2026 Midterm Thread

#226
#226
McDad said:
I don't know why my question was provacative to you. It was asked on face value. Just as I asked 423 how he considers himself.

I was curious what your classification of me would be. I know my classification of myself.

Moderates are like you. Some issues are prioritized over others.
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It wasn’t provacative, sorry you got that impression. Moderates don’t have a party and was just wondering how they rationalize in an election. Is it policies, candidates, or both.
 
#227
#227
CobbVol said:
It wasn’t provacative, sorry you got that impression. Moderates don’t have a party and was just wondering how they rationalize in an election. Is it policies, candidates, or both.
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Don't care to answer if you consider me moderate or something else?
 
#228
#228
McDad said:
I'll ask a question in reply. I align with the following from your list:
lower taxes
personal freedom

I consider 'secure borders' to be a PR term.

I am anti abortion personally but don't think it is smart policy for the entire population.

Am I conservative or moderate?
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I thought about this the other day but assumed it would get swamped by people getting pissy over learning that they’re not conservative:

IMO, “Conservative” describes principles that create a preference for certain policies. “Republican” describes a group that promotes policies.

Some of the things on this list are conservative principles (individual freedom, limited government) and some are Republican policies (pro-life, secure borders) that have crept into the definition of conservative because the two are so often used interchangeably.

I don’t think the principles and policies actually align well enough to warrant that type of usage. I see a lot more overlap between the “principles” of the two parties and those of their followers than I do between “conservative” principles and those of either party. E.g. Republicans don’t want a smaller cheaper government. They want to borrow the same amount and pay it toward their preferred government services instead of those of democrats. They don’t want individual freedom, they want to use government to enforce their preferred social norms.

I’d be interested to see a two-stage debate where the parties first agreed on principles-based definitions of liberal and conservative and then went through the platforms of the two major parties to see if they actually had any loyalty to those principle. I don’t think either would fare well.
 
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#230
#230
McDad said:
I'll ask a question in reply. I align with the following from your list:
lower taxes
personal freedom

I consider 'secure borders' to be a PR term.

I am anti abortion personally but don't think it is smart policy for the entire population.

Am I conservative or moderate?
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Moderate and mostly sane
 
#233
#233
RockyTop85 said:
I thought about this the other day but assumed it would get swamped by people getting pissy over learning that they’re not conservative:

IMO, “Conservative” describes principles that create a preference for certain policies. “Republican” describes a group that promotes policies.

Some of the things on this list are conservative principles (individual freedom, limited government) and some are Republican policies (pro-life, secure borders) that have crept into the definition of conservative because the two are so often used interchangeably.

I don’t think the principles and policies actually align well enough to warrant that type of usage. I see a lot more overlap between the “principles” of the two parties and those of their followers than I do between “conservative” principles and those of either party. E.g. Republicans don’t want a smaller cheaper government. They want to borrow the same amount and pay it toward their preferred government services instead of those of democrats. They don’t want individual freedom, they want to use government to enforce their preferred social norms.

I’d be interested to see a two-stage debate where the parties first agreed on principles-based definitions of liberal and conservative and then went through the platforms of the two major parties to see if they actually had any loyalty to those principle. I don’t think either would fare well.
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You have your moments of stupidity but this post isn't one of them.

well done.
 
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#236
#236
CobbVol said:
I assume you are moderate based on your responses. Is that how you view yourself?
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I actually view myself as radical compared to most everyone else. But i can easily see why others would see me as moderate.
 
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#239
#239
McDad said:
You consider yourself as moderate?
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Somewhat, yes. My 24 year old recent college grad says I'm an "old classical liberal" because I'm fiscally conservative but socially liberal". I don’t really care one way or another what others think to be honest though. TIFWIW 🤷‍♂️
 
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#240
#240
McDad said:
I actually view myself as radical compared to most everyone else. But i can easily see why others would see me as moderate.
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Correct me if I'm wrong, McDad, but I recall you being one of the many on this board that has said that you generally don't vote for a presidential candidate (or vote 3rd party which I view as basically the same thing).
 
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#249
#249
RockyTop85 said:
I thought about this the other day but assumed it would get swamped by people getting pissy over learning that they’re not conservative:

IMO, “Conservative” describes principles that create a preference for certain policies. “Republican” describes a group that promotes policies.

Some of the things on this list are conservative principles (individual freedom, limited government) and some are Republican policies (pro-life, secure borders) that have crept into the definition of conservative because the two are so often used interchangeably.

I don’t think the principles and policies actually align well enough to warrant that type of usage. I see a lot more overlap between the “principles” of the two parties and those of their followers than I do between “conservative” principles and those of either party. E.g. Republicans don’t want a smaller cheaper government. They want to borrow the same amount and pay it toward their preferred government services instead of those of democrats. They don’t want individual freedom, they want to use government to enforce their preferred social norms.

I’d be interested to see a two-stage debate where the parties first agreed on principles-based definitions of liberal and conservative and then went through the platforms of the two major parties to see if they actually had any loyalty to those principle. I don’t think either would fare well.
Click to expand...
Years ago in a psychology class they had 200 students answer a 30 question survey on their beliefs then asked who would they vote for in an upcoming election. Nearly 70 % of the people in the study we’re voting in opposition to their beliefs.

I believe you’re probably right
 
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