From the middle

By David Kaiser, Editor

Filed Under General on Mar 3 

As the middle man here, I found a great op-ed piece called “The Moderate Manifesto”.

I don’t 100% agree with it, but it nails a lot of my feelings on the current state of affairs:

Those of us who consider ourselves moderates — moderate-conservative, in my case — are forced to confront the reality that Barack Obama is not who we thought he was. His words are responsible; his character is inspiring. But his actions betray a transformational liberalism that should put every centrist on notice. As Clive Crook, an Obama admirer, wrote in The Financial Times, the Obama budget “contains no trace of compromise. It makes no gesture, however small, however costless to its larger agenda, of a bipartisan approach to the great questions it addresses. It is a liberal’s dream of a new New Deal.”

And here we stand. Unloved, ignored, and without a true party to call our home.

Can we get a bail out please?

Comments

  • Alaina Segovia

    Y’all may be suprised at this, but I actually wanted Obama to beat Hillary in the primaries. Up until about March that is… then I started learning more and more about him. The more I learned, the scarier he got and until I decided we would be better off with ANYONE, except maybe Pelosi (but it’s kind of a toss up). So far, he hasn’t proved me wrong.

    • East of Eden

      Ya….kinda wishing Hillary was it, which totally shocks me everytime I say that.

  • East of Eden

    David, this is a very interesting article, I’m glad you posted it.

    Right after Obama was elected I posted a piece about giving him a chance. I’d hoped that he’d do a good job, and include the GOP in his efforts as the leader of our nation — even though I am a conservative. I wanted to give him the chance that the liberals never gave GWB. I don’t pray for him to fail, but I think he will, just because I don’t think the government is the solution.

    Anyway….I feel now, that he and his party members specifically, Pelosi, Reid, Frank, Dodd, Emmanuel, are taking a “my way or the highway” approach to running the country ‘because that’s what the GOP did’, Sometimes I feel — with the way both parties are acting– like I’m back teaching high school and watching teenaged girls cat fight in the halls….oh so fun!

    And Chris, I disagree with your position that because the GOP lost they have no right to expect to be listened to. Excuse me? I pay taxes, I contribute, just because my party happned to have lost does not mean I don’t get a seat at the table, and somehow my concerns are no longer valid. As a nation we’ve a tradition of including the minorty party. Sadly, and again, I blame both parties for this, the minority is ignored, demonized, marginalized and pushed to the side. However, people, just regular people suffer because of the politicians’ antics. I think that’s what frustrates most people. We are willing to work it out, to compromise, to listen to the other side and I think most regular people want to do that — can someone send that memo to DC??

    • David Kaiser, Editor

      Thanks Eden, I appreciate the feedback. Nice comment.

    • Chris

      I disagree, I think that politics is more pragmatic and don’t see the GOP members being “much ignored, demonized, marginalized and pushed to the side”

      In fact Senator Obama went out of his way to include them in the stimulus planning nad they threw it in his face, demanding yet more nad more and showing inability to work for him. All they can ever talk about its tax cuts. Its their answer to everything. It is a shame it doesn’t really work and only gives benefit to a small percentage of society

      In any event, most politicians are pragmatists and these are no different, if not we would have seen a grand jury appointed to examine war crimes against the former administration

      • East of Eden

        Sooo, because I disagree with what Obama is doing I am an obstructionist — those are his words not mine. THat’s not demonizing, marginalizing or pushing to the side?? Excuse me? Last week when a GOP rep (whose name escapes me right now) in the Fiscal Responsibility meeting asked Obama to talk to Pelosi about letting some of the GOP concerns to be brought to the table. He was laughed off, and pushed aside. Then you have Obama saying crap like “I won”….I don’t know what you’re news over there in the UK is telling you, but the GOP is being demonized, marginalized and the dems are doing everything to push them aside! Which is frustrating, because thats about half the country….!!

        And I would not call inviting the three most RINO repblicans to the table a bi-partisian effort. The reason the GOP “threw the stimulus back in his face” as you called it, is because it stunk on ice. Now we are finally seeing some dems get brave and go against the party on this budget bill that’s going thru, because it too stinks on ice!

        Just because Obama has anointed himself and the media has proclaimed him the Chosen one does not mean he is. Our system is set up to be an adversarial one, not a rubber stamp like that in the UK, it’s good to finally see the GOP standing up for something (although it’s too little too late). Perhaps if they’d have found their courage before the election (and stood up to some of the garbage GWB rammed thru) it would be someone other than Nancy and Harry at the helm in the Congress.

        Finally, if you have not noticed, every time a new part of the stimulus or the next stimulus, or Geithner, Bernake speak to Congress or Obama holds a press confrence the markets plummet. The American people know more than their government does about what needs to be done to save ourselves. Sadly, the Congress and the President are like the Emperor admiring his new clothes made out of fabric that does not exist and are parading down the street naked. They seem to be the only ones who think they look good.

      • kristen

        Obama’s idea of being partisan is inviting Republicans over for coffee and tea. He doesn’t want their ideas AT ALL.

        And yes, tax cuts DO work. This was demonstrated in the 80s under Reagan. You cannot buy your way out of a recession, like the Dems think. This so-called strategy has never worked…..anywhere. There is ample evidence to prove this. It’s like the Dems are not even considering the side effects of tax hikes (people working less to avoid a tax bracket, less production, less investing, etc, etc.)……or they just plain don’t care.

        • German Observer

          Kristen, please let me understand your statement, when more than 40% of the stimulus package goes into tax cuts. Maybe I’m misinformed so I ask with out hidden thoughts, I just want to know.

          • kristen

            I’m not sure what you’re getting at, and I only have a few minutes to respond; but let me see if this is where you’re going with this. Tax hikes will have the following effects:

            1. People who make more than the $250K will work it so that they are no longer in that bracket. They’ll just work less and make less. Why make more when you’re going to have to hand so much more over to the govt?

            2. Capital gains tax increases will result in a decrease in investing. Why invest when you’re paying huge taxes on your dividends?

            So let’s see. Less people making $250K+ = less tax revenue. Less investing = less tax revenue. All of this equals less production and output which equals less tax revenue. The mayor of NY recently vetoed a tax increase on his richest residents because he knew that those 40,000 or so (out of millions) would just simply relocate if they were burdened any more with a heavy tax load. That’s the sort of thing that happens with an increase in taxes.

            Some spending is good and even justified. But what the Obama administration is proposing? It’s almost national suicide. There is not one example that shows that this sort of astronomical spending has benefited a country. (Revisit your history books re the 1930s and FDR’s New Deal.) And I don’t care if people think it works; it doesn’t. Just because a group of people think something works, doesn’t mean they’re right. They ought to check the facts.

          • German Observer

            Kristen, I know about the possible negative effects of tax hikes. But you miss the point, that the stimulus package contains apart from the hikes for the 250k+-people tax cuts for the people below (as far as I understood so far). Does all your embarrasement point to the reversal of Bush’s tax cuts for the 250k+? And do you ignore the tax cuts or is it me whoi gets something wrong?

            • kristen

              My embarrassment? I’m still not sure where you’re going with this….

              This will be a tax increase for everyone. Not only is Obama planning on letting Bush’s tax cuts expire, but he’ll be raising taxes on businesses (large and small). How do these businesses pay for it? They pass it on to the consumer. And less money for a company means less money to expand and hire more people.

              This is not a stimulus package; it’s a spending package.

              • Brian H

                GO.

                Would you not acknowledge that to receive a “tax-cut” one should have to have actually paid taxes?

                Obama claims that the 40% tax cuts are going to 95% of the workers. The problem is, GO, that over 40% of the 95% he claims is getting a “tax cut” do not pay any taxes.

        • David Kaiser, Editor

          Kristen, there is actually a school of thought in economics that believes that you can spend your way out of a recession. Just like there are economists who believe that tax cuts are the answer, and still others who think that not doing anything at all is the best way to deal with a recession.

          Food for thought.

  • Sartho

    If I knew how to post charts on here I’d be happy to give you a diagram based on very simple economic principles as to why his economic policies will fail us in the long term regardless of if they sputter a little something in the right direction in the next year or so. They’re bad news for those of us who value free enterprise.

  • JE

    Glass half full, glass half emtpy. Both are psychological. Be realistic…you have half a glass, figure out how to fill it up! :)

  • Chris

    you all want instant results. You are not going to get them. Liberals will be disappointed that he is not moving fast enough while republicans still think they are in power.

    Guess what, you lost. You not longer run the table, and you lost so heavily that you have no right to expect or demand anything

    President Obama like all his predessesors will take a mainly pragmatic view on his actions.

    I get that some of you think that his policies on the economy are going to fail, but it seems to be that some of you even hope they do.

    What do you call someone who wants their country’s economy to fail because they doesn’t approve of the ideology of those trying to fix it?

    • Red State Eddio

      “What do you call someone who wants their country’s economy to fail because they doesn’t approve of the ideology of those trying to fix it?”

      1. Democrats over the last 8+ years.

      2. Liberals who think we Americans are too wealthy, too bossy, too selfish, and need to get knocked down a peg or two for our own good.

      I find great irony in that the same libs that want this transformed society are totally trashing the only engine that can make their dream world possible.

      I believe that what we’re seeing is capitalism on strike. “You want to browbeat, spank, and denigrate me for the way I spend money to make money? Fine. I’ll just hold onto it and keep it at home. Let somebody else invest and take their chances.”

      • Chris

        actually, I call them Rush Limbaugh and his supporters

        so RSE, do you want the President’s policies to fail?

        • kristen

          Well, just like Rush has stated, if the policies include running this nation into the ground and turning it into a pure socialist society, then yes, we want those policies to fail.

        • Red State Eddio

          What I want is for the majority of Americans (outside the liberal camp who are just a lost cause) to realize that the president’s policies are going to fail us as a country, and will rise up as one and say “enough” before the Oba-wan leads us over the cliff of economic catastrophe like a lead lemming.

          As we realize the full extent of the debt we are incurring, while the monkeys who are throwing darts at the dartboard for economic ideas in the backroom continue to shrug their shoulders and give vague platitudes, as capitalists stay home and wait for the other shoe to drop before losing more of their hard earned money – yea, I hope our country is smarter than a bunch of lemmings.

          I don’t think its a question of wanting him to fail as much as its a question of when will we wake up, smell the coffee, and stop the madness before he wrecks more than just the economy.

          “Giving him a chance” as some have opined is one thing; handing over 4 years of control to the biggest economy, biggest bank account, and largest military is quite another.

          To the moderates among us, I say – we’re getting what you voted for…

          • Chris

            perhaps, but where were you when President Bush was running up the huge deficit? Did you “rise up and say’enough’?” Quite a few did, they voted for the other party and he has the mandate to try the policies that he thinks will work

            You forgot too readily that we have just had 8 years of the biggest economy, biggest bank account and largest miliatary in the hands of the right. Could they have made a bigger mess of it?

            I am not an economist, but I was always on the monetarist view than Keynesian personally. I also see that no-one knows what the right course of action to take it, there are a number of different govts across the world seeking solutions and even within the European Union there is not a uniform approach to the economy

            Why is the “liberal camp” a lost cause, why are you grouping social views and economic views together, they are different.

            further you seem to think that the very policies that got us into this mess are the ones to get us out of it and call those who disagree “lemmings”

            President Obama is not on an ideological crusade to bring about socialism, if he is, then you will throw him out in 4 years time at the ballot box. He is trying to fix a broken economy, you might not approve of his methods, but if he succeeds then surely you would be happy with that?

            I doubt it.

            • Gary Russell

              “…where were you when President Bush was running up the huge deficit? Did you “rise up and say’enough’?” Quite a few did, they voted for the other party…”

              You are very wrong, Chris.

              Are you seriously implying that those who said “enough” to the big spending under Bush (with a Dem Congress) turned around and voted for someone (Obama) who they KNEW would spend even more?

              That doesn’t even make sense.

              No, Obama won because some of those who said “enough” felt that McCain was going to be “more of the same” in regards to spending. So, rather than chose the lesser of the two evils, they stayed home.
              (I am NOT one of those, as I have well documented in these posts.)

              • David Kaiser, Editor

                Gary, Bush only dealt with a Democratic Congress the last two years of his eight years in office, and had increased the deficit before 2006.

                I’ll agree with the premise of your statement, but don’t forget that Dubbya and a GOP Congress are far from innocent when it comes to fiscal irresponsibility.

                • Chris

                  I was just pointing out some of the glaring hypocracy going on

                  I also not sure I buy the “lesseer of two evils” argument, like Tony Blair in 1997, President Obama attracted a massive following who wanted change

                • Gary Russell

                  “Dubbya and a GOP Congress are far from innocent”

                  I’m with you on that one, Kaiser.

            • kristen

              One of the biggest misconceptions is that conservatism got us ‘into this mess’. This is simply not true. Anyone who thinks Bush is a conservative needs a reality check. His and Congress’s fiscal irresponsibility and excessive regulations–liberal policies–have spurred this economic ‘crisis’. However, Bush did want to reign in on Fanny and Freddy as well as Clinton’s housing policy requiring banks to loan to unqualified persons (and other such ridiculous allowances)……but no one cared. Obama is an extension of these failed policies to an exponentially increased degree. There are many in the financial and economic world who do not see this strategy working. (And for good reason; spending oneself out of a recession has NEVER worked; anywhere.)

  • David Kaiser

    Gary I’m not hating on you, I just don’t agree with you. And your wisdom has yet to be proven, if and when Obama’s plan fails, hey, I’ll gladly say you were right.

    But I won’t presume to know more than the guy that won the election, and I don’t suspect that you know more either.

    • Gary Russell

      I think that we BOTH know more than the guy who won the election!
      That’s the problem.

      I say that, not to impune his intelligence (boy, did I get tired of the left doing that to Bush, Palin, et al), but simply because it doesn’t take much to KNOW that his socialism-friendly policies will destroy our country.

  • David Kaiser

    I’m not sure McCain would have been better or worse.

    You can call it a gamble all you want, but you can’t win the lottery if you don’t but a ticket.

  • David Kaiser

    Sorry RSE, I’m a glass half full guy. I can’t say I love what Obama’s doing, but I’m going to let it ride for a bit to see what the results may be.

  • David Kaiser

    You can all call me naive all you want, I just don’t see that giving someone a chance to prove themselves an issue.

    Call me naive, I call you obtuse and inflexible.

    • JE

      NAMECALLING!!! The flexible, respectable moderate has resorted to namecalling! :)
      Do you allow a neurosurgeon to operate on your brain tumor if it is his first case in the name of ‘giving him a chance’? No, you look for the most experienced surgeon with the best record. Both parties failed.

      • David Kaiser, Editor

        Meh. Fine JE, I was name calling, sorry if being referred to as naive that I take a little shot back ‘atcha.

        And comparing a doctor to being President is apples and oranges.

        • Sartho

          “And comparing a doctor to being President is apples and oranges.”

          I’d say that’s because those who would truly make great presidents are too smart to run for the office so we end up with the throw backs.

          • David Kaiser, Editor

            I’ll respectfully disagree Sartho. Bill Clinton, despite his dearth of morals, is an extremely intelligent man, in addition to being an extremely adept politician.

            He just couldn’t keep it in his pants and then lied about it.

        • JE

          I agree, apples and oranges. Doctors are required by law to spend years in school and training to get a license and then if they screw up they are held accountable. Politicians…well, if they sound pretty we can give them the keys to the kingdom.
          I gotta say, back to the original article…the man is in office less than 2 months and already some of his supporters have buyers remorse. His administration is more worried about figuring out how to counter rush limbaugh than running the country. He was supposed to help our relations with other countries but his exploits with russia and britain have both been embarrassments this week. The head of the US communist party gavbe a speech this week about how great it is to have someone on their side in the white house and how he is implementing thier policies so well.
          Yeah, no one saw this coming. Only us paranoid tin foil hatters who wouldnt give the kid a chance.
          OK, will let up on you DK. Besides, i gotta go get my tin foil hat and start digging my bunker in the woods. Maybe i will run into lazlo. In retrospect he made more sense than many of the wingnuts on both sides.

  • JE

    Not to sound too ‘lazlo-esque’ (thanks, kaiser, i have a new word), but what was the alternative? Would mccain have done anything different up to this point? His primary financial advisor was a man whose name was attached to the bill to deregulate banks which contributed to this mess. I give kaiser credit because he gave obama a chance. Of course i am in awe of people who can go to a casino and think they have a chance to beat the house too…naivete is a thing to behold.

  • Joe Citizen

    “….are forced to confront the reality that Barack Obama is not who we thought he was.”

    David, confront the reality that this site has been centered on that very point for the better part of six months.

    • David Kaiser

      Joe the reality is that most people on this site weren’t willing to give him a chance to begin with, so I’m not quite sure what your point is, other than being insipid.

      • Gary Russell

        Kaiser…your use of the word “chance” is interesting.

        Taking a chance = gambling, right?

        Why would we want to “take a chance” that maybe, just maybe, he would change his ways and be someone that he has never before been?

        Were you hoping that maybe Nancy and Harry would help to guide him along the path of moderation?

        Don’t be hatin’ on those of us who didn’t want to “give him a chance” – maybe we were wise enough to see through the shiny patina to the truth which lay beneath.

        Or, to put it differently, the “lipstick on the pig”. :)

      • Red State Eddio

        DK – I am waiting for Obama to prove himself worthy of my trust, especially since I did not vote for him. I am willing to shift, but he’s gotta show it. When he earns it, he’ll get it.

        You’re telling me I need to trust him until he proves himself untrustworthy.

        That’s the difference between us.

  • JE

    Without a true party to call your own? Why not start your own. Obviously it would win in a landslide since i keep hearing how everyone is really a moderate.
    But you are not unloved or ignored…just taken for granted by both parties. Join the club. I admire your willingness to give people a chance to prove themselves. I wish i were trusting enough to do that.

    • David Kaiser, Editor

      Trust me JE, I give everyone a chance. Just don’t blow it, because you usually only get one :)

      • JE

        Am i not proving myself worthy? :p

        • David Kaiser, Editor

          Haha, you are fine JE.

          • Shawn Naegle

            Fine? Didn’t you just call him Lazlo earlier today?

            • David Kaiser

              No, I said his comment was Lazlo-esque. That doesn’t make him Lazlo :)

  • Troy La Mana

    We’ll give you a bailout but then we’ll have to tax it out of your hands.

  • http://www.sotr.us Cordeiro

    No bailout for you!

    • Red State Eddio

      You stimulus Nazi!

      • Brian H

        “No soup-kitchen for you!”

  • kristen

    the Obama budget “contains no trace of compromise. It makes no gesture, however small, however costless to its larger agenda, of a bipartisan approach to the great questions it addresses. It is a liberal’s dream of a new New Deal.”

    And this is a surprise?

    • David Kaiser, Editor

      It’s not a shock, but it’s a mild surprise given Obama’s message.

      See, the difference here is I actually give people a chance to prove themselves before I dismiss them as the “same old, same old”.

      • David Kaiser, Editor

        In this case, Obama has not proven himself, at least not so far.

      • kristen

        Hmmm. I thought he was transparent. His background spoke for itself.

      • Gary Russell

        “See, the difference here is I actually give people a chance to prove themselves before I dismiss them as the “same old, same old”.”

        What precious little policy ACTION that he was involved in prior to his election PROVED himself as a typical Chicago-syle leftist. What was there to prove????
        Anyone who fell for the beautiful words was just a naive, gullible, misguided, pipe-dream smokin’ fool.

        • Gary Russell

          Not that there’s anything wrong with that!

  • Red State Eddio

    I believe the application form is located on the ACORN website.