05-05-2008, 02:48 PM
[quote freeradical]This whole business about classifying people into ideological squares is ridiculous, especially with respect to this "moderate category".
If you ask a focused question on any issue, people will either agree or disagree.
Example: Should gun owners be allowed to own magazines with a capacity greater than 10 rounds?
You either agree (48 states) or not (California and Massachusetts) . What does a "moderate" believe? Is there some "third" way?
A Moderate doesn't have to have some third way of handling an issue. Rather it's all of the issues as a whole that are considered. A Moderate could feel, in the example you gave, that it's perfectly fine to have a gun magazine that holds over 10 rounds – yet that same person may feel it's also perfectly okay for a woman to have the right to choose in abortion.
If you ask a focused question on any issue, people will either agree or disagree.
Example: Should gun owners be allowed to own magazines with a capacity greater than 10 rounds?
You either agree (48 states) or not (California and Massachusetts) . What does a "moderate" believe? Is there some "third" way?
A Moderate doesn't have to have some third way of handling an issue. Rather it's all of the issues as a whole that are considered. A Moderate could feel, in the example you gave, that it's perfectly fine to have a gun magazine that holds over 10 rounds – yet that same person may feel it's also perfectly okay for a woman to have the right to choose in abortion.