So here is the quote I was trying to paraphrase at the end of my Hannity appearance last night. I had a few people ask about it so I thought it would make a good post.
"People talk about the middle of the road as though it were unacceptable. Actually, all human problems, excepting morals, come into the gray areas. Things are not all black and white. There have to be compromises. The middle of the road is all of the usable surface. The extremes, right and left, are in the gutters." -Dwight D. Eisenhower
His words are still very true today. Having to govern means finding the center. Obama is being called out by the left as being too conservative and conservatives have accused the President of being a socialist radical. He clearly is not. This President has compromised as all presidents have and will in the future. All the extreme talk on both sides ignores history.
Obama is to the left of some, and to the right of others, so that makes him a centrist? He's criticized by left and right, so he must be a moderate?
ReplyDeleteWhat if 10% of the population is to the left of him, and 90% is to the right? Is he a still a centrist/moderate/Eisenhower?
Glad you put that quote up because my DVR cut off the end. I believe in the "middle of the road" approach myself not just in politics but on most everyday issues that come up between work, family and friends, however, when a person is in a leadership position, I believe people lose respect for them - whether or not goodness comes out of their policies over the long haul - because everybody in this life wants others to think just like them - and when they don't - there is inevitably negative knee jerk reactions. In addition ,the "middle of the road" pol or leader comes off as "wishy washy" and someone who caters to the loudest voice. The perception of the people of their leader is of the utmost importance. That is the way it is. I look at Obama now and say to the people who voted for him - you see - it was not as easy as it looked. To your point on Hannity - paraphrasing - "change happens incrementally". Well, would Bushes changes - his plans to democratize the middle east happen incrementally? Will Obama's "change is gonna happen" stuff work? Unfortunately - people are not patient enough to stick around to find out. People want instant gratification - and when they don't get it - they become divisive (tea party) and the incumbent gets voted out. If that unemployment rate stays up and the war stays messy - the people will vote the dems out - period. Center or no center.
ReplyDeleteJohnny, I guess your argument boils down to this: you are better than most other people.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to you.
No Squid, you are better than me - I am second best! :)
ReplyDelete