Moderation is for hippies, Mark Morford

[starroute]

5. There's a difference between beliefs and behavior

"Moderate" has become a word used to describe either not-quite-batshit-crazy conservatives or sell-out-at-the-drop-of-a-hat liberals. Most of these are people who have no discernible principles at all and many of them are just shills for the 1%. A lot of the time, the word "moderate" is just dog-whistle for "pro-corporate."

The goal, I think, is to have serious and consistent progressive beliefs -- and then go about putting them into practice in a balanced, sensible, and bridge-building manner. Even Occupiers and Tea Partiers have been able to work together at times on issues like free speech.

It would probably be useful to retire the label "moderate," which has been so abused. But the alternative is not to adopt extremes of intransigence and self-righteousness.