If it is regarding the government control over economic and personal behavior, as a centrist I prefer the middle ground. I may want the government to intervene on some issues and support individual choices on others, but overall I try to keep an open-mind in order to come up with a reasonable solution to problems. I am a centrist because I prefer not to settle every issue with bias. The government is not about doing what is popular, but what is right and that takes reasonability.
The viewpoint of abortions have been debated for a long time. Some are pro-life which is the belief that abortions are terrible, so it should never be an option. Others are pro-choice which is the belief that everyone has the choice to decide whether to have an abortion or not. Of course there is a whole spectrum of beliefs on this topic; however, pro-life and pro-choice are the main viewpoints. I have come to my own conclusion after gaining an efficient amount of information on the issue that circumstances happen and people have their reasons for wanting or needing an abortion. There is no worldwide standard on when life begins, so if the woman has the money then she should be able to choose. It is not the government’s job to provide her with the money for it, but it is also not the government’s job to intervene either. Seeing as I believe in pro-choice when it comes to abortions shows my liberal side, but believing that it is not the government’s job to pay for it shows my conservative side.
Then there is the issue of prayer in schools. There are schools built on a certain faith. There are Christian schools, Jewish schools, etc. These schools require students to participate in the religious practices such as prayer. Some would point out the fact that these students chose the school knowing it was faith based, so it would be expected of them to practice the faith of the school. Others would argue that we live in a country where we can follow and have our own religious practices and beliefs. I believe that yes we have our religious freedom, so we should not be forced to practice another’s religious path; however, if the student goes to a faith based school it should be required to at least take religious classes in order to learn the faith the school was founded on. It would simply open the student’s mind, but never force the student to believe or practice the religion. My views on prayer in school shows that I am for government intervention in school programs by allowing students to exercise their religious freedom.
Also the issue of social welfare is prominent. Social welfare is meant to help those who cannot help themselves. While conservatives believe that it is not the government’s job to provide for the citizens, the liberals believe that it is the government’s job to support the citizens. I came to the realization that some people lose their jobs because of unfortunate circumstances or injure themselves to the point they can no longer work. Perhaps some people do not have the proper degrees to support themselves or those who are dependent on them; however, the government is deeply in debt and cannot afford to continue to support every citizen with a financial issue. I came to the conclusion that social welfare should only be provided to an individual for a certain limited amount of time. The money cannot be given to him or her for the rest of his or her life, but the government should help out until there is enough time given for the person to provide for his or herself again. My views on social welfare show my liberal side in the government helping out financially and my conservative side in the government no intervening too much.
Sources:
“What Is Centrist/Centrism.” The Centrist Party. Web. 02 Feb. 2016.