Part of our problem is demonisation. It’s like a sugar-high, but it doesn’t get us anywhere.” Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill, Democrat
The essence of political moderation is not to hold mild views, which few voters consistently do, but to be open to persuasion, and only a tiny minority of Americans are. The cohort of swing voters has been falling for decades. Majorities of Republicans and Democrats now have strong negative feelings towards each other. Americans have become hooked on the sugar-rush. It is doing them no good. Lexington: The last of the moderates/The Economist February 1st, 2018 Issue
Moderates are often considered weak versions of the Real Thing - people who lack strong convictions, who don't want to rock the boat. Moderates are often confused with centrists, but they're not exactly the same thing. Centrists are defined by their opinions, somewhere in the middle of an ideological spectrum. A moderate is defined by an attitude towards opinions. Moderates don't hold tight to a specific position on an issue. They are pragmatic problem-solvers, willing to change their minds when presented with persuasive arguments or evidence. Moderates aren't motivated by outrage. They just want to make things better.
All hail the moderates!