Whatever Happened to the Moderate?

I have been doing a lot of thinking about the Occupy Wall Street movement (which has since become an Occupy [insert place here] movement). The more I think about it, the more I become scared for this country. Not because I have anything against Occupy Wall Street. On the contrary actually. For a man who considers himself a conservative, I actually find the intentions of Occupy Wall Street admirable. What I fear for in this country is the death of moderate; I fear of this country being pushed to the fringes and extremism on both sides.

Now what on earth do I mean by that? Well, I think it is an inarguable fact that the Tea Party has pushed the Republican Party far more right-wing than it has ever been. I agree with the Tea Party's ideals too of limited government, but any chances of a Newt Gingrich-style Republican Congress that worked with a Democratic President died when the Tea Party gained momentum. Most elements of centrism within the Republican Party has died. All middle ground in Washington is dead.

Why do I bring up that comparison with the Republican Party? Because it's going to be the Democrats by the end of 2012. All negotiations are off the table.The Occupy Wall Street movement will force the Democrats to the left. While Occupy Wall Street is not as leftist as the Tea Party is right (I do not see OWS advocating a Communist revolution; the Tea Party is essentially advocating a Libertarian revolution), I find it impossible for the Democrats to appease the Occupy Wall Streeters without losing their centrist ways.

Ok. So the Democrats move left. Why do I fear for the United States? Well, if the Republicans move to the far right and the Democrats move to the left, where does that leave the moderates? If Washington tries to appease the Occupy Wall Streeters, then that will have the Tea Party up in arms. If Washington tries to appease the Tea Party, Occupy Wall Street could become Occupy Congress. The country is essentially forced to choose between the extremes of right or left. There is no room for moderation and mediation. Its one or the other. The United States is put into a situation where it is left v. right. We see each other as Democrats or Republicans. Not Americans. That's a very dangerous situation.

Right now America is convulsing. We are in the most troubled times since the 1960s. Our economy is floundering (namely because of this lack of moderation). It is important to keep in mind the next couple of years that we are Americans, not divide ourselves by left or right. As Lincoln himself said, "A house divided itself cannot stand." In order to attack the issues of the next decade and recover our economy, we need to be the United States, not the Red v. Blue States.