you find few real "moderates" on a political website, more likely finding "moderate liberal/conservatives".

I'd say there is no such thing as a moderate or rather if there is they are a relative moderate. This is because, as I have said before, they are already accepting of the mainstream political spectrum. They are middle of the road between stereotypical liberalism and conservatism and far from necessarily middle of the road between any ideology. They are not for instance middle of the road between paleoconservatism and guild socialism.

 

[Gardener]

i support israel, and i still characterize myself as liberal.

Which actually makes perfect sense because the cultural values of Israel are quite liberal, while those of the countries that surround it are extremist conservative.

 

[Goshin]

Which actually makes perfect sense because the cultural values of Israel are quite liberal, while those of the countries that surround it are extremist conservative.

I would have said they were extreme, and left it at that.

Conservative means different things in different parts of the world.