On Moderation

The same friend also chastised me for my harsh language regarding the President, his party and his agenda.  He argued that if I wanted to persuade 'moderates' like him of my position   I would need to tone down my language, sound more moderate, more reasonable.  He has a point about persuasion, certainly if someone wants to be persuaded, soft gentle language will make the seduction more successful.  But I wonder if such a course is actually useful given our situation.  Some examples:

The Medicare Part "D" program signed into law was a notable 'moderate' victory, it agreed to have taxpayers pay 90 cents of every dollar of pharmaceutical costs for seniors at a net unfunded liability cost of 18 Trullion.  Of course a Democrat only bill would have cost over 30 trillion but the moderate compromise was no more than a slower boat to oblivion.

The Iraq war resolution was another 'triumph' of moderation.  27 'moderate' Democrats voted with Republicans for the resolution.  A few short months later, when the going got tough, 26 of the 27 Democrats 'cut and ran' claiming (falsely) that they had been 'lied into' the war.  A claim that speaks volumes either about their honesty or their gullibility depending on whether you believe them or not.  They resolutely opposed the war until the moment that the Presidency shifted to BHO.   Then each of them magically rediscovered the principles that caused them to support the war in the first place.  The only people to stick to their principles regardless of the politics:  a few hard left Democrat Senators, virtually every Republican and Joe Lieberman who was thrown out of the Democrats.  Moderation!

Finally, that avatar of moderation:  Arlen Specter.  A RINO Republican whose vote was for sale on virtually any issue, he shifted to the Democrats when he concluded that his 'moderation' would no longer be tolerated by Republican voters and began selling his votes from the other side of the aisle.  He was then turfed by rank and file Democrats who it turns out can't stomach a habitual turncoat any more than Republicans can.  But a great moderate.

From the perspective of a Conservative, appealing to moderate sentiments seems likes a mugs game - a mixture of slightly milder blunders and constantly being manipulated for 'goodies'.  Better to stick to principle and let the stone cold hand of history force them to choose sides.