Archconservative? Archliberal? Archmoderate?
OK, let's look at a few examples from the 11,600 occurrences of the word archconservative:
Maureen Dowd...has her say on the profound events in Vatican City ("Smoke Gets In Our News"): "The white smoke yesterday signaled that the Vatican thinks what it needs to bring it into modernity is the oldest pope since the 18th century: Joseph Ratzinger, a 78-year-old hidebound archconservative who ran the office that used to be called the Inquisition and who once belonged to Hitler Youth. For American Catholics -- especially women and Democratic pro-choice Catholic pols -- the cafeteria is officially closed. After all, Cardinal Ratzinger, nicknamed 'God's Rottweiler' and 'the Enforcer,' helped deny Communion rights to John Kerry and other Catholic politicians in the 2004 election."
Whatever his personal convictions, Robert Ehrlich as a congressman found it comfortable, or at least expedient, to ally himself with archconservative Newt Gingrich. It seemed to sit well enough with his constituency.
GE wasn't solely responsible for Reagan's political metamorphosis. Two other events coincided to push him further to the right – his 1952 marriage to actress Nancy Davis, the adopted daughter of archconservative Chicago neurosurgeon Loyal Davis, and his shock at the taxes he was paying now that he was making more money.
Ironically, Loyal Davis wouldn't be allowed into a true blue conservative meeting today.
Obviously, Google also links to numerous occurrences of the term "archliberal." Yup, all 362 of them. Here are a few:
But the plans are hardly surprising coming from an archliberal like Bolkestein who came from the conservative Dutch bourgeoisie and has long shown admiration for the United States and its free market economy.
The members of Congress in question were none other than Alcee Hastings, Sheila Jackson-Lee, Maxine Waters, and Cynthia McKinney, politicians long known for their race-baiting and socialist tendencies. Think about it for a second; these Representatives couldn't even get archliberal senators like Ted Kennedy, Patrick Leahy, John Kerry, and Barbara Boxer to permit their objections. Does Michael Moore expect us then to really take the words of oddballs like McKinney seriously?
Newsweek's archliberal Eleanor Clift was one of many who erupted with venom when Bill Clinton was impeached. "That herd of managers from the House," she hissed in January, "I mean, frankly all they were missing was white sheets. They're like night riders."
Just for fun, I did a Google search on archmoderate. This blog entry will apparently be the first place on the Internet to use the term. Although I have found some archmoderates lurking about:
See, the thing is, I'm not a liberal. Don't worry, I'm not against liberals at all, but I'm extremely moderate (like RIGHT in the middle) and sway just a tiny bit to the right in terms of political stuff. I got kicked off their forum, though, because when it comes to parties, I'm an independent who leans more to the democratics.
Extremely right- or left-wing voters are more likely to vote in general, which gives them a greater power in government than warranted by approximately 28% (which is the percent of the population that expresses a strong tie to either one major party or the other). Democrats and Republicans are not extremely left or right wing, currently they are they are extremely moderate. This means that extreme views are expressed in the officials that are elected....If the only people that can be counted on to vote are people that want excessive measures taken in legislation, the independent and moderate views are lost....Judges are integral to the government because their interpretation of the Constitution sets the precedent for what is enforced by the law and how; this possibly affects the public on the closest level.
The Centrist Coalition is a gathering place for moderate Americans who have a certain distinct vision of political leadership in our country....On the one hand, we embrace an economic agenda focused on growth and fiscal responsibility. We believe in free trade, fair competition, and limited government....On the other hand, we embrace an inclusive social agenda that celebrates the rich diversity of American life, and seeks to avoid imposing one person's choices on another. We are pro-choice and pro-civil rights.
Needless to say, you can see that these labels drive me up a wall, so I exaggerate them to an extreme. Danged Communists. Danged baby seal clubbers.
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