The Middle Unicorn

Many words have been written recently about this “no labels” group and the ideal of transcending the ugliness of partisan politics and just getting the people’s work done. Some proponents of this claptrap have labeled “no labels” as a moderate counterpart to the tea party movement. Which may as well be a way to define the “no labels” group as a liberal progressive counterpart to the tea party, not that there’s anything wrong with it, but if one follows the liberal progressive movement they learn that liberal progressives have undergone more rebranding efforts than General Motors.

While there have been politicians from both major parties involved in this “no labels” re-branding efforts those from the Republican side often espouse what are, absent the r next to their name, typically liberal progressive positions. Some, like former Florida governor Charlie Christ left the Republican Party in a failed senatorial bid that defined Christ as a crass political opportunist.

It seems apparent that when Election Day comes most everyone is annoyed with the tone, volume and abundance of campaign ads. In line with this tone are political talking points expressed by pundits and politicians expressed in fifteen second snippets on political shows on cable news networks. Neither of these outlets really rises above hot air, making them a good generic target for “no labels”.

No one can really understand the intricacies of a politician’s policy stance from a television commercial where Martin Heinrich accuses Jon Barela of being a lobbyist because he worked in business relations for Intel, or Anthony Weiner screaming at the top of his lungs about how millionaires and billionaires are greedy robber barons not paying their fair share. Many politicians, including both above, do not really have any policy ideas beyond general talking points and based on the way they are often regurgitated by many in casual conversation these talking points work.

So, is it interesting that many deride the exact thing that they base their own politics on? Not really. The center in contemporary politics is mythical in the sense that there is no perfect central position that would truly work for everyone, taking ingredients from left and right and mixing into a delicious pie of legislation. Almost in every instance there is a liberal position and there is a conservative position and they are antithetical in every way. And everyone knows that when you mix blueberries and pepperonis the result is something no one likes.

The real center is made up of undecided folks that base positions based on whatever sounds better at the moment. There is nothing really wrong with this except that these decisions are often emotionally based without much thought involved. These kinds of people are what “no labels” wants to attract and they will fail because in reality “no labels” is made up of finger wagging, no it all liberal progressives who label everything and annoy undecideds as often as they attract them.