Moderates are a Danger to the Republic
How political moderation has become toxic in politics and the media
I know a lot of people who present themselves as political moderates. These are the folks who roll their eyes at politics in general; they see the entire enterprise as corrupt and unseemly. These moderates believe that the government is a mess, and that politicians are immune to common sense. They have concluded that both political parties are hives of scum and villainy.
For them, it’s a badge of honor to disengage from politics — after all, politics is unvirtuous and pointless. They usually vote, sure, but they see themselves as above the fray — better than all of these political people rolling around in the muck. They take pride in the fact that they’re open to voting for politicians from either party.
Of course, individual voters aren’t the only people who behave this way. The United States has a long tradition of politicians who present themselves as “common-sense” moderates who aren’t beholden to one party’s ideology.
These politicians base their careers on a performative moderation in which they establish themselves as the reasonable bridge between the “extremists” at either end of the spectrum. They run for re-election with slogans about common sense and rising above partisanship. If…
