What is a moderate and what do they believe in today's political climate?

There's so much discussion about the poles of the American political spectrum. But that's not everybody. It's not even close to everybody. Read David Brooks' column here, and I encourage it.

Brooks lays out eight points that he says encompass the moderate outlook. Here's one, and probably my favorite:

The truth is plural. There is no one and correct answer to the big political questions. Instead, politics is usually a tension between two or more views, each of which possesses a piece of the truth. Sometimes immigration restrictions should be loosened to bring in new people and new dynamism; sometimes they should be tightened to ensure national cohesion. Leadership is about determining which viewpoint is more needed at that moment. Politics is a dynamic unfolding, not a debate that can ever be settled once and for all.

It's a point that I think is completely lost in most discussions today. Public policy today is completely shrouded in the machinations of campaign strategy. Nobody ever gives an inch for fear of giving opponents ammunition. Very few public officials speak from a place of sincerity. Everything is scripted into talking points.

It's nauseating to watch.

Frustrating to participate in.

And dispiriting when thinking of the future.

That's what we'll be discussing during the P&L Statement about 3:15 today on The Patrick Lalley Show.


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