The Moderate - Key Political Views

In the world of politics, people who describe themselves as moderate share in common a handful of fundamental beliefs. These people are united not around a party or organization but around a certain worldview. In this article I am going to tell you the most important things you need to know about what defines a moderate.

Oxford dictionary describes a moderate as an "individual who is not extreme, partisan or radical". People often use centrist as a synonym with the term but it should not be used interchangeably. Moderates can be centrists, but they can also be classified either as center-left or center-right on the classic political spectrum. There is a significant degree of flexibility when it comes to party choice for these individuals as they have very pragmatic tendencies when it comes to voting.

There are, nevertheless, a select few beliefs and characteristics that ties every political moderate together. They are listed as follows:

Common Sense and Reason

A moderate's thinking about political issues is founded on the premise that they think with their heads. Meaning, they try to not let their emotions get in the way of making decisions on often difficult and complex issues. They understand the various implications both positive and negative that could arise from taking one position or another on a given topic. Thus, moderates try to vote as rationally as they can. Moderates weigh the importance of one thing versus the other and decide which one is truly more crucial and will be more beneficial to the society in which they live. They also have a tendency to vote pragmatically or "strategically" when the occasion warrants such behavior. The moderate despises irrationality, which leads me to the next section.

Belief in Science

I strongly and personally believe that a belief in science is absolutely essential to the identity of a moderate. To discredit the basics of science is to exhibit an utter disregard for reason and rationality. In most western countries this is not an issue like it is in the United States of America. Statistics from polls that ask Americans about their beliefs in science and evolution are absolutely disheartening to the average person of sanity. After having a president for the last eight years that disrespected and misunderstood science, the numbers should not come as a shock. Regardless of whether one votes as a moderate conservative or moderate liberal, a belief in science is imperative to being able to justly hold the 'm' word in their title.

Middle-of-the-Road Politics

Moderates often describe themselves as "independents", not affiliating themselves with any specific political party. However, they can favor one party over the other, hence the terms moderate Democrats and moderate Republicans. When moderates' party of choice starts to move too far to the left or the right, they can become uneasy. Candidates who take far left or right ideological positions are not appealing to average moderate voters. When the media reports that independents decide elections in places like the United States and Canada, what they are really saying is that moderates decide those elections. In the U.S., the last two Democratic Presidents were moderates, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. George W. Bush campaigned as a moderate with the slogan "compassionate conservatism" but governed mostly as an ideologue. In Canada, the Liberal party of Canada defines itself as a centrist/moderate party and dominated Canadian politics for most of the last 100 years. These kinds of parties are most attractive to moderates.

I believe that these three aspects best describe what a moderate is and what he or she believes in. In the world of politics, moderates know how to work together and how to get things done.

Political Scenario in Kerala

Kerala political system is unicameral (single legislative house). The government is entrusted with the responsibility of executive, legislature and the judiciary. However the judiciary constitutes a series of lower courts, state tribunal and the State High Court. The state is headed by the chief justice who presides over the Governor's swearing. Apart from the chief justice, there are 26 permanent judges and two other additional judges (also called tempore judges) who hold office. The Kerala legislative assembly consists of the MLA (representatives of the people) who hails from various different regional and national parties. Different parties in Kerala have different ideologies and sectional interests. This multi party political system ensures that every part of the society is duely represented and looked after. The party who wins the majority selects or elects a head that represents the executive council presided over by the governor. Thus the governor of Kerala is vested with special powers by the President of the nation. However it is the chief minister that his executive council works for.

The chief minister has the power to elect / select the members of the executive council. The various members are appointed in various ministries which makes sure that the governance is efficient enough and encompass all. Individual portfolios are assigned to the ministers. The state executives are answerable to the legislative council. Local self-governing bodies like the municipality and the panchayats are chosen by regular polls.

At present the Kerala government is pictured by two main alliances, the United Democratic Front (led by Indian National Congress) and Left Democratic Front (led by the CPI (M)). The later is the present ruling alliance while the former party plays the role of the opposition. Mr. V.S. Achuthanandan heads the CPI (M). Racist sentiments sometimes become a major issue concerning Kerala governance.

Why The General Of Third World Fail In Politics

INTRODUCTION

The third world is a part of our earth that is always in the clutches of the military generals. Almost every general in this part of the earth is ambitious to grab the highest post of the president or chief martial law administrator. But wishes do not always come true. The golden bird does not sit on the shoulders of all the generals. Only few get the chance to rule and make the public of their states fool. There are a lot of such generals who do not succeed in usurping the powers.
and are not able to reach their "unnatural" political boundaries.

Why these generals fail in politics, let us make a survey of the causes and effects of their failure.

ATTITUDE

The first and foremost reason of the defeat in the battlefield of politics is the unreasonable attitude of the generals. Many generals attempt seriously to make good. They have native ability to do so. The native ability in this connection is the military background of the general. This general finds it almost impossible to sit at a desk and concentrate on his evil designs.

He cannot sit down for a long time due to some addiction or illness to ponder over the constitution. Sometimes he tries to do so, opens the book of constitution, but he is unable to decide about his abilities. He always procrastinates and the other rank fellows win the fields. He wastes his time in preparing himself to make a coup. In this way his time passes and nothing comes out in his favour.

Such habits are not easy to uproot. If the general wants to succeed he should have to eradicate such obnoxious habits otherwise he should shun all his noble designs of revolution.
Although he thinks that he is trying yet he does not try. He spends a lot of time in the presence of the books of constitution but is unable to amend it in his favour.

ADVISORS

A common cause of failure of the generals of the third world is mistaken ambition on the part of his advisors. The toadies and humbugs are always instigate the military chief to achieve the highest post but are not the best judge of the abilities of the general.
Many generals do not show any interest in political involvement. They are absolutely not fit for this job even for their own job but are advised by his advisor to get involved in the politics. Such a general cannot overthrow the elected government.

The reason behind this defeat is that he has to follow a direction mapped out by his advisor. That direction always runs counter to his interests and abilities.

Such generals always earn a number of warm enemies among the advisors and politicians. Their wish of making him a stooge does not come true and they become his enemies until they succeed in overthrowing him.
Such a general prefers to become ambassador or head of a lucrative department after retirement.

EASYGOING FELLOWS

Another type of a General who does not try is the very intelligent and diligent person .He has always done his duties efficiently and considers politics a child, s play. He supposes that he can float through the politics with as little effort as he did through military career. Such a general is the most pitiable person on the earth when he is pitted in the field of politics. It is almost a tragedy to see such a receptive mind wasting the entire opportunity the politics has offered to him.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH

The question of health both physical and mental is always one of the reasons for failure. If a proper free medical service is available in the USA or ENGLAND, the general can hold up the bridles of the administration. Moreover if proper cooperation exists between the establishment and the general he can easily make a coup.

FINANCIAL RESOURCES

Most of the generals want to join politics but the financial pressure is a very serious reason behind their failure. A lot of them could not find or avail opportunity to heap unlawful wealth during service. Such generals cannot succeed in their ambitions, as they can not gather timeservers around them. Such officers are unable to win sympathies of the establishment and politicians.

These generals are absolutely ignored by the patrons.

Moreover the generals who are cast entirely on their own resources cannot succeed because their entire income is not enough to grease the palms of the establishment. Politicians having vested interests should help them in this regard if they want to fulfil their interests.

JUDGMENT

There are a goodly number of generals whose judgment is perverted by the attraction of the motorcades and escorts of the prime ministers and presidents. So they want to overthrow them and fill up their gap. Such generals who aim at these things should shun their ideas of getting the status of a president or a prime minister .It is better for them to become chairman of a semi- governmental organization and lead their life in comfort and luxury.

POLITICS IS NOT CRICKET

A large number of generals drift into politics and drift out again without serving any interests. They think that politics are just like cricket. Most of them have not found any serious interest in politics. It is usually wise to let them retire in the cold world of general public so that they might know the real and miserable condition of the public.

CONCLUSION

In so far as the failure is concerned it can be avoided by acting upon the guidelines provided by the former military rulers. If this is not kept in mind the failure is the fate of such generals.
The advisors are advised to select the right general who follows the footsteps of his forerunners who had ruled the nation for a decade or more. It would be great service to the failing generals as well to the ignorant people who always welcome the person in the uniform.

Political Issues or a Matter of Life and Death

A member of Congress sent a Letter to me. She wanted to know what I was most concerned about what our Government can do for its Citizens. I was suppose to select the issues she thought were important. Well, the most disturbing thing about her form letter is the fact that the items she selected completely ignored the cause for why our life within this once great, "Land of Plenty," is as worse as it has ever been for any person who has ever lived, or ever will live in this once great, "United States of America."

That issue is, "Political Corruption." For some strange reason I can't think of one elected member of our Government who isn't guilty of some form of, "Political Corruption." It dosen't matter how trivial it might be. The truth is, those people who we trust to insure our well being aren't doing anything important for us. Why?

It is the desire of the richest people on Earth to successfully control the whole Planet any or every way possible. Their agenda and secret plan for the achievement of that goal is known to us as, "The New World Order." As for our Politicians, they are nothing more than the tools for the achievement of that, "New World Order." If we don't put a stop to what they are doing to our Country and the hard working and honest people within it, we will soon lose every right granted to us by the founders of our once great Nation.

Yes, every issue on her list can easily be dealt with for the benefit of the majority, but those super greedy and insane, "New World Order," People are doing their best not to allow that to happen. Who exactly are those, "New World Order," supporters, and why would they do such terrible things to us and the People of the entire World? They are sick! Not only are they sick, but they are, if they are Citizens of our Country, also traitors who are well on their way to destroying everything that made this Nation better than any other place on Earth.

So, who are those insane criminals and what can we do to save ourselves a great deal of prolonged grief and suffering, and also save the future generations of our own families? Those insane criminals are the People who control those huge multinational corporations. The truth is, they aren't loyal to any Country or any Political System. Their only loyalty is to the huge monsters they helped create that now sucks the wealth out of everyone.

Our elected members of our Government spend most of their time and our money for the benefit of those manmade monsters and the People who control them, while every other issue gets little or no attention for the good of, "We People." Prove me wrong! I wish I were.

By the way, our Government wasn't created for the purpose of being run like a business whose only reason for being is to break even or make a profit. Beside protecting us and insuring our well being, the true purpose of our Government is to create laws that allow for the transformation of our natural resources by our Human resources. In so doing, People are employed with honest work that is a benefit to all who live within the Country.

Toward that goal, the People whom we elected to preserve our way of life have certainly failed to fulfill that requested responsibility. History taught me that much, and if things continue as they are, the once great, "United States of America," will be nothing more than a, "Banana Republic."

Take a good look at South America, or any place where the majority has nothing and no real way to earn a living. Its Politicians are corrupt. There are more criminals than honest People, and the People who are rich are also the biggest criminals. It doesn't matter what kind of Political System is in place. The money they have and way in which it's spent makes them richer. Little by little, those greedy criminals are doing the same thing to us.

So, I suppose you want an example of what I just said, or do you believe that I am as nuts as the mental state of our Politicians? After what I tell you, you decide if I am just as nuts.

One of the World's largest oil companies employed me. My job was to calculate that company's State and Local taxes. After a few years, the management of that den of criminals decided that there wasn't any place for an honest tax accountant within the company and I was fired. In fact, I discovered that the management of that company wasn't loyal to anything but the earnings per share ratio shown on its published Annual Report to its shareholders. They asked me to do things that weren't exactly right and I refused. Were they setting me up to take the blame for their behavior, or was it a test of my loyalty? Who knows, but I didn't spend five years in college so I could learn how to be a crook.

Believe it or not, oil and natural gas isn't worth what we have to pay for it. Believe it or not, every multinational corporation isn't paying its fair share of taxes to any Country or Society on Earth. That, you can believe.

You can also believe that they destroyed the environment. They took away millions of jobs from, "We People of the United States of America." They want to control the energy resources of the entire World. In so doing, they are destroying our family relationships, corrupting the minds of our children, and using our tax dollars and the lives of our children to wage war against a People who are unlucky enough to be living on tens of billions of barrels of oil.

According to our elected members of our Government, that's perfectly legal to do so. Think about it, or is that too hard for us to understand? One thing for sure, too many People within our society are spaced out on one kind of drug or another. Right? Believe it or not, that poison hurt every family. In spite of our newly created Homeland Security, tons of illegal drugs still come into our Country. So too, millions of illegal aliens who, for the most part, are criminals.

No doubt, we are waging war against the wrong People, and our elected members of our Government are doing little or nothing to insure the future well being of any of us. Multinational corporations and the People who control those monsters are their most important consideration.

I am certainly concerned about what they are doing to us. Maybe I should run for the office of President? To do so, I'd need more than a hundred-million dollars and a really slick campaign manager. Where on Earth can I get that much money?

That Iraq dictator had more than six times that much hidden within the walls of his palace. Where and from whom did he get that many U.S. dollars? Maybe he got that money from the same People who contribute to our want-to-be Politicians?

Namely, those owners and controllers of those multinational corporations. No price is too high for their hearts fondest desires. Then again, being nuts might also be a qualification for the job of being the, "Number One Symbol of Democracy?"

Political Polarization is Damaging America's Listening Skills

Political polarization is currently the bane of American life. We as a citizenry have become so pushed to the extremes of political opinion and action that we can barely hear each other. If you are not talking about what I want to hear the way I want to hear it, I cannot hear you. The same is true from your side. How in the world are we ever going to reach common ground if we cannot "listen" and "hear" each other? We get stuck in nowhere-land with little chance of exit or repair. If you and I were devastated at the same location and moment by a natural or unnatural disaster, we would be forced to work together for our common good regardless of our political or other disagreements. We might even become friends through our necessary physical survival activity. I know that seems strange, but stranger things that that have happened in my life.

America's political polarization freezes us in time and activity and allows for no forward motion or repair. Our election process illustrates the polarization. We scream at our politicians because of their non-action in fixing what ails us. The political pundits and media continually feed and feed off this polarization (more about this part in a moment). What if you and I who disagree on any subject both contact our common political representative and demand that they act to each of our individual satisfaction. Just how does that representative make this particular conundrum work? Each of us has the right to expect that our vote counted toward what we individually believed. That is why we cast our vote for specific individuals. Unless you are a party-line voter, you ordinarily would vote for the representative that agrees with your personal stand on important issues. It would be rare to find a representative (or any other person) who agrees with you on every issue. We do not even get that with our own family.

At times we individually get to make difficult choices between those issues. In order for your opinion to count in any way, you must vote. A current example of a conflict within personal issues is environment versus energy needs. Do we continue to pay the price energy-wise which has us all economically screaming (no argument there) or do we continue our decimation of our environment and the resultant and natural backlash. Ask anyone who has recently gone through severe weather devastation of any form whether they are willing to face the destructive force of nature such as a hurricane, flood, earthquake, tornado or tsunami... or pay more for energy. To understand the difference you just have to be willing to stand in a victim's shoes as they faced the fury of nature. Such experience tends to be mind changing!

We already decided that we personally cannot solve our disagreement and that is why we would take personal action with our political representative. That person supposedly represents each of us, equally, and truly cannot possibly function in opposing directions at the same time. Does our representative stop because they are confused by our conflicting demands? Do they vote for one side or the other just to infuriate one of us? Does any of their own personal judgment and opinion enter into their decision and action? We hope we have chosen decisive people to represent and lead us, those who have the finest minds and skills. Are they entitled to act as individuals? Is it possible that they might see both sides of the issue and find no way out of the stalemate? Is it possible that once inside the process they were forced to change their minds? If you stand at a door and knock, you speculate on what you will find inside. Once you are invited in and that door closes you might find that your speculations were not valid and that you must change your rationale... and your vote. Something similar just occurred to me on the concept of net neutrality. I am not sure I understood it correctly when I signed a petition. Today I have doubts as to my own vote. As we learn new elements of an issue, we may find our conclusions changing Please know I am also aware of the misuses of political power, but I choose not to address that in this article.

We choose to place potential solution on the shoulders of a system that we continually ridicule. Let's see... common discussion reflects that we think our political system is broken. We collectively think the political system is a bureaucratic nightmare that goes nowhere, does nothing and needs to be thrown out like garbage. Yet we somehow also believe that this broken system is going to fix what ails us. Is that logical on our part? We think all politicians should be voted out of office (or worse). Those cretins should be replaced by noble people who will be super-human, honest, diligent, responsible, honest, and more wonderful descriptions, who sincerely desire to be public servants. I am not sure where we are going to find those noble humans to nominate for office. I know thousands of good people and I cannot suggest any one in particular that could fill that nobility role. Even if we know and could find one to nominate, could we get them elected?

Once elected, will they do any better than those that have gone before them and are being replaced? Once inside the system will they be able to do better or different actions to fix what ails that system? Will our wonderful hopes be realized in terms of fixing what is wrong? It only takes our representative one decision to maintain or discard our belief and our loyalty, if they vote against what we believe in. Despite the fact that we have agreed with their actions up to that point, one particular decision is repulsive to us and we abandon them. We voters are quite fickle that way. We tend to believe and act on "If you are with me you are my friend. If you are not with me, you must be my enemy" thinking. That is a bunch of nonsense. You and I will disagree from time to time. We are not meant to be in lock-step agreement on everything. We are individuals therefore we will differ on various issues. The same will be true of any representative we elect. If we substantially agree, we can make it work. If we substantially disagree, I have my upcoming vote.

I mentioned that I would address political pundits and media further. Those who can, do; those who cannot, talk about it. Before I manage to get taken wrong, I watch the news (including politics) regularly and of course I have my favorites. My general statement here would be that the American public and those who enter our homes and minds via the media (and that includes pundits of all types) seem to be caught in sound bites and repetition. We appear to be caught in voyeurism and media judgment. The paparazzi has provided us with the opinion we can butt our noses in where it just does not belong. Some of what goes on in your life is really none of my business and does not belong on the air. Our curiosity should not come at the cost of individual privacy issues. How would we feel if the cameras and mikes were turned on our lives? Invaded!

Also, if you say something often enough, what was truly trivial takes on unwarranted importance. I do not need to know and I personally resent having such nonsense shoved down my throat multiple times a day disguised as news. It does not inform me. It does not help me make better choices. This is a big world and there is an abundance of news to report, real news, not the salacious and the disturbing, and definitely not lies. I prefer true life to sound bites, much more interesting. My choice is to change stations or turn it off and I do.

However, my individual listening is not all that is being affected or infected. If others listen to such drivel and take in particularly the repetition of gossip or personal opinion as factual information that will affect me personally. How? It will affect me through the destructive education of others. Just because I have turned off what I find unhealthy or unreliable does not mean it was turned off everywhere. It influences many and that collective in turn can affect me. I can easily choose not to allow it to infect my thought process and decision-making ability. However, the collective value still has an effect on me.

Too many political discussions take on slants and directions that do not contribute to our overall education or good information. I watch a variety of television programming just to get a broader view. Sometimes I watch stuff I do not agree with or am not comfortable with what is being said. However, ignorance will never be my friend so I watch all sides.

Misinformation, misdirection, lies and personal opinion are continually being passed off as news. Any of that nonsense is not news, it is misinformation or personal opinion by whatever means. It feeds and exacerbates the political polarization that already exists. Particularly disturbing are the lies that are told enough times and with a tiny bit of truth embedded within that sure sound like the truth. Repeat it enough and it becomes a truth of repetition, but not one that is reliable. As I mentioned in a previous article. If it is not the whole truth, it is a lie.

By the way, pundits and media include you and I as well as we voice our personal opinions. If we are fully educated on issues, if we are completely truthful and forthcoming but not withholding important elements of the overall argument, and we are not leaning on knee-jerk reactions to make our point, we just might have something valuable to say.

Our country needs our best thoughts, our best efforts, our ability to listen and to hear, our best vote, our best representatives, and then it needs our faith that we can do pull this off. We can fix what is wrong. But healing and repair of that which is broken politically starts with listening to the other side. We then must remember that the position the other side holds has as much validity to that believer as the side on which we stand. They may be misinformed, uneducated, or wrong (or is that your side?) but their stand is their firm conviction. Freedom and our way of life is worth listening, hearing, considering, and looking for commonality in order to fix what is not working politically. If we can do this we could find more ways to use this a wonderful tool, listening. Good rule of thumb... You have two ears and one mouth. Listen twice as much as you talk. Do not let your mouth outnumber your ears.

Sharing Our Political Opinions

Can you even imagine what life would be like if you had to believe something just because someone told you to? What would you do if didn't believe the same as everyone, else but there wasn't anything you could do about it. There are rules that you cannot say anything that contradicts with what has already be agreed upon as being correct. That is how people used to live long ago and in some countries that is how they still live their lives today.

We are so lucky to live in a country where we can have varying political public opinions. In America, we have all different kinds of opinions and it is normal to agree with some and disagree with others. What else could be more important that having your own opinion about something? It's great to be able to believe differently than someone else if you don't like what they are saying, but it would mean nothing if you couldn't voice your opposing opinion. We have the right to say our political opinions publicly.

Many good things can come from sharing opinions as long as it is done in a manner of respect and learning. Sometimes it is too easy to focus on the differences and not spend more time on the similarities of our opinions. We might find ourselves arguing more than trying to reach an agreement. We need to remember always that we are blessed to have a country that allows us to have these rights and we should continue to always share our political opinions when we can.

Do Movie Stars Influence Our Political Opinions?

It is interesting to listen to a voice-over on a commercial. We've heard that voice before and wracked our memory trying to figure out who it is. Some voices to listen for are Sam Elliott, Donald Sutherland, Gene Hackman, Antonio Banderas, Richard Thomas, and Alex Baldwin. These are just a few of many movie stars who lend their famous voices to commercials. (More up front are the women stars who lend their beautiful faces and hair to beauty products. We don't have to strain to recognize them!)

Is there a reason advertisers use these famous male voices?

Certainly. One reason is that their voices are attractive and match the product in some way. The second reason is because they are actors can inject their voices with a certain persuasive emotion, be it comfort, confidence, pride or any particular characteristic that advertisers decide is needed to influence their audience. Well-known actors are hired over the usual ad actors because they are the best at their craft.

Have movies been influential in changing thought about social and cultural issues?

With convincing emotional performances onscreen, such issues as discrimination against black Americans and the gay and lesbian culture, promoting ecology, denigrating politicians and capital-based economics, actors and ideas have been persuasively presented to the American public. In so doing, public minds and opinions have been changed; attitudes altered.

Studies have shown that Hollywood has been responsible for instilling new values into the American psyche: some good, some worthless, some destructive.

The importance of evaluating credibility.

Good actors will take on a variety of roles. We appreciate the degree of talent and effort that goes into a stellar performance. If an actor submerges himself into a role, he often tells an interviewer it takes some time to let go of the persona. Other actors admit to playing themselves, using various aspects of their personality and experience. It is important to remember these admissions when they are standing up for one cause or another, because they can easily call on their acting experience for persuasive expression, and many of their beliefs have their origins in a strictly emotional response. It should also come as no surprise that, somewhere in their lives, is a large contradiction to their words.

There is no "Movie Stars are Us" store.

How many of us walk in and out of a fictional setting on a regular schedule? How would it affect our thought process? It is also wise to remember that movie stars, as much as they would have us believe the opposite, do not live the lives of ordinary Americans. They may touch the fringes occasionally, but their chosen profession prevents them from becoming involved in bake sales, PTA, worrying about job security on a week-to-week basis, nor do they worry about the mundane routine of punching a clock and turning out a certain number of widgets every day.

The next time we hear a movie star speak on subjects near and dear to our hearts, should we question whether they speak from personal experience or mere personal opinion, perhaps influenced by a role they've played, or a cocktail party conversation they had one night? From an actor, very likely, what we hear speaking is a display of emotion, minus the thoughts and values of every-day participation in American life.