Life behind the zion curtain, politics, music, IT, things that go fast, tasteless humor, and everything anti-bush.
Well folks,

I have been reflecting as of late on the goings on here on JU with all the bickering between Liberals, Conservatives, Neo-cons who think all dems are libs, libs that think all cons are neo-cons, yadda yadda yadda. It's actually been a bit depressing in a way. A sign of the times and a direct reflection of just how polarized our great nation has become.

Folks like myself have felt a little out in the cold. We make our choices for the upcoming election, and we are automatically pigeonholed by what the extreme sides of the political spectrum say we are. Wether we are Dems, Repubs, or Indies. Were either a pinko, a fascist, or a flake. I harbor no love for the current administration not because of what political party they are. I have voted for repubs in the past, and will in the future. (in case you didn't know...i'm a democrat) I vote and support who i want by conscience, not party. I think there are a lot of folks like me from all sides, and we are lost in the shuffle. I also think we are the actual majority in this country.

I was watching CNN this morning and saw something that really got my attention. They were talking about me! Not personally mind you, but about my particular political persuasion.

The Angry Middle!

It was like somebody turned all the lights on all of a sudden. Dems...Repubs...Indies....All who thought, and believed what i do! How we are constantly ignored as of late and the power that we have. The power to change things, the power to express ourselves, the freedom to vote by conscience and not by party. And how large the numbers are. We are not small mind you.... We are the MAJORITY! Jesus that's empowering! A sea of people who love their party, but don't let the party line tie them down to voting their way. To vote for whoever you want to, based on your beliefs!

They went on about a few common points.

1. We all believe in the freedoms that the Constitution and the Bill of Rights guarantees us.
2. We believe in the government not having the power to superceed these rights in any form.
3. Pro Choice means just that....PRO CHOICE! Most of us do not favor abortion, but it is not our right to tell someone else how to live their life.
4. A strong national defense and the ability to use the power wisely and only when absolutely needed.
5. Fiscal accountability and responsiblity
6. The awareness of the plight of our fellow man, and that as a society we are obligated to better ourselves as a whole.
7. States Rights
8. The right to work for a fair and equitable wage and affordable health care
9. The right to an affordable education for our children
10. And not to be taxed to death!

This is my Declaration of Independence......My name is Thatoneguyinslc....And i'm in the ANGRY MIDDLE!

Comments (Page 1)
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on Aug 26, 2004
Touché indeed!!!

I too could be defined as the angry middle... It's like having a serbian mother and a croation father, waking up in the morning and wanting to hit myself!!!!

BAM!!!
on Aug 26, 2004
Count me in! I couldn't agree more.
on Aug 26, 2004
Another insightful for you One Guy!
If you have read my stuff you know I really don't like any politicians!
on Aug 26, 2004
I am Angry middle all the way!
on Aug 26, 2004
Thank you! I dont feel so alone anymore!
on Aug 26, 2004
I'm an Indepentent myself and regularly vote both parties.

But I think many people have jumped deep into the parties this time because we are stuck with only two choices. Then you must pick our horse that we think are the lesser of the two evils. Then ride the horse into the ground weather we want to or not.

Goerge Washington once believed the worse thing that happened during his time as President, was the formation of political partys. I completely argee.
on Aug 26, 2004
I suppose being being a libertarian I could consider myself in the "radical middle", combining ideas from the far left and far right. I really don't see how you don't have a voice though... your vote counts as much as anyone's, except people in states that have fewer electoral votes, where the votes of their citizens count more (because the two votes for the senators are distributed among fewer people).

I see one problem with your posts though- you don't define what you mean. For example, you say that you believe in the constitution and bill of rights, but does that mean that you support full removal of the partiot act? I think a lot in the middle accept the patriot act, even if you personally don't.

You also don't define what "absolutely needed" means- repubs and dems both believe in what you said, but define "absolutely needed" differently.

when you talk about "fair wages" and "affordable healthcare", both dems and repubs believe in it too. Dems consider giving unions unreasonable power and increasing minimum wage "fair wages", while repubs would consider "fair wages" to mean reducing the amount of people eligible for overtime and undermining unions. Also, dems and republicans both believe in affordable healthcare, and depending on who's funding their campaigns they either believe in government subsidization or tort reform and legal liability reductions.
on Aug 26, 2004

I support a total removal of the Patriot Act and replacing it with SANE and reasonable laws that protect us from terror and protect our rights at the same time.

Fair wages are fair wages for the common man. I give a rats ass about the rich, as they give about me. Not every repub is rich, and not every dem is poor.

I don't care how health care drops its costs. As long as its done and doesn't place a burden on the poor or middle class.

Absolutely needed means when there is a direct threat to the people of the US. Not based on bad second hand intelligence.. Think AFGHANISTAN instead of IRAQ.

I love how you tried to make this a dissertation/dissection without realizing that my post was about the common beliefs of those on the middle, regardless of political party. My point is that nowadays with all the fingerpointing, labeling and all the other BS that is turning our whole political process into a big joke, the common man is not getting noticed. My declaration is this. That i am sick of the bullshit, and i want to know if there are others who feel the same way.

And you can be as radical as you like. I'm not radical. I'm ANGRY. Angry that people try to say i'm something im not, angry that people want to get upset with me for being a conscience voter, angry that our government no longer listens to its people, angry for the state of my country, and angry that people like you want to pick apart anything people like me say so you can justify what you are.

on Aug 26, 2004
Well said! I just can't understand voting according to label, democrat must vote democrat, no question. And it drives me up the wall when people are one issue voters. I know way too many women who vote based on the candidates' stand on abortion.
Angry middle? this sounds like the perfect description of the educated voter who can actually think for themselves. Nice article, I am with you on this.
on Aug 26, 2004
Wow, good to see others feel the same way. I always suspected there were lots of us out there. I wrote a blog on this a while back I think I called "A Man without a Party" or some such drivel. My biggest hope as a member of the Angry Middle is that whoever is elected as the next president will remember they shouldn't represent Democrats or Republicans. They should represent Americans.
on Aug 26, 2004
Everybody likes to think that they're in the middle and that their views are the ones supported by the majority (or if they have a martyr complex, opposed by the majority).
on Aug 27, 2004
My beliefs are definately in the "middle of the road"
on Aug 27, 2004
George Washington once believed the worse thing that happened during his time as President, was the formation of political partys. I completely argee.


I think if the founding fathers were around today, they would start another revolution!
on Aug 27, 2004

If they ever write another Constitution, I want to see you there at the table!
on Aug 27, 2004
I doubt they would let me in the door...But ya never know!

Thanks Anne
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