By Joe Romance
In today’s deeply polarized political world, there seems to be little room for anything but so-called true believers. As the Republican nomination begins to take shape, it is Donald Trump versus candidates who essentially agree with much of what he says—that “wokeness” is ruining America, that schools and corporations and media are in cahoots with liberal Democrats, etc. No seriously moderate candidate, like former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, has thrown their hat in the ring, and even if one did, their likelihood of winning the nomination would be dead in the water. While things might not be quite as dire for moderates on the Democratic side, there is still a strong ideological commitment for a more left-wing agenda—huge amounts of spending, the furthering of gay and transgender rights, etc.
And within both major parties, there is an intense tribalism that sees the other side as fundamentally unacceptable. At least in front of TV cameras, extreme Republicans such as Louie Gohmert and Marjorie Taylor Greene say that Democrats are essentially traitors. Although extremism on the right is more pronounced, some on the left—Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez come to mind—frequently paint all Republicans as racists and xenophobes. This kind of rhetoric weakens the ability to compromise and does little to foster dialogue.
In times past, now would be the time for the moderates to step forward and seek ways to modify the parties’ approaches and to seek to lower the temperature between the parties. But where are the moderates? Do they exist? Should we be worried about what the seemingly lack of moderates means for the future of our politics?
We should: Democracy needs moderates. Moderates are not only important for the role they play in deciding close elections, but because their positions are useful and virtuous. “Moderate” is not some constantly shifting position between two more extreme and authentic positions: Rather, it sees a distinction between politics as a religion—as a salvation—and politics as a way to accommodate a diversity of opinion that still recognizes the greater good of the community. At its heart, moderation is absolutely necessary for a republican democracy—and essential to maintaining a viable constitutional order in America.
For the full article: https://www.discoursemagazine.com/p/why-america-needs-moderates