Moderate political views involve compromise. For example, they may support keeping abortion federally legal while supporting stricter drug laws and immigration policies. They may be socially liberal but economically conservative. However, they are still a distinct political group or a moderate political party. This makes understanding them vital for understanding current political affairs.
Moderates
Moderates are people who believe in a middle ground between liberal and conservative views. They are more likely to compromise on issues than extremes, such as abortion, and are not afraid to disagree on issues that divide the parties. For example, moderates often believe abortion should be legal but disagree on other issues, like drug laws and illegal immigration. They may also be socially liberal but economically conservative.
This doesn’t mean that moderates are illiberal. On the contrary, these people are often well-informed and see both sides of complex issues. They don’t see the point in rewarding bad behavior by granting citizenship. They also know the government’s overzealous surveillance efforts as unwise.
Moderates generally believe that all points of view have merit and should be considered. They feel that a candidate should consider all perspectives, regardless of the party they belong to. While extreme views can win an election, they can also damage the polity.
Liberals
There are several reasons to know some moderate political views. Firstly, the American center is up for grabs, with opposing camps on either side of the political spectrum. Then there’s the fact that more than a third of American voters identify themselves as moderate. Moderates aren’t closet ideologues or politically disconnected people but rather people who tend to vote in the middle of the road.
Secondly, a moderate candidate is willing to compromise. They believe in considering the point of view of all sides, so they are less likely to discount a particular party’s views. Thirdly, a moderate will usually be less inclined to vote in line with a party’s official line on issues such as immigration or race relations.
Finally, moderates are concerned about structural barriers to the American dream. But unlike many liberals and conservatives, they don’t see themselves as victims. One survey found that just 28 percent of moderates agree with the idea that minorities shouldn’t be discriminated against. In addition, four in 10 of them believe that poor people are disadvantaged by their own choices, while this belief is held by more than 60 percent of liberals and conservatives.
Independents
Independents are politically moderate people who are not firmly tied to either party. According to one survey, about 58 percent of self-identified independents are in the medium category, while about twenty-seven percent identify as conservative. While this percentage sounds low, it includes many partisans who are moderate.
Independents who lean toward one party are more likely to have unfavorable views of the other. The GOP, in particular, is damaging to independents, while Democrats have less negative feelings for the Republican Party. However, this trend has not reversed itself since 2000.
Independents with a moderate political …