Middle Of The Road

Entirely uninterested in NYT items like this (doubtlessly ends in typical Timesian mealy-mouthed equivalence)
but it reminded me of the Albert Brooks cut below.

 David Adler / New York Times:

Centrists Are the Most Hostile to Democracy, Not Extremists  —  The warning signs are flashing red: Democracy is under threat.  Across Europe and North America, candidates are more authoritarian, party systems are more volatile, and citizens are more hostile to the norms and institutions of liberal democracy.

Eckshully, not completely mealy-mouthed, & has an interesting conclusion about middle-class moderate sheep.
(Charts n' graphs too, if you're of that ilk.)

What Does It Mean?

Across Europe and North America, support for democracy is in decline. To explain this trend, conventional wisdom points to the political extremes. Both the far left and the far right are, according to this view, willing to ride roughshod over democratic institutions to achieve radical change. Moderates, by contrast, are assumed to defend liberal democracy, its principles and institutions.

The numbers indicate that this isn’t the case. As Western democracies descend into dysfunction, no group is immune to the allure of authoritarianism — least of all centrists, who seem to prefer strong and efficient government over messy democratic politics.

Strongmen in the developing world have historically found support in the center: From Brazil and Argentina to Singapore and Indonesia, middle-class moderates have encouraged authoritarian transitions to bring stability and deliver growth. Could the same thing happen in mature democracies like Britain, France and the United States?

You bet it could. Wrapped in the flag & carrying the cross, to coin a phrase.

Avoid the middle of the road, politically & otherwise.