Moderates...

[undergroundpanther]

Moderate Conspiracy
By Underground Panther in the Sky

Mildness dulls your points to shame
in a moderate revolution.
Compromise sells out your soul
for simple solution.

In a moderate revolution.
All opinion busts upon the scene
quite unobtrusively..
Don't ask any questions that make you feel paranoid
if you do your peers might get annoyed...

Here come the moderates,
down the middle of the road
In button down shirts
and sensible shoes
Old Navy khakis
and covered up tattoos.

They're saying'
All You radicals must compromise with us,
tone it down, play nice,
Put away your tin foil and take our reasonable advice!
Or our soft cornered,lukewarm future is neutralized!

It's a moderate conspiracy
And we don't dare disagree..
They sit on the fence all day,
looking down at me..

Moderation can benefit us all.
Safey first,wag the dog..
It's made of compromise and endless dialog,
So of course we all must agree..to agree..

Moderates aren't here to offend us,they say
I still wish They'd all shut up,'n go away
Maybe they'll grow a backbone,get some teeth,
have an opinion, turn up the heat..
They will quit only if we compromise our agendas.
And throw our own thoughts away for our own good.

There's a moderate revolution.
It's conspiracy everywhere... and nobody cares..

Moderate Agents of the status Quo
Clean cut consumer Milquetoasts
They are so appropriate to the core
Takin' us over everywhere they go
Just a political toxin disguised as a mild unassuming bore.

.....Just as planned.

Moderate Revolution,Coming to a Dairy Queen Near you
in VANILLA of course!!

[villager]

1. ain't nothin' in the middle of the road but yellow stripes

...and dead armadilloes, as Jim Hightower noted...

[undergroundpanther]

2. Yep

hope the Mild ones are LISTENING...

[bryant69]

35. I'm a moderate and I'm listing

I don't know if I'm mild.

I find it comforting that extremists of all stripes find me distastful.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Monkeyman]

4. Yep no more middle road

We have got to get hard nose and take our country back RANT sorry

[blonndee]

3. Woo freaking hoo!

Helluva slam, undergroundpanther! I got to where I could actually hear it. Damn, that was good!

I'd love to share this with my English Comp class as one of my examples of implicit/unconventional arguments. May I?

[undergroundpanther]

15. Go ahead

just tell me how it went over? If you want I could send you my libertarian one too,..

[blonndee]

32. That would be awesome, if you don't mind.

I think I'll print this one out and distribute it for reading tomorrow or Friday--we're just beginning the semester and there's a Wilfred Owen poem in their textbook that they'll be reading to discuss on Friday, so this would go well to provide another example. Thanks!

[Wisconsin Larry]

5. Definition: Compromise 2) The giving up of one's principles -- from an

Webster's that I have.

[patrice]

6. It is fatal to be Moderate when so many never saw a war, any war they

didn't like, even lust after.

I was thinking about this earlier today. With all of this Racism coming forward Endless War becomes more and more probable. Being Moderate in the face of this extreme addiction to violence IS suicidal. We have NO CHOICE but to move to the Left.

[Telly Savalas]

7. In any other Western Democracy a guy like Ned Lamont

would be considered a moderate. By accepting the far right's skewed definition of moderate, you're only helping their cause.

I'm a moderate, and I stand behind other moderate Democrats like Lamont, Sen. Feingold, and Sen. Boxer, in their opposition to the war and support for universal health-care, etc.

[patrice]

9. I've been thinking that there are a whole lot of "extreme anti-war" Dems

who REALLY are being pushed in that direction by the very distinct possibility of Eternal War fueled by Racism.

You just can't be Moderate when it comes to Racists.

[undergroundpanther]

17. or bigots

homophobia,misogynists,authoritarians,abusers of power and trust,theocracy,corporate criminals,bullies,narcissists, psychopaths.Shit head personalities filled with different kinds of shit..it's all shit and it stinks regardless of who they think they are or what they want us to assume they are entitled to.

[ArbustoBuster]

21. Moderates not only hate all of those things...

...but we also believe in the death penalty, so people who act on their bigotry, homophobia, or other evils might actually wind up dead.

[undergroundpanther]

23. But are you willing

To get rid of social hierarchies? That foster the social conditions bullies like to thrive in? or is that too radical?
Are you for capping wealth so rich thugs can't buy our government from us?
BTW I agree with the death penalty,
I just don't trust the corrupt corporate ridden state to do it with any sense of wisdom.

[ArbustoBuster]

36. Of course I'm for those things.

I suspect you have a rather limited view of what a moderate is. The moderate position is a political position, not a position that declares one must take the middle road in everything. Above all, moderate politics promote equality, democracy, and fairness. Some moderates believe that the way to get these things is to take the popular position or the position that won't make waves, but the same can be said of some liberals and some conservatives.

I wish that people wouldn't confuse the moderate political position with the position held by those who want to make everyone get along. Not getting along is called democracy. People "get along" when they're terrified of a dictator. Free people argue, scream at each other, and debate.

[Telly Savalas]

27. What are you talking about?

The whole notion of being a "Moderate" is to reject extremist ideologies like that of racism.

[patrice]

29. I guess I'm thinking about how "moderate" reactions to Racism

will be taken advantage of at every opportunity by Racists, based upon the assumption that moderate means tolerant, which would be all well and good if Racists weren't so deeply crazy and intolerant. Crazy enough to dress their hatred up in socially acceptable personas to survive the Moderate sniff test while pedalling hatred in more latent forms.

[bvar22]

11. Damned Skinney!

THIS is the CENTER!!!

"In recent polls by the Pew Research Group, the Opinion Research Corporation, the Wall Street Journal, and CBS News, the American majority has made clear how it feels. Look at how the majority feels about some of the issues that you'd think would be gospel to a real Democratic party:

1. 65 percent (of ALL Americans, Democrats AND Republicans) say the government should guarantee health insurance for everyone -- even if it means raising taxes.

2. 86 percent favor raising the minimum wage (including 79 percent of selfdescribed "social conservatives").

3. 60 percent favor repealing either all of Bush's tax cuts or at least those cuts that went to the rich.

4. 66 percent would reduce the deficit not by cutting domestic spending but by reducing Pentagon spending or raising taxes.

5. 77 percent believe the country should do "whatever it takes" to protect the environment.

6. 87 percent think big oil corporations are gouging consumers, and 80 percent (including 76 percent of Republicans) would support a windfall profits tax on the oil giants if the revenues went for more research on alternative fuels.

7. 69 percent agree that corporate offshoring of jobs is bad for the U.S. economy (78 percent of "disaffected" voters think this), and only 22% believe offshoring is good because "it keeps costs down."


http://alternet.org/wiretap/29788 /

8. Over 60% oppose the War on the Iraqi People.

9. 92% support TRANSPARENT, VERIFIABLE elections!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...


The Democratic Party is a BIG TENT, but there is NO ROOM for those
who advance the agenda of THE RICH (Corporate Owners) at the EXPENSE of LABOR and the POOR.

[rug]

8. I'd watch out for the guy with the backpack.

[bvar22]

10. An honor to K&R!

[IChing]

12. It was a honor to nominate this first although I didn't

comment.

[Truthiness Inspector]

13. This cuts both ways

I appreciate your poem, but this could apply as an endorsement of the far right as well.

[Mr_Spock]

14. "Clean cut consumer Milquetoasts"

Moderates do steer the RW nut jobs to the center as well - you only see things from the left side of the argument.

Also, many are moderate on some issues, radical on others - that describes me - you may have insulted a majority with the negative characterizations.

In addition, many confuse moderatism with pragmatism - this is unfortunate as some ideas don't even pass a simple sniff test - happens here all the time.

Your point is well taken - we do need more activism, but you may not want to throw out the baby with the bath water (in other words, don't piss off the people you would like to be more active by calling them "milquetoasts".)

I have to dress that way for my job you jerk.

[undergroundpanther]

18. Pity the corporates think

Nothingan tell you how you should look and so many go along with that bullshit... Corporations don't OWN your identity. If you can do the work they want,and what your wearing isn't a safety hazard they should shut the FUCK up about your looks and be thankful someone does their busywork bullshit for such meager wages..Damn..Workers need to get some DISOBEDIENCE..in their bones..Free people should not be forced no,coerced to dress like milquetoasts if they don't WANT to.Don't ya see it's a Meddling sort of DOMINATION,and it is sick.
No reason to compromise with coercive shitheads..unless you believe they have power to tell you what to wear..or else.. That or else is a sign of a coercive abusive control based relationship..and that is not healthy. If more people threw up their middle fingers at dress codes what could the suits say? they'd lump it and get over themselves or outsource your job like they were going to do anyways....A boss has no right to be a tyrant unless the worker has accepted being under a tyranny out of desperation and being over a barrel which republicans strive to do to everyone because they know desperate people is what they want. They don't want people so desperate with nothing left to lose.. Mildly insecure people that are dependant on"bosses" are easy to take rights away from,in the corporate world.


“Nothing is so galling to a people not broken in from the birth as a paternal,
or, in other words, a meddling government,
a government which tells them what to read, and say, and eat, and drink and wear.”
Lord Thomas B. Macaulay, 1st Baron (1800-1859)

[Mr_Spock]

22. I really dress like that because I want to

Perhaps I gave a wrong impression when I said I "had" to wear certain clothes - it is expected but not required per say. I could wear jeans and a t-shirt every day if I wanted, but I feel comfortable in a "uniform" while I am at work. It is still considered proper professional attire and I am a professional. Suits me fine. It separates the stress and other BS at work from my "fun" clothes & free time. I also feel comfortable with the people who call on me - I make good buddies with the liberal salespeople & engineers who call on me and study the conservatives while I am inconspicuous to them.

What about my other points?

[undergroundpanther]

24. Ok

If it's your choice. Fine.

Did you dress that way when you were not in the"professional" role yet? Did you always dress that way,or did your style change in response to the work world? Just curious.

[Mr_Spock]

25. Well, back when I got out of college...

I started my first job in a big company as a city kid who felt really awkward wearing a tie every day. Back in the 80's it was required attire in most big companies. I was anti-authority to the point of getting into several battles with the mostly conservative ass-hole fucks that worked there (AT&T is a VERY conservative company). I tell people to avoid that fucking place like the plague. I learned to find a smaller company where I could interview them as much as them me. I also learned that conservatives are not very creative and are mostly crappy fucking workers, so life became easier for me as I became more accustomed to the professional environment (hard to get the "city" out of me - hehe). I now have a liberal boss & a good work environment where I can be creative without being held back by the conservative ass holes who would rather kiss the bosses ass than do any work, thus undercutting any hard work I may have done. I still have thoughts of kicking those weasel conservatives asses if I ever run into them again. Fortunately I did kick a few conservative asses back in the city so much of that is out of my system now - I mostly laugh at how incompetent they are.

[aikoaiko]

16. I love vanilla.

Still moderate. Still happy. Not going to shut up and go away.

[undergroundpanther]

19. Ahh a moderate has a little

bit of resistance..Good maybe you ain't as moderate as you think..Give it time,let a few things get tougher for you, you may change..I've seen it happen..Some things you cannot be moderate on without looking like you have no empathy or ethics. Are you"moderate" on torture for instance?

[aikoaiko]

26. You tell me.

I'm for aggressive, mind fuckin interrogations, but not torture. Torture is probably just gratuitous in most cases.

[Telly Savalas]

28. So "moderation" means advocacy of torturing fellow humans?

That sounds like a pretty fucking fascist definition of moderation to me.

[undergroundpanther]

37. Well

To stand up and be totally against something with strong convictionand speak out against it with strong language and empassioned argument ..it doesen't appear "moderate" to feel strongly against something anymore is it? The Very definition of moderate is to NOT feel strongly and NOT be radically opposed or for anything..

[immoderate]

20. Moderates!!??

Where?

Actually, they're OK -- in moderation.

--IMM

[Mythsaje]

30. Moderation...in all things...

including moderation.

[NYC]

31. Well done.

Thank you!

[Joe Fields]

33. One word for you: BULLSHIT!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

34. "Moderation in principle is always a vice." Tom Paine

Full quote:

"A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice." Tom Paine

[paulk]

38. I believe that everyone has the same right to an opinion

as I do. If that's being a "moderate", so be it.

Extremism, right or left, is responsible for all of the world's evils, IMHO.

[toymachines]

39. In our situation moderate is to the right

It is not acceptable to be moderate when the whole spectrum is being thrust to the right. Only a strong stance of liberal progressivism will be able to counter the fascists who have hijacked our system. It is all symantics anyways, but lets be honest and admit that we need much far left thinking and action to hope to recover our system. Moderates of all stripes only allow the negative extremists to stay in power. Truthfully, most leftists are actually moderate in relation to what the general populace wants and thinks. We have simply been attacked and pushed into the far left by the far right.