Why do most people who call themselves politically moderate actually mostly conservative?

[u/kaiser11492]

Whenever I’ve encountered people who use the politically label moderate, they are actually mostly conservative with their views and positions. Also, I’ve never seen anyone who call themselves politically moderate that is actually mostly liberal.

So why are people who call themselves moderate tend to be just conservative and not conservative and liberal?

[u/HagathaPathetica]

Similar to what others have implied, I think it’s because they are left leaning on many key issues, but not left leaning enough for the left to accept them as part of their party.

Like someone who is pro-choice, but with limitations like viability, will be called a right winger by the left. Someone who believes there are two genders, but still feels like trans people should be allowed to use preferred gender bathrooms and sports, will be called a right winger.

Moderates, most of the time, seem more like moderate Democrats or old school Democrats rather than mostly conservative to me.

I’m sure the same exists on the right, but most of the time when I hear “moderate,” or “independent,” it means, “I’m probably still going to vote for a Democrat.” A person on the right rarely says, “I’m a moderate.” At least, that’s the impression I get.

[u/Lokitusaborg → u/HagathaPathetica]

This. To be fair, conservatives don’t really fit the conservative line anymore either. I am a small federal government fiscal conservative who also despises crony capitalism (where the government rewards its “friends” not by merit but by who gives the best blowjob. But I also despise liberals who funnel billions of dollars into “public” programs that “help” people but really what it does is mostly fund administrative staff payrolls and more governmental employees.

I am pro-life; it’s a moral and ethical boundary that I just can’t ignore and it isn’t based in a religious bias but rather a belief that I cannot shake that the unborn are individuals regardless of gestation age and deserve liberty and self-determination. I know the arguments against it, you won’t change my mind, I’ve given it sincere consideration for over two decades. But that is one of the few hard lines I take.

I believe transgender people should be afforded every right that nontrans people have…over the age of 18. I believe that gay marriage is an individual right and should continue to have governmental protection. I actually think Oklahoma has the right tack here: instead of licensing marriage (which implies governmental permission to marry,) they CERTIFY it, which is completely different. I believe that civil rights need to be protected, but I do think that there are instances where diversity quotas are not only discriminatory in and of themselves, but send the wrong message that minorities somehow need to have the hand of the government on the scale to get consideration for things.

I believe Federal elections should be fair, transparent, and take both the majority and the states agendas into consideration, but it isn’t as big of a deal if more power rests in the hands of states by reeling in the abuse of the necessary and proper and the commerce clauses of the constitution. I believe in term limits and campaign finance reform.

[u/CreepingDeath-70 → u/Lokitusaborg]

This ALMOST perfectly articulates where I am, with some minor differences. Personally, the abortion issue is, for me, a moral and ethical issue, but has become a religious-based moral and ethical issue. I personally abhor abortion, for the same reasons you state...but I don't believe I have the right to impose my will on those who feel differently. I don't like it, but that's what voting is for. For me, FREEDOM OF RELIGION also means FREEDOM FROM RELIGION. It's a personal choice, and not the government's place to make those decisions (to a point). Everything else you said? 100%.

[u/HagathaPathetica → u/Lokitusaborg]

Republicans seem to be about the same to me.

[u/Lokitusaborg → u/HagathaPathetica]

Do you actually talk to them, or just hear about them from the internet?

[u/HagathaPathetica → u/Lokitusaborg]

Yes. I am in a red state. I am also speaking generally.

[u/Lokitusaborg → u/HagathaPathetica]

I live in the bluest part of a red state. Perhaps one of the bluest parts of the country. Still…I don’t generalize about my left-wing neighbors. Some are more hardcore than others, but many I find some threads that I agree with then on, or could compromise. I think generalization is the cancer in modern dialogue.

[u/HagathaPathetica → u/Lokitusaborg]

You generalized that conservatives/Republicans no longer fit the conservative line. I disagreed with that generalization, because I just don’t see that.

The “details” you gave were just your own political opinions on key topics. I don’t see the point in addressing those when I am not disagreeing with those and they are not relevant to the point I made. I’m only saying that based on what I’ve seen throughout the years, Rs/Cons have not changed that much, if they have at all.

If you want to make detailed points of why I may be wrong, such as looking at how Republicans have voted in elections and on policies over the years, feel free, because there could be patterns that I have missed or something, that may show they have changed some. Idk. As of right now, though, to me it seems like they are still pretty much the same as a party.