Keep Going Left or Right and You Eventually Go Over a Cliff

A reason for the gate....

 

Keep going left or right and you eventually go over a cliff.

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Recent blogs have focused on what could be perceived to be a far left (or "fringe") direction of Animal Rights.

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But, the "progressive" campaign to ban (or even limit) carriage horses in New York City recently went down in flames as passion without substance and sense of realism usually doom most human pursuits or causes.  

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But it is not just Animal Rights that sometimes become victim of its own runaway passions and stridency.

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Sometimes it is political parties and even the country.

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One is struck for example, by the scramble to far right direction of the Republican party and the leading candidates' claims of being the most "conservative" in the race. It's as though the term, moderate has suddenly become a dirty word in American politics. Those candidates who might represent centrist or "establishment" positions find themselves at the bottom of the heap, far behind others promising to "build walls" or "carpet bomb" the Middle East.

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But, if the fiery and sometimes bombastic speeches of Republican Presidential hopefuls are not enough to raise alarm bells in the casual observer, the rhetoric from the other side is every bit as concerning.

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Recently, former Secretary of State and Democratic candidate for President, Hillary Clinton was criticized by her political rival, Bernie Sanders for "not being progressive enough" and for even previously admitting she was a "moderate."  (Horrors!)

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I recall days when moderation and centrist positions were considered practical and necessary. But, now these are terms that politicians run from and apologize for.

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But, where does that leave the centrist voter?

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Will we be forced in November to choose between one candidate who wants to build walls or launch new wars in the Middle East and one whose only foreign policy appears to be, "I was opposed to the Iraq war?" (I was also opposed to the Iraq war. But that doesn't qualify me for President of the United States and Commander in Chief.)

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All of this is bringing back bitter memories of the 2000 election and what happened to Democratic and slightly left leaning, Presidential candidate, Al Gore.

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But he wasn't "progressive" and liberal enough.

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Those driven by "passion" voted for third party (Green) candidate, Ralph Nader.

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And in one of the closest, most contentious elections ever, George W. Bush was elevated to the Presidency (via the Supreme Court and electoral votes) despite having lost the popular vote.

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Two years later, we got the Iraq war -- something we are still paying for.

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One hears now about all the "passions" felt for Bernie Sanders.

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But for me, it is sense of deja vu. -- Not only of the 2000 election debacle, but also the failed Presidency of progressive and idealistic, nice guy, Jimmy Carter.

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Keep going left or right and you eventually go over a cliff.  -- PCA

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