In Praise of Moderate Presidents

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I agree. The two party switch and bait game serves no one but the lobbyists, and makes things very unpleasant. People are often guilty of perpetuating it, as many people carry their own little bubbles around. While I wouldn't mind having the moderate wing of the Republican Party in the debate, I think large swaths of conservative values voters don't belong in the same party. I have been finding the Democrats to be quite reasonable lately, so we'll see if they are able to put together a good team and maintain their momentum. Obama seems to be headed in the right direction, and I would be a bit more comfortable with McCain if he acted more like the maverick senator and less like a party loyalist.
The electorate shifts over time, while antislavery was a centrist election issue during Lincoln's time, it certainly isn't now, as at this point the practice is quite obviously illegal. I don't see it as a contradiction that Obama could have a liberal voting record and still lead from the center: the electorate itself is more liberal then it was 20 years ago. What was considered moderate 50 years ago, would now be labled as conservative.

Elizabeth of VA 4:16AM July 18, 2008

Yes, Don (previous post), the most recent example of Obama "reaching across the aisle" and going with conservatives is his vote a week or two ago for the FISA bill. Obama was plenty "moderate" on this, much to the displeasure of far left liberals.

Daniel David of NM 9:52AM July 16, 2008

Obama is in no way a moderate, he is the most liberal Senator in the current Senate. He stands to the left of Bernie Sanders (Socialist of Vermont). He has voted 95% or more with his party, this guy does not have a moderate bone in his body. He is talking moderation now but he would say anything to get elected, as any politician will. John McCain has a moderately conservative record, he is a conservative certainly but he has incurred the wrath of Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh and the lunatic fringe of the Republican Party. Is there any instance of Obama reaching across the aisle and supporting the conservative position against the wishes of his party. There is no comparison between John McCain and Barack Obama, one man has risked his political career and withstood the harshest criticism of his party to work with the other party, only one of them has put his life on the line for his country. Obama said his spiritual advisors were three men Reverend Wright, Reverend Pfleger and James Meeks. Reverend Wright is famous for his "God Damn America" sermon, Reverend Pfleger for his mocking portrayal of "Hillary Clinton", whining about losing to a black man. Then we have Obama's friends from the old weatherman underground group, William Ayers, never convicted but guilty in his heart of hating America and the U. S. servicemen, serving their country and like John McCain putting their lives on the line for America. No Barack Obama is no moderate, not even close.

Don of VA 10:35PM July 15, 2008

McCain is a conservative who will hand YOUR Supreme Court to supreme conservatives for a generation (or two) if allowed.
The decide-everything-for-corporations-and-against-individula crowd there (Scalia, Thomas, Roberts, Alito) only needs one more comrade. McCain has PROMISED TO FIND SUCH JUSTICE(S).
Don't believe these guys are corporatists? Review the Ledbetter and Engquist decisions.
There is only one "Moderate" in the race. That's Obama. The notion that Obama and McCain are sort of "similar" in their moderation is worse than poor analysis.

Daniel David of NM 2:38PM July 15, 2008

Mr. Troy, you have hit the nail on the head. America needs a new direction, not left, not right, but forward. A strong, centrist President can take us there.
I have been following your work for some time now, and I must say, your most recent offering, Leading From the Center, is far and away your best work to date. I encourage everyone to give it a read, www.leadingfromthecenter.com
enjoy!

Irwin of SC 3:36AM July 15, 2008

"...As America lines up to select its next president, Troy calls for a muscular moderate, a leader who can compromise and build bridges while preserving core values."
Newsflash to Mr. Troy & Co.: Being a moderate means letting go of "core values." Troy's "moderate utopia" depends upon an oxymoron. Give it up.
Cherrill Clifford
Editor
The Oregon Conservative

Oregon Conservative of OR 10:07PM July 14, 2008

The big question this election year for those who have not done their homework is,"Who is better; Barack Obama or John McCain?"
We have before us two equally bad choices; one offering empty promises of change while the other really hasn't said what he is offering except more of the same. There is so little that differs between these two "bad choices", that we might as well just flip a coin when we vote. John McCain is out-of-touch with reality and hellbent on continuing the war against the boogeymen of the world, while barack Obama has delusions of a socialist society with taxpayer subsidized handouts to fix all of our ills. McCain has admitted that he has no idea how to fix the economy, while Obama shows that he knows nothing about the ecomony every time he talks about it.
How far into the toilet did the Republican and Democratic party's reach to find two turds like this?
These guys would not even be qualified to count teeth at a horse show, so what makes anyone think that they are qualified to be president? And will one of these "brainiacs" who says "Obama is such a great orator" please tell me who you are comparing him to....Jesse Jackson, Duane "Dog" Chapman, George Bush, Who??
Neither one of these guys can even come close to saying anything that I would call eloquent, intelligent or thought-provoking. Essentially, if you vote for either guy (that we will call "ObaMcCain" for simplicity), you are showing how little you know about the economy, foreign affairs, the Constitution and basic American history. Have we really been dumbed down as a society to this level; where one of these two pinheads will lead the most powerful nation on earth? The founding fathers would be rolling over in their graves from the embarrassment of ObaMcCain!!
Wake up people and write-in Ron Paul in November! Or, vote for Bob Barr or anyone else except these two! It takes courage to vote for the right person for the right reason!

Bob Vondruska of CA 8:39PM July 14, 2008

At ModerateVoters.org, we've been singing the praises of moderate politics for a long time.
I do many radio / newspaper interviews a year and am finding that the interest in moderate politics is growing rapidly!
Of particular interest is that younger voters are now identifying more with moderates than those on the Left or Right.
Voters considering themselves moderates are almost as great in numbers as those who consider themselves liberals or conservatives combined! And those numbers continue to increase.
It's about time our voices be heard.
Gary A. Butts
Founder
ModerateVoters.org

Gary A. Butts of CA 5:31PM July 14, 2008