What's Wrong With 'Middle-of-the-Road' Political Positions?
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At a dinner party recently, during which I acknowledged Democratic Party leanings, my host remarked, "So you're one of those big-government guys."
Not wanting to provoke contention over dessert, I gave a brief retort: That's just a slogan, I feebly uttered.
That brief exchange did, however, occasion later reflection. Am I so easily pegged by a single label? Or, am I a dinosaur in today's political climate - unable to get comfortable with either the far right overtaking the Republican Party, or the far left increasingly upset with the Democratic leadership of President Obama?
I failed the purity test several years ago when, after four decades as a "moderate" Republican, I became a "centrist" Democrat - although neither before nor after have I ever been a die-hard "party" person.
Today, like yesterday, I favor responsible government, irrespective of size. On the other hand, unlike the right-wing rantings of so many supposedly "little government guys" who love to paint all Democrats as being obsessed with expanding government, I've always rejected the idea that government knows best. Rather, government at all levels must constantly be challenged, controlled and, yes, limited - through the vigilance of opposition parties, special interest groups and hard-hitting media.
I also believe, in general, that government should largely stay out of social issues bound up in morality and religion and allow private businesses to fail without public assistance.
But we don't live in a dream world. Life is complicated and messy, involving choices that are rarely absolute. Even free speech does not allow instigating panic in a crowded theater, or "assembling" to the point of rioting. And, when the alternative is a cataclysmic collapse of our banking system, short-term government assistance is justified.
I confess to being a "big government guy" when it comes to a strong military, homeland security, protection of our food supply, pre-approval of drugs and safeguarding the environment. I want public parks run by government and I want tough regulations to prevent another Gulf/BP disaster.
It's easy to rail against big government - especially when people are hurting, frustrated and angry. But who is doing the most railing, calling for less government intrusion and more tax relief? More than likely not the vast masses, but a distinct minority whose position in society is least threatened - the get-off-my-back, give-me-more-tax-breaks crowd.
Who really thinks we can drastically shrink government, reduce taxes, and rely totally on private enterprise?
Since 79 percent of our budget is eaten up by entitlement programs, defense and other mandatory spending, will they "downsize" Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and the military? Will they end farm subsidies? Will they stop huge tax "breaks" for homeowners - deductions for mortgage interest, and exemptions from capital gains for house sales? Will they halt other government "handouts" (food stamps, unemployment payments, veterans' benefits) and block any new federal "initiatives" designed to create jobs?
I'm sick of the radical "right" and sick of the radical "left." What I want is a new and improved "center" - a coming-together to advance our country and society, unbridled by dogmatic starting positions. People prepared to accept tough choices and shared sacrifices, not those repeating simple slogans, seeking ideological purity, or misquoting the Founding Fathers.
Instead of looking to the past, move forward by correcting the present. Reform election laws (shorter campaigns, less money, more disclosure), restrain vested interests that corrupt the system and impede progress, and forge new partnerships between government and private enterprise to improve our schools, spur innovation and research (especially in "green" technology), and repair infrastructure - steps essential to restoring our competitiveness and creating new jobs.
I can already hear the disdain building in opposition to my dreaded "middle-of-the-road" position. How can I be so misguided? Just get off the fence, join a side and revel in our national dysfunctional stupor.
Third (non-tea) party, anyone?
Carl R. Ramey, a former Washington communications attorney, lives in Pinehurst. Contact him at ckramey@ nc.rr.com.
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Comments
Easygoing 2 years, 6 months ago
The best editorial in a long time. We have plenty of long term issues to solve or improve in this country. We really have to pull together to solve them and make it a better place for our children. Since when did politics become a zero sum game and treated like a professional sport? Sound bite labels, now a mainstay of the media and most people on the far left and right, serve no purpose other than impede rational discussion and the ability to find common ground.
dustyrhoades 2 years, 6 months ago
Thanks, Mr. Ramey. You are a refreshing breath of sanity.
Now, don your asbestos suit because the wackos are charging up the flamethrowers.
Bflat 2 years, 6 months ago
Thanks for making it clearer that the problems we're facing may be caused by those voting a straight party ticket without even knowing a cadidate. Even worse is the fact that many people do not know the issues or even care. In the case of incumbents, the same mistakes keep getting repeated until enough people start paying attention to get that person voted out. Some even change their party affiliation so they will get enough votes to be elected, especially locally.
Mr. Ramey, you're absolutely right that there is nothing wrong with middle-of-the-road political positions, and I believe we'll begin to see more candidates with those views that clearly wish to improve things. I'll put on my fire proof suit, too, because there will be those that say a Dem would never be a conservative and Rep isn't liberal. Middle party, please!
coffecreme 2 years, 6 months ago
Excellent article!
BigE 2 years, 6 months ago
Where do I sign up?
None 2 years, 6 months ago
Mr. Ramey a well thought out article and poignant as to the truth in politics...no one knows how one votes behind a curtain. Rest assured there are those who blindly vote straight party lines - regardless of the end result affecting our country and county.
The following voter registration numbers reflect directly on your thoughts in your article as of today according to the NC Board of Elections:
Voter Registration as of 10/29/2010 Democratic: 2,762,407 Republican: 1,954,725 Libertarian: 9,178 Unaffiliated: 1,460,986
Pointing out the number of Unaffiliated voters as compared to the total number of Republicans. More and more voters are moving away from mindless dogma represented by Ultra-Conservatism to open minded selection. Way too oftain, we are realizing that a "conservative" label is just for campaigning on a pseudo platform. They continue to use the label and spend like there is no tomorrow...a primary example is seen in the county proposed building debt service ~ yet with more to come.
OldSpook 2 years, 6 months ago
A most curious collection of attitudes agreeing. Well said and well done Mr. Ramey, perhaps this is a start.
marathonman 2 years, 6 months ago
Hmmm. Well, I wonder if a leopard can change his spots. Smaller government, greater personal responsibility, fewer and lower taxes and rates, better education for your youth, welfare only for those who need it for a specific period of time and only once, a well regulated militia, unemployment compensation only for those who have been terminated due to down sizing and then only for a short period of time and multiple times, term limits for elected officials, etc.. These are the tenants we should be working towards and away from a dependency on government. Down with the career politician, up with the representative who is of, by and for the people.
Bflat 2 years, 6 months ago
^Therein is the problem, again. Indirect democracy at its best...maybe. :))
Jibbs 2 years, 6 months ago
As the outlier moves further and further in one direction, the arithmetic mean (the center) follows it. Meaning that since the democrats are now completely socialist--way further left than traditional democrats used to be--centrists are still on the traditional left. That's the very definition of 'progressivism': move so far to the radical left that the center is still very left wing, making the tens of millions in the traditional right wing seem like outliers (radicals).
A JFK democrat (low taxes and strong military) is far from today's democrat (complete submission to the will of the government), so naturally the center has followed.
Bflat 2 years, 6 months ago
^That seems like a bit different definition that I was thinking it meant. Being in the middle seems like not swaying to the left or the right extremes. It would be middle ground while retaining the best toward eliminating the negatives that have plagued both Dems and Rep for much too long. It means choosing the best candidate rather than just voting the party ticket. I believe we'll see more "candidates" running for office and very pronounced differences from here onward. It just won't be about party allegiance and adhering to extreme party platforms.
Jibbs 2 years, 6 months ago
Bflat,
I truly mean no disrespect, but you are not living in the real world then. Assuming you are a guy and married, if your wife kept hounding you for months and months to buy her a $75,000 car, you would likely keep saying "No way woman! There's no way we could afford that." But then after she hounded you enough you agreed to get her a $30,000 car because it's somewhere in between your plan of getting her a $10,000 car, but not nearly the $75,000 one she wanted. She won. She bid so outlandishly high that it made you feel like agreeing to the $30,000 cost was 'pocket change' compared to her $75,000 request, but she still got a $30,000 car. PROGRESS!
That's what's going on politically right now. Shoot for complete socialist, single-payer healthcare, then act like you compromised by agreeing to public exchanges and unsustainable rules that will chase away insurance companies and healthcare providers anyway, and lead to single-payer anyway. PROGRESS!
Bflat 2 years, 6 months ago
Paradigm choices come about that pulls one toward the middle ground. The real world, where we are today, will likely lead to a paradigm shift resulting from certain ideologies and logistics in government. The reality of the downward spiral of the economy cannot be hidden forever under the guise of false recovery.
SPSoxFan 2 years, 6 months ago
The greatest fault with your suggestion is that it would require additonal effort from the voters. So few citizens muster the energy to engage in even the most important elections, the thought that they should actually learn the individual records and beliefs of each individual candidate is simply not going to happen. Great article just the same. It's interesting to see so many postitive responses from those who will no doubt be casting straight tickets this election.
Jibbs 2 years, 6 months ago
Bflat,
That's a good point. There is a big difference between nominal terms and real terms. Nominal inflation is around one percent based on the basket of goods the Consumer Price Index uses; but in 'real' terms, my family and many others are paying around 10-15 percent more for goods and services then we did just a couple of years ago.
The government can't keep artificially propping up the economy without some very serious, and very severe consequences.
Bflat 2 years, 6 months ago
The consequences will be felt next year. Foreclosures that were put on hold earlier in the year will move forward. The recent suggestion of impropriety has banks double checking affidavits and nearly all are not going to stall further. Three major banks have $234.9 billion and there will be many more. Therein will be the consequences of government giving false hope. Some people will be very ill prepared for what is yet to come.