| Right now in the United States, moderates feel | | | | moderate points of view. |
| squeezed out of the political process by both | | | | Political history shows that, unless the USA is in |
| parties. The time has come for level-headed and | | | | major turmoil from war, attacks or economic |
| centristic/moderates to make ourselves known. | | | | downturns, most, if not nearly all, legislation which |
| Neither conservatives, nor liberals truly speak for | | | | obtains bipartisan support is strongly influenced by |
| us, the often silent, but powerful majority. | | | | moderate political views. Those presidents who led |
| Polarized extremists on each end of the political | | | | not from extremes, instead from some variant |
| spectrum state their views forcefully and loudly, | | | | of moderation, were the ones who made the |
| however, the moderate majority has primarily | | | | most lasting legacies and are the ones who were |
| gone without a voice - unified or not. Recent | | | | able to rally the nation around long-term causes. It |
| American politics have seen this polarization to | | | | is interesting to note that Ronald Reagan, Bill |
| both parties where few, if any, have had the | | | | Clinton and Barrack Obama all governed from the |
| strength to vote against the orthodox view of | | | | middle. |
| their party's extreme. | | | | The idea that a politician is to represent the entire |
| One need only look at one party, which has | | | | constituency (not just the ones who voted for |
| become stigmatized as "The Party of 'No'" to see | | | | the candidate) and also vote her or his own |
| how this plays out in national politics from | | | | conscience should be a call for a moderate stance |
| swearing in ceremony in 2009 through the | | | | from almost all politicians - as few if any districts |
| present. The moderate voices of the GOP have | | | | are represented by only one party or political |
| been silenced, early on in the new election cycle | | | | view. While not advocating starting another party |
| there seemed to be many self-labeled moderate | | | | - the time has come for moderates to express |
| Republicans running for election, but as the | | | | our varied moderate views in a constructive and |
| propaganda and mud-slinging continued, those in | | | | productive manner and develop our own political |
| the middle seemed to be out paced by the | | | | action committee. Liberals and conservatives rally |
| extreme right, most notoriously by the party's | | | | around the extreme ends of political ideology. |
| last vice-presidential nominee. The fact that John | | | | Moderates, however, come from both parties and |
| McCain, who used to be considered a "maverick | | | | understand that is more than straight party-line |
| centrist" has turned to his former colleague from | | | | politics. Understanding the nature of moderates |
| the run for the White House to establish himself | | | | ranges from those leaning left or right and those |
| as right-wing and aligned with the Tea Party. The | | | | who put themselves dead center. This should |
| idea of the Tea Party being the unifying name for | | | | provide us with many legislative ideas which can |
| a political movement rallying against taxes, health | | | | discuss and eventually advocated for political |
| care reform and often whether President Obama | | | | action. |
| was born in the US and launching smear | | | | As visualized, this proposed website will include a |
| campaigns against those who do not share their | | | | general discussion forum, a liberal-leaning forum, a |
| same political view-point. The Republican move to | | | | conservative-leaning forum, and several interest |
| silence the moderate voice, however, is not the | | | | area focus groups as the site develops and need |
| only movement. | | | | arises. It will offer a place to discuss issues and |
| During this same general period of time, the | | | | present possible solutions from a variety of |
| moderate voice of Joe Lieberman, a former VP | | | | moderate perspectives. Abusive, disrespectful, |
| nominee himself, was threatened with party | | | | and/or insulting posts of any kind will get flagged |
| expulsion for supporting a candidate from another | | | | and may result in temporary or permanent |
| party. There were voiced threats to strip him of | | | | removal of the poster's access to the forum. |
| his chairmanship of the Homeland Security | | | | As time goes on we would like to invite political |
| committee and basically oust him from the party. | | | | candidates of any kind to list their platform and |
| Democratic leaders recanted due primarily to the | | | | what they propose as solutions for the problems |
| influence of Obama. Since 2006, when he won as | | | | facing the people they serve and the role that |
| a third party candidate, he has been listed as an | | | | those in and out of government need to take in |
| Independent Democrat, even though he is still | | | | the process. The site will assign an individual blog |
| registered as a Democrat in his home state. This | | | | space to any political candidate expressing an |
| is just another example of a trend to silence | | | | interest in doing this. |