It is compromise and it was left behind after Nixon got impeached.

I kind of think everyone looks at every issue and weighs the pros and cons no matter where they fall. And in the middle doesn't make you more apt to look at the issues. Some issues impact more people and I think many voters are beginning to look at this more closely as opposed to their own personal gain.

My fleeing to the left began with the republican's reprehensible behavior in the 90s.

When your choices are limited to left vs. right, up vs. down, it's very easy to translate that into good vs. evil, us vs. them. It's why I've been saying for years that two-party is broken, and it was honestly never a good idea to begin with.
Our currently existing two parties can very easily be split into five or six: Tea Party (far right), Libertarian, Republican (center right), Moderate, Democrat (center left), Democratic Socialist (far left). You could probably make more if you dug a little deeper. The problem then becomes, which side wants to be the first to let go of consolidated power?

It seems you have confused independent free thinker with moderate. They are not the same.

The ‘Fairness Doctrine’ was removed from US broadcasting, Republican Industrialists bought the failing AM radio stations (for next to nothing), installed the likes of ‘Rush Limbo,’ and their divide & conquer strategy was implemented… It takes a lifetime of US history to sort it out, many can’t, the remainder won’t..

Some feel they’re experts because they can endlessly recite extremist yelling points & rhetoric. Many have become entrenched politicians, playing to an (ignorant) crowd primed for anger. As politics has become increasingly hostile, many citizens have backed out -- leaving the radicals of ‘either side’ turning out in the Primaries to ‘choose everyone’s choice’ in the General election.

The Industrialists have won, their taxes have been cut, their obligations to the society who made them wealthy are gone, they’ve few if any regulations, they accumulate extreme wealth and control the politics & courts of a once mighty nation… The workers are left scrambling, fighting among themselves over the scraps..

I have the same experience as bleurowz. I was left of center, the past 2 1/2 years have pushed me further left. The hate and threats directed to societies most vulnerable people has ignited the fire in me to get out and encourage change.

I tend to be left-of-center on most issues. But circumstances have pushed me further to the left as basic liberties seem to be eroding left and right. It's forcing me to get off the fence and take a stand, even if there's isn't much I as an individual can do. What is the saying, bad things happen when good people do nothing.

I agree... Middle of the road. I would think everyone would want to meet there! This is about the only social media I get... I do not care for Facebook as I am more a private person. But a lot of people are getting whipped up into a frenzy by alternative facts or outright lies. So the first thing is... Make sure your news source is free from manure and you have many places to go to get info!

I too have many guns and a lot of ammo. I do not hunt but I love target shooting and have a range on my property. Hey, some people collect coins or stamps. I like putting holes in paper from a long way away!

I feel part of the problem is everyone seems to want to hyphenate themselves these days. Irish-American, African-American, etc. To me, the only one that should have a special designation is Native Americans as they were here before we were.

I don't "support" every group out there. But hey, as long as you aren't hurting anyone else out there... Do what feels good for you. Who should care?

There are some people who do not like to think... They like to be told. Those are the idiots to be wary of!

At the moment we seem to be a dying breed. I have always been a “liberal”, but somehow that word is now being used as an insult! I always try to listen to both sides of an argument and even do a bit of my own research when possible before making up my mind on issues. That said, I never sit on the fence and after due consideration state my opinion loud and clear when there is an obvious right or wrong to things. There are however lots of cases that things are not all black or white and there are good and bad points on both sides of an argument. What I think most people are incapable of doing at present, especially in politics is seeing the other party is not always wrong and that that they are not always right, but somewhere in the middle, or that taboo word in politics, compromise is what the best course of action is. The current batch of politicians are not leaders, if they were they would be putting their country before personal advancement and be trying to unite not divide us.