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Algernon Moncrieff

(5,790 posts)
47. It's a movement of people that believe that good policy comes from collaboration and compromise
Sat Mar 19, 2016, 04:57 PM
Mar 2016
If you, like us, are a moderate, you are not alone.

You weigh arguments from both sides. You see complexity where others find certainty. You don’t shout down discussion. You see the folly of absolutes. Compromise is a virtue. You are willing to give a little to get a little. You want government to work and believe it can, but fear it won’t. Your decision is not whether to vote, but for whom to vote. You are willing to be persuaded. You are a moderate; you occupy the center. You represent the plurality of the national electorate. You are interesting. And you are not alone.

If you, like us, are a moderate you are among diversity. Thirty-seven percent of self-identified moderates are non-white, which is more diverse than either liberals (30%) or conservatives (25%). You may be young. Millennials are the most moderate of any voting generation. You lean Democratic, though 40% of moderates call themselves Independents, and only one-third say party labels tell me what I need to know about a politician. And you believe both parties are more ideological than the parties view themselves. One-quarter of moderates describe congressional Democrats as very liberal and two-fifth say congressional Republicans are very conservative.

You don’t blur complexities, but surface them. By an overwhelming 84-14% margin, moderates support universal background checks. But by a 58-40% margin, moderates say today’s gun laws are sufficient to keep me safe. By a 53-40% margin, moderates wish government was more involved in improving the economy. Yet by a 54-43% margin, moderates believe that when government gets involved in something it usually goes wrong. And three-quarters of moderates want to see the deficit reduced and spending on infrastructure increased. These aren’t contradictions; these are complexities – because the world is complicated and so is public policy.


http://www.thirdway.org/about/the-center

In the context of this site, and sites like democrats.com, the term is used as an invective. It is considered an insult to be "Third Way", as it signifies one is not pure in their "progressiveness." The flip side would be the term (not often used here at DU) to refer to those in Occupy, Code Pink, and similar organizations as "the Professional Left" -- a term coined by Robert Gibbs when he was White House Press Secretary.
Excellent question for discussion! yourpaljoey Mar 2016 #1
They are here. SamKnause Mar 2016 #19
Neoliberalism - its a global thing- a global attack on the public-see the two videos I just posted Baobab Mar 2016 #44
Thank you. I was hoping someone would post a serious answer. Rhiannon12866 Mar 2016 #55
It's a straw man redstateblues Mar 2016 #2
please elaborate? nt TheDormouse Mar 2016 #3
ThirdWay.org exists. The DLC & Third Way corporate shilling goes way back..... think Mar 2016 #4
Oh do tell. SamKnause Mar 2016 #16
Not acording to the Third Way website FreakinDJ Mar 2016 #29
^THIS silvershadow Mar 2016 #58
Any Hillary supporter, It's progress for very few, the same amount making the decisions ,a Political orpupilofnature57 Mar 2016 #5
Well said. SamKnause Mar 2016 #15
Exactly. SamKnause Mar 2016 #18
.+1 840high Mar 2016 #37
It's the Boogeyman. hrmjustin Mar 2016 #6
It has certainly had frightening consequences in this country SamKnause Mar 2016 #17
It's how Democrats "compromise" with Republicans The Velveteen Ocelot Mar 2016 #7
... SamKnause Mar 2016 #11
^^^^THIS^^^^ LiberalElite Mar 2016 #20
What you said farleftlib Mar 2016 #33
Think the Clintons, blue dogs, collaborators. Tierra_y_Libertad Mar 2016 #8
Basically the corporate cash friendly portion of the Democratic party Fumesucker Mar 2016 #9
Anyone who supports Hillary supports the Third Way. SamKnause Mar 2016 #10
Third Way is Republican economic and foreign policies... HooptieWagon Mar 2016 #12
Excellent description. SamKnause Mar 2016 #14
But not very accurate. DLC and Third Way adopt already popular and fully advocated social positions Bluenorthwest Mar 2016 #25
I like both descriptions. SamKnause Mar 2016 #32
True-- they don't actually work to *advance* the social issues they use as Marr Mar 2016 #42
I've lived in different states justiceischeap Mar 2016 #48
They had political unrest in germany that gave way to a third reich... dubyadiprecession Mar 2016 #13
It seems there are no Third Way supporters in this discussion ... nt TheDormouse Mar 2016 #21
Hillary supporters want to own her, but not admit she’s a third-way, corporatized centrist. earthshine Mar 2016 #22
Here on DU it means broadly the policies followed by Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, Nye Bevan Mar 2016 #23
thank you nt TheDormouse Mar 2016 #24
Thank you noretreatnosurrender Mar 2016 #26
This message was self-deleted by its author LiberalArkie Mar 2016 #35
Whoa !!!!!!!! SamKnause Mar 2016 #36
Thick-skinned soul you are, indeed. Can I ask you a question ? steve2470 Mar 2016 #56
Because right now Social Security is perceived as "fair" even by very high earners. Nye Bevan Mar 2016 #57
Republicans who infiltrated the Democratic party Autumn Colors Mar 2016 #27
You should at least check out their own website (currently featuring War on Terror!!!) and let them Bluenorthwest Mar 2016 #28
I skimmed the website. Where do u find public officials listed there? nt TheDormouse Mar 2016 #31
If you want to see some elected officials who are advised by the Third Way, check out the membership djean111 Mar 2016 #34
Third Way Dems’ new war on Elizabeth Warren progressives: think Mar 2016 #30
This is BS, just a cover story for their neoliberalism Baobab Mar 2016 #49
Third Way is a wing of the Democratic Party which opposes all of FDRs policies and programs. They Dont call me Shirley Mar 2016 #38
New Democrats, The DLC and the Third Way Dragonfli Mar 2016 #39
Some more information from DUer Madfloridian Dragonfli Mar 2016 #40
Strangely, the people who says there's no such thing... Marr Mar 2016 #41
Around here most of the supporters are found in Camp Bansalot. hobbit709 Mar 2016 #43
The third way nadinbrzezinski Mar 2016 #45
Yes TubbersUK Mar 2016 #52
I know that nadinbrzezinski Mar 2016 #53
It has lost its original meaning and become an all-purpose insult at DU ... Hekate Mar 2016 #46
It's a movement of people that believe that good policy comes from collaboration and compromise Algernon Moncrieff Mar 2016 #47
Well there are the many versions of it on DU and then there is the official version. Rex Mar 2016 #50
I made my own independent decision to support Hillary. Imagine that. Trust Buster Mar 2016 #51
So is a middle manager making good money working for GM redstateblues Mar 2016 #54
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