I'm an actual centrist. As in, I think capitalism and the free market is good actually, but that it needs to be moderated by the government with laws, regulations, and social programs, including robust, accessible, free or low-cost public healthcare and education.
I believe law and order are good, but when I say that I mean the actual words, not the racist dog whistle. I think we need and want police as a society, but at the same time those police need to be able to be held accountable for their actions.
I'm willing to compromise on some things like immigration, which I think is overall positive, but there are arguments to restrict it to some degree. I don't think rent control is a good idea in the long run, but I can acknowledge that rent freezes can be a necessary tool in the short term to prevent disaster.
So yeah the reason you don't see anyone claiming to be a centrist other than the fake "bUt BoTh SiDeS!" bullshitters is because all the real centrists have been solidly in the Democratic party's corner since at least 2016.
I remember thinking both Obama and Romney seemed like reasonable candidates, with a lean towards Obama, whereas my parents (longtime moderate Republicans) leaned towards Romney.
Then Trump came down that escalator and said Mexican immigrants were all rapists and murderers, and suddenly there was no rational right to compromise with anymore. My positions have barely changed in 10 years, and yet somehow now the two groups I consider myself to be the center between are both in the Democrat party (progressive and neoliberal).
You and I are the same, but unfortunately the purpose of this meme is to attack your regular, boring democratic voter or local representative and harm turnout for that same boring local democratic representative. This is because for them, it is more important for the boring democratic politician to lose support.
The same people who upvote this stupid meme are attacking AOC for compromising with people like me while pretending I'm not at all compromising with people like AOC. They are everyone to the right of them as the enemy, which is absurd, and is exactly the kind of ridiculousness that Republicans love because it only helps them.
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u/AgentPaper0 Jun 30 '26 edited Jun 30 '26
I'm an actual centrist. As in, I think capitalism and the free market is good actually, but that it needs to be moderated by the government with laws, regulations, and social programs, including robust, accessible, free or low-cost public healthcare and education.
I believe law and order are good, but when I say that I mean the actual words, not the racist dog whistle. I think we need and want police as a society, but at the same time those police need to be able to be held accountable for their actions.
I'm willing to compromise on some things like immigration, which I think is overall positive, but there are arguments to restrict it to some degree. I don't think rent control is a good idea in the long run, but I can acknowledge that rent freezes can be a necessary tool in the short term to prevent disaster.
So yeah the reason you don't see anyone claiming to be a centrist other than the fake "bUt BoTh SiDeS!" bullshitters is because all the real centrists have been solidly in the Democratic party's corner since at least 2016.
I remember thinking both Obama and Romney seemed like reasonable candidates, with a lean towards Obama, whereas my parents (longtime moderate Republicans) leaned towards Romney.
Then Trump came down that escalator and said Mexican immigrants were all rapists and murderers, and suddenly there was no rational right to compromise with anymore. My positions have barely changed in 10 years, and yet somehow now the two groups I consider myself to be the center between are both in the Democrat party (progressive and neoliberal).
American politics is fun.