This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit <a href="https://www.diabolicalliespod.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_7">www.diabolicalliespod.com</a><br/><br/><p>If you pay attention to political commentary, you’ll often hear a few pieces of conventional wisdom:</p><p>— America is “too polarized” </p><p>— “Both sides” are “too extreme”</p><p>— Or, most innocuously, that politicians should simply do that which is “popular,” which is itself code for policies that are considered “moderate”</p><p>But do voters really punish candidates for being extreme? Are most “popular” ideas the “moderate” ones? And, moderate or not, does popularity necessarily indicate merit?</p><p>The supposed antidote to this handwringing about political polarization is, more often than not, the mythical “centrist” candidate who will appeal to the even-more-mythical “ordinary American.” Centrism is, as the name implies, an ideology that lacks an ideology. </p><p>Today, Diabolical Lies investigates the myth of centrism.</p><p>[Full references and citations can be found in the show notes at www.diabolicalliespod.com.]</p>