I learned about the term #Enlightened #Centrism on the weekend and I love it (not them). I had known the principle, but had never known the term.

Enlightened Centrists are - for example, Elon Musk, Jordan Peterson - who supposedly seek a centrist view, but usually wind up attacking the left and defending the right.

Because they don't understand the paradox of intolerance, or that unfettered libertarianism never works in practice because some people will always be selfish greedy assholes.

New Yorker: CNN’s New White Knight https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-communications/cnns-new-white-knight #NewYorker #News/AnnalsofCommunications #CableNewsNetwork(CNN) #Centrism #CNN #BBC

Read Thomas Zimmer on David Brooks' "moralizing nostalgia" and its powerful appeal to centrists along with Oliver Haynes on how center-right parties in Europe are trying to absorb the lethal rhetoric of the extreme right.

Zimmer:

"Weaponized nostalgia is an extremely potent tool in the hands of reactionaries, an important vehicle to transport rightwing ideas into the mainstream and make the reactionary project more palatable."

#centrism #nostalgia #FarRight
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https://thomaszimmer.substack.com/p/moralizing-nostalgia-leads-to-bad

@mattsheffield

The media is supposed to be objective, not neutral or centrist.

Objective: “They sky is blue. This is both the consensus of relevant scientists and something anyone can see for themselves by looking out the window. In fact, I just looked right now, and it was blue. Go look if you’re skeptical.”

Neutrality is: “Some people say that the sky is blue, others say that it’s on fire, and still others say it’s satanic. This reporter remains dutifully neutral and refuses to look out the window. Instead, we’ll simply say that the condition of the sky is controversial and disputed.”

Centrism is: “The far left says the sky is burning due to global warming. The far right says the sky is satanic due to gays and transsexuals. In the interest of centrism, we conclude that the sky is burning with satanic fires. We’re going to ignore the fact that the sky is blue.”

#journalism #objectivity #neutrality #centrism #politics

@wdlindsy

What we have is many who grew up in privilege/softness. What we need is street fighters. If you've never known much adversity you don't know human nature. Current leaders are all wrong for the task.

It's a cushy life for most. They can afford to be reasonable. What's needed is personalities like Zelenskyy to fight fascism. I cannot bear all these bipartisan fools who are just making it worse. Don't need purity ponies either. America needs fighters.

Hello! Wake TF up!
Instead the world gets Vichy Dems.

#centrism #liberals

When a trans person blows the whistle on corporations that quickly sell out trans people like herself, find every way possible — as a white heterosexual man comfortably ensconced in a world of taken-for-granted privilege — to pick holes in her argument.

As Kevin Kruse points out, Martin Luther King knew that mentality inside out, and found it odious.

#centrism #liberals #LGBTQ
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As Kevin Kruse rightly notes, it's predictably those who have the least to lose via progressive social changes achieved through solidarity and resistance to the status quo who are quickest to propose a "centrist" solution:

Move slowly. Don't rock the boat. Don't rile up the already angry.

Don't expect corporations to stand by their professed for LGBTQ people when pressure comes their way.

#centrism #liberals #LGBTQ
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https://kevinmkruse.substack.com/p/wait-wait-dont-tell-me

I'm a burn ban moderate centrist. While I understand and appreciate the laws protecting our public lands and communities, people are going to start fires anyways, so it's more important to just do whatever you want at everyone else's risk and expense. #moderatecentrism #centrism #burnban #freedumbs

@Padjo

Well I’ll defend my fellow centrists. I’m cognizant of an old Texas saw when referring to people of my ilk:

“There ain’t nothing in the middle of the road except dead armadillos”

With that out of the way.

I’ll say I’m pro capitalism, but with robust regulation.

I’m socially liberal and a fiscal realist.

I believe in a robust social safety net oriented to people who want to help themselves and which encourages others to do the same

#Centrism #Politics #Centrist

New Yorker: A Mysterious Third Party Enters the Presidential Race https://www.newyorker.com/podcast/the-new-yorker-radio-hour/a-mysterious-third-party-enters-the-presidential-race #NewYorker #Podcast/TheNewYorkerRadioHour #News/NewYorkerFavorites #TelevisionPrograms #PresidentialRace #PoliticalParties #CrackCocaine #Podcasts #Centrism #Therapy #Book

“No Labels declines to reveal just who is funding its third party bid.”

~ Ned Foley

But of course they won't disclose the name of their main donor! If they did so, the game would be up. This is a Republican-speared initiative to split the Democratic vote and assure a Republican win of the White House. It works because some Americans remain so dumb politically that they keep on casting third-party votes that are essentially GOP votes.

#ThirdParty #centrism #NoLabels

https://electionlawblog.org/?p=137032

A convincer's job is to persuade pizza-eaters to go for the burger instead.

https://doctorow.medium.com/pizzaburgers-8cfc62ee4aee

#NothingBurgers #Centrism #Cynicism #NoLabels

When your family can't choose between pizza and burgers, a pizzaburger won't make anyone happy

https://doctorow.medium.com/pizzaburgers-8cfc62ee4aee

#centrism #ProblemSolvers #AnatShenkerOsorio

Pizzaburgers: “Everybody hates this idea, so it must be great”

https://doctorow.medium.com/pizzaburgers-8cfc62ee4aee

#USPolitics #ManchinCollins2024 #NoLabels #ProblemSolversCaucus #AnatShenkerOsorio #Centrism

In the #deconstructedpodcast episode, the rep for Manchin talks about that far left and far right are extremists nonsense (#horseshoetheory). The far left is for #humanrights and community and the far right are proud boys, nazis and religious fundamentalists. Nothing alike. I absolutely hate that argument for centrism bc it's a lie. #Centrism defends the inequalities that exist now - rights are pie - there's nothing reasonable, civil, or fair about the moderate center.

In the #deconstructedpodcast episode, the rep for Manchin talks about that far left and far right are extremists nonsense (#horseshoetheory). The far left is for #humanrights and community and the far right are proud boys, nazis and religious fundamentalists. Nothing alike. I absolutely hate that argument for centrism bc it's a lie. #Centrism defends the inequalities that exist now - rights are pie - there's nothing reasonable, civil, or fair about the moderate center.

lightly scratch a centrist, and a fascist bleeds.

I mean, I guess
"Queers should be exterminated" living in the same brain as "disabled people should get to live" is, in a way, centrist.

amazing how fast they went from "she is right, furries have nothing to do with lgb"
to "queers get the wall"

Bonus points, says they do not know what "the pink triangle" even is.
Amazing.

#transphobia #queermisia #centrism

by @DavidCorn in #MotherJones:

"No Labels is a political outfit that hails political centrism, calls for bipartisanship, and is considering running an independent ticket in the 2024 presidential election that could end up spoiling President Joe Biden’s reelection bid. On its website, the group urges politicians and citizens to eschew the 'extremists on the far left and right,' and it asks people who are 'fed up with the angriest voices dominating our politics' to sign up as members and donate to the group. But No Labels neglects to inform its online contributors that a cut of their gift goes to a company that aids Republican candidates and far-right organizations that engage in the harsh politics of extremism that No Labels professes to renounce."

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/06/no-labels-is-helping-a-firm-that-raises-money-for-right-wing-extremists-anedot/

#NoLabels #centrism #centrist #centrists #FarRight #Anedot #JoeLieberman

"What especially confused Chris Licht and the rest of CNN’s management was the difference between being politically partisan and standing up against authoritarian demagogues. They assumed that holding Trump accountable for what he did (and continues to do) was inconsistent with so-called “balanced journalism.”

Wrong. It is not partisan to stand up for decency and democracy. That’s where CNN’s audience wanted — and presumably still wants — CNN to be."

#CNN #ChrisLicht #centrism
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"CNN’s new management came along at a time of establishment confusion over whether the old political center would return after Trump. America’s business establishment — including Warner Bros. Discovery billionaire John Malone — hoped it would. But that proved a pipe dream. The division between authoritarianism and democracy is now too deep. If anyone had any doubts, CNN’s Trump town hall should have erased them."

~ Robert Reich

#CNN #ChrisLicht #centrism
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https://robertreich.substack.com/p/goodbye-cnns-chris-licht-but-whats