What does it really MEAN when people label themselves as political "moderates"?

[Flatpicker]

64. I always took it

that being a "moderate" is a way of stating their position on social issues more so than budgetary issues.

From those whom I've talked to who ID themselves as moderate, it tends to be a belief in the "you stay out of my private life, and I'll stay out of yours".

So for the most part they are pro LGBT/Equality issues, as long as PDA is kept to a minimum. Then again, they are not ones to engage in PDA either. They are reserved.

Fiscally, most of them are pro the social safety nets and pro defense. They may be more apt to want foreign spending reigned in and to have that money spent at home.

Sometimes they can be a bit naive in thinking that corporations do care for the environment and non-corporate interests, and that if the regulations are left as they are, the people will "do the right thing".

Typically, I think they are more willing to lean left if the change can be shown to be beneficial to society, but, you have to work with them because they don't like destructive change. If it appears that change is coming too fast or too much of a 180 from their mindset, they will lean right in their voting patterns. They are skittish. They have worked hard for what they have and don't want to lose it all, so, they need encouragement to move in one way or another. Reasoning can do that, also as the Republicans have learned, fear can do that faster. Fortunately, fear doesn't last as long, and if they feel they have been tricked, it is difficult to rebuild their trust.