If conservatives had their Tea
Party and liberals had their Occupy movement, it's time for people in the
middle to get mad and make their voice heard.
First, moderates need to demand that elected officials actually govern. Enough with the constant political
stances; enough with the concern about “ideological purity.” I have complete scorn for a politician
who has no ability to cooperate with people who have a different
point-of-view. If you’re elected
to govern, then go ahead and govern. Reach across the aisle, act like a
grown-up, and make things work.
Second, as voters we need to stop acting so Democratic and so
Republican. I have seen exactly two yards in this city (mine and my dad’s) that
have signs supporting candidates from more than one political party. And we wonder why politicians never
appeal to the middle? If we, as
voters, start crossing party lines to elect reasonable people from the other
side, we can create an incentive for politicians to steal moderate voters and we can turn the tide of extremism.
Most moderates are normal people, many with families, who can’t afford a
month in their RV following Sarah Palin or a month in a tent harassing
bankers. But we can make time to
vote; and when we do we need to reject the yahoos that appeal to the fringes on
either side and start rebuilding political bodies with a healthy respect for
compromise.
