mean he considered himself leftist.
I think there're several problems with the labels. Some of my personal
peeves:
1) We generally define "right/conservative" and "left/liberal" but fail to
define what makes a "centrist/moderate" This leaves the door open for the
radicals on both extremes to make unsubstantiated claims that
self-proclaimed moderates are actually "closet liberals" or "closet
conservatives". There is also often a feeling that self-proclaimed
moderates are in actually simply apathetic; that they lack conviction and
can be convinced to "join a side".
2) The word "liberal" has been demonized unduly in this country and become
less suitable as a general label. In general the term "conservative" still
means "right of center" without indicating how much right. However the word
"liberal" has come to mean "extremely left". This is why I think many
people (including myself) chafe at its broad application.
3) We place too much emphasis on party labels (Republicans are "right",
Democrats are "left"). I firmly believe that most members of both parties
are political moderates, but for simplicity in a complex system we label
them blanketly as we've labeled their parties.
4) We place too much emphasis on personal labels: it's easier from an avowed
"right-winger" to dismiss somebody's thoughts if they can label them
"liberal" and vice versa. This labeling (and worse this insistence on
application of those labels) has, I think, done vastly more harm than good.
A general theme is that we blanketly apply the labels to people or groups
rather than issues. We say "he's a conservative", "she's a liberal" or
"they're a right-wing group" rather than "that's a liberal option", "that's
a conservative plan" or "they promote liberal ideas".
When I criticize the War in Iraq I'm told I'm a "liberal", when I state that
I'm for the death penalty I'm told I'm a "conservative". Worse when I argue
that I'm actually a moderate both sides attempt to convince me that I'm
"deluding myself" or that "won't admit" to my true nature!
I've yet to find anybody that can tell me what possible reason I would have
for such a denial. As I said due to the demonization of the term "liberal"
there is some resistance to the self-application of the label, but not so
much that I believe a non-politician would care. Why on Earth would I say
that I'm moderate to "hide my true feelings"? What gain is there?
It seems to me unwillingness on both sides to allow a large population of
wild cards. A moderate can choose to favor a conservative or liberal
solution as the need and circumstances dictate. Further a moderate can
(gasp!) actually CHANGE THEIR MIND when new evidence arises.
If we're forced to label then, to me, somebody is a "liberal" (no negative
connotation) if they decide to back liberal solutions to issues more than,
say, 80-90% of the time. A conservative is, you might guess, somebody that
backs conservative solutions more than 80-90% of the time. Those groups
also contain the stereotypical "extreme liberal" and "fanatic
conservatives". Everybody else, in my opinion is a moderate. Many
moderates are extremists as well, but almost always on single issues. Many
"right to lifers" are moderates but extremely conservative on the issue of
abortion, for example.
However I really don't like labeling a person or a group. I'll gladly their
actions, beliefs, decisions or platforms individually, but the vast majority
of people (if not all) are moderate on most topics, liberal on some and
conservative on others despite what they've be labeled.
Jim Davis
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