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January 10, 2005

What is "the middle"?

Our friend Tom Carter noted yesterday on his blog that there is a certain need in the blogosphere to attach the labels "liberal" and "conservative" to folks. Tom submits that sometimes ideas are outrightly dismissed due to these labels.

Tom's point is well taken. Issues debates aren't properly served by labeling the debator or the issue at hand as "conservative", "liberal" or "moderate" per se. Issues should be debated on their merits.

Tom's piece goes on to pinpoint his own political views on various issues and how he believes it's difficult to pigeonhole him as a "liberal" or a "conservative".

Now I suppose Tom and I could argue for the better part of an afternoon that it's not really that difficult to pigeonhole him, in general. From his articulated stances, I think he's a liberal. But it's up to Tom to self identify...not for me to foist my own conception of his proper label. It can be done, however. Quite easily.

The comments in reply to Tom's post are intriguing. The conventional wisdom from those who posted appears to be that all of the answers to all of the political problems lies somewhere in the middle.

Tom invited me over to comment on this particular piece. I did so after having read his post and the comments of the other readers. Confession time: My comments on his piece were deliberately provocative. They do reflect my actual beliefs...but I phrased them in such a way as to give pause to the notion of "moderate".

I don't like "moderate" or "centrist". It's much more subjective and frankly much more vague. I don't believe that the ideas promoted by "centrism" are of the center..because I don't see that a center really exists. Certainly what's "center" to me isn't going to be the same as what "center" is to Rush Limbaugh or to Michael Moore (who is way to the left of me, btw).

For example...abortion. I believe abortion should be on demand up until fetal viability and there should be a post viability exception for the health of the mother. Is this a liberal position? Sure..if you think abortion should be illegal in all cases (or if you believe abortion should only be legal under very rare circumstances). Is this a centrist position? Sure..if you believe similiarly, it probably is. Is this a right-leaning position? Maybe..if you believe in abortion on demand up to the point of birth.

It all boils down to the lens you view through. One man's center is another man's right wing conspiracy (or left wing nuttery...whatever).

The answers are not "in the middle" because there is no middle.

Posted by Carla at January 10, 2005 04:34 PM