3 ms·

I disagree. Climate change is a terrible example to prove your point. It's an easy one and weakens your argument about balance. Climate change has scientific co

I disagree. Climate change is a terrible example to prove your point. It's an easy one and weakens your argument about balance. Climate change has scientific consensus and has gotten better over time. Most political issues left/right are concerned about issues that are far more nuanced and there isn't enough data to back it up, or even if there is data, there are gaping holes in methodology and eventually boils down to philosophical/ideological discussions about rights, duties of citizens and the governing bodies. People that follow the ideology of echo-chambering that you're proposing is exactly what we don't need at this time. Labeling centrists with condescendence of fetishism is uncalled for. I suggest RTFA. The press is doing a poor job of omitting facts (which is different from lying) because they don't echo back in their chambers. People that follow your proposal would be illinformed of the facts that are omitted.

JKCalhoun 5y ago
You think that climate change is a settled issue across the political spectrum? I have seen the contrary.
- systemvoltage 5y ago
  Here is the core problem that I have a hard time articulating: Here is what OP is doing: 1) Point out ills on the other side - QAnon, Climate denial, etc. 2) Make a sweeping statement that being a centrist means giving attention to aforementioned theories and giving "equal" importance to both sides. That's not what centrists do. OP's condenscending take on Centrists is based on low-blows and not much substance.
  - JKCalhoun 5y ago
    I feel like there was a time when you could be centrist and it made you appear objective, wise, open to discourse from both sides (a bit like Switzerland, LOL?). I think that time has passed though. Maybe it's the extremists that are forcing us to take sides. It's a little too nuanced in today's political climate to say, "I'm a centrist and entertain ideas from both sides … but not those crazy ideas."
    - systemvoltage 5y ago
      Do you think we're being manipulated by foreign adversaries? I know its crazy to think about and conspiratorial, but we're rotting from the inside and it's insane how divided America is.
      - JKCalhoun 5y ago
        I think there are foreign actors. But I don't think that's the entire explanation. I think rather they're taking advantage of rifts that were already here. And there are plenty of home-grown actors taking advantage of these rifts as well.
munk-a 5y ago
If we're talking about global fiscal policy in America I'm not certain what party you're pointing to as not being neo-liberal. There are many problems with a two party system but the one America is currently suffering from is that the GOP is made up of neoliberals and the Dems are also neoliberals. This is why Trump saw success in the primary, and why it is extremely foolish to discount demagogues no matter what their truly held beliefs. Being able to spin yourself as a non-neoliberal, even briefly, makes 80% of America start salivating.
tw04 5y ago
>Climate change has scientific consensus and has gotten better over time. You do realize that the Fox New crowd and the Republican party are still denying that humans have any affect on the climate, right? 30 seconds in the comments section on this latest story for instance tells you all you need to know: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-climate-change-greatest-threat-us-security https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-climate-change-greate...
- systemvoltage 5y ago
  Sure, I do. That's my point - Climate change is an easy one to make a point about siding with scientific consensus. I don't need a political side to side with why wearing masks is beneficial to reducing the spread of the virus. OP is using CC as a token to make a point that we should cease to be centrists. I am asking to listen to both sides (even if it is absolute lunacy), figure out what are the facts and what are ideological positions which are not as clearcut as CC.

JKCalhoun 5y ago

You think that climate change is a settled issue across the political spectrum? I have seen the contrary.

systemvoltage 5y ago
Here is the core problem that I have a hard time articulating: Here is what OP is doing: 1) Point out ills on the other side - QAnon, Climate denial, etc. 2) Make a sweeping statement that being a centrist means giving attention to aforementioned theories and giving "equal" importance to both sides. That's not what centrists do. OP's condenscending take on Centrists is based on low-blows and not much substance.
- JKCalhoun 5y ago
  I feel like there was a time when you could be centrist and it made you appear objective, wise, open to discourse from both sides (a bit like Switzerland, LOL?). I think that time has passed though. Maybe it's the extremists that are forcing us to take sides. It's a little too nuanced in today's political climate to say, "I'm a centrist and entertain ideas from both sides … but not those crazy ideas."
  - systemvoltage 5y ago
    Do you think we're being manipulated by foreign adversaries? I know its crazy to think about and conspiratorial, but we're rotting from the inside and it's insane how divided America is.
    - JKCalhoun 5y ago
      I think there are foreign actors. But I don't think that's the entire explanation. I think rather they're taking advantage of rifts that were already here. And there are plenty of home-grown actors taking advantage of these rifts as well.

munk-a 5y ago

If we're talking about global fiscal policy in America I'm not certain what party you're pointing to as not being neo-liberal. There are many problems with a two party system but the one America is currently suffering from is that the GOP is made up of neoliberals and the Dems are also neoliberals. This is why Trump saw success in the primary, and why it is extremely foolish to discount demagogues no matter what their truly held beliefs. Being able to spin yourself as a non-neoliberal, even briefly, makes 80% of America start salivating.

tw04 5y ago

>Climate change has scientific consensus and has gotten better over time. You do realize that the Fox New crowd and the Republican party are still denying that humans have any affect on the climate, right? 30 seconds in the comments section on this latest story for instance tells you all you need to know: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-climate-change-greatest-threat-us-security https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-climate-change-greate...

systemvoltage 5y ago
Sure, I do. That's my point - Climate change is an easy one to make a point about siding with scientific consensus. I don't need a political side to side with why wearing masks is beneficial to reducing the spread of the virus. OP is using CC as a token to make a point that we should cease to be centrists. I am asking to listen to both sides (even if it is absolute lunacy), figure out what are the facts and what are ideological positions which are not as clearcut as CC.