Anyone can declare themselves a centrist because they are people to both sides of them on the spectrum. But to be a centrist means you don't really agree with either party but take a middle stance on the majority of issues and don't lean consistently one way. From your posting styles, you lean much more right than you care to admit.
I think I am fiscally on the right (but don't think either party is actually fiscally conservative). I am adamantly opposed to the new crop of advocates for what I view as buying votes. I think I am more socially liberal but I guess it is always a matter of perspective. This last election I voted primarily for Democrats and supported them pretty heavily (for me) in terms of contributions. I went with Beto, Lizzie and the judges. So, I tend to vote for individuals if I know anything about the race. I think of myself as independent. But, from your perspective, you may see me as a conservative and I'm sure you are right on some issues.
Like I said, I can only gauge based on what I read. I don't know your full spectrum of political positions. Many of my positions would have been considered moderate to slightly conservative 15 years ago but are now considered liberal. The spectrum has changed. Fiscally, I think we should keep a surplus in boom times and a deficit during recessions with an overall debt that doesn't put our credit as risk. I do think that social services pay a dividend when constructed to help people become productive members of society and I would revamp our education system to focus more on things that work such as mentorship programs. I do support gun rights but still want restrictions, and believe we should have a strong foreign policy based on speaking softly but carrying a very big stick. I believe in nuclear energy and smart conservation - as I am a follower of science not politics. I don't believe in free college education but I do believe college is overpriced and there needs to be a lower cost solution, same with health care and housing. People should be able to find shelter, food, and get educated if they work. And if they need job training to be employable, they should get that. It just seems logical. I think H1B Visas are a great thing for this country and should be expanded, but also agree that we need an overhaul to the immigration system to we continue to attract the best and brightest the world has to over regardless of country of origin. I think our foreign policy should be one of leadership and acting as a stabilizing force in the world which ultimately benefits our capitalist system. I think taxes were once too high in the 70's but now have swung too far the other direction and should be set at a level that doesn't hit the middle class but faces the reality that the rich have to pay a higher amount (definitely 50% over a million). I would eliminate all corporate taxes but make capital gains progressive. All of this makes me a liberal I am sure but many on the left would consider me moderate. It's all perspective at the end of the day.
What is funny is that we agree on a number of the items you listed above and disagree on some (if you have read some of my posts, you probably have an idea about how I feel on the tax issue you raised), but your posting style doesn't reflect (to me) the balance in your positions set forth above (which I know is the same thing you are saying with respect to me.) I guess we all likely assume things about the beliefs of posters based on their views on a few issues (or them sparring with other posters) when most people have more complex views on a host of issues than can be reflected accurately on a message board.
I think what happens is that many of the issues brought up on here are a reaction to what's happening in the news cycle and a lot of that is around Trump and his policies - which are frankly heavily tied to him attacking the media/dems, talking about immigration, or talking about collusion and Russia.
I'm not saying that centrism is dishonest. I'm saying that a lot of the people that call themselves centrist are dishonest about it. Centrism, true centrism, is pretty rare. @dachuda86 is not a centrist. All the sources he gets his news from are right-leaning, some of them FAR FAR right-leaning, and he comes on this forum and sides with the right on nearly every position. A lot of people that claim to be centrist just because they agree with one or two things from the other side, not realizing most people, even some people far left or right, do this...or they think because they voted for a democratic president once or twice that they are centrist or vice versa. So centrism is not dishonest, but a lot of people just say they are 'Centrist' to try and make others look crazy, as dachuda did there by saying my poltics more align with the soviet unioin and lunatic fringe while he's center. A lot of people hide behind 'Centrism' to attack their opponents as crazy all while they've clearly chosen a side.
If you are going to call him out you have to do the same for Sweet Lou 4 2 (a banned troll for the far left) and cometswin (huge race baiter) I somehow miss this ever happening
I don't remember Sweetlou or Cometswin ever calling themselves centrist so why would I call them out for that?
Well, Sweetlou literally got banned for being a troll so there's that. Cometswin is a huge race baiter. I'll give you enough credit to be aware of both of those things
I wish NBC wouid collude with Dem voters. Not just the DNC and the wishy washy DC pundits who obsess all things Trump. So totally okay with a major news outlet taking sides in a political debate nationally. I just wish they did it better. I think we need more partisan left leaning media out there in the mainstream... just need it to represent the Dem voters instead of corporate interests and shock jock Trump tweet coverage. Pod Save America should have their own mainstream media show airing what they do. Colbert and Seth Meyers do a halfway decent job I guess too.
So a person at NBC wanted a journo to wait ONE HOUR to release his scoop, as a favor to the DNC. And of course what the OP posted was a right wing nut job podcast video, with raging, pearl grasping faux outraged to the 11s. This scandal will ... be ... the ... next ... Benghazi!!! How will NBC and the DNC ever recover from such scandalous behavior? It may not be possible.
I really don't know much about the sweetlou thing but didn't he already apologize/address that? Cometswin isn't even close to being a race-baiter. None of this has anything to do with Tim Pool being a fake centrist.
After thinking back on your posting history in a couple of forums on here, I see that mainly you just try and make lame personal attacks about other posters. You do you. It's working out well.
