Who is the most moderate Republican candidate running (TRUMP, Kasich, or Cruz)?

[RR1997]

Trump is undeniably the most moderate of these three. Don't get me wrong, Trump is a right-winger and not a moderate, but he's certainly to the left of KKKa$ick and especially Cruz.

I despise Trump with a passion btw.

I am sick and tired of the media referring to John Kasich as a moderate. He is not a moderate. He holds far-right positions on nearly every issue except for maybe immigration and Medicare. He's my favorite candidate, but he's not a moderate. Trump on the other hand is pro-universal health care, anti-free trade, pro-ending tax havens, pro-raising taxes on Wall Street, pro-entitlements, possibly pro-choice, pretty dovish for a Republican, pro-planned parenthood, etc. Trump is very left-wing for a Republican.

[beaver2.0]

I would say Trump, overall.  Kasich has more moderate rhetoric, but Trump probably has more moderate positions.

[IceSpear]

>implying Trump has an ideology

[RR1997]

To those who voted for John KKKa$ick, in what ways in Kasich to the left of Trump? He's to the right of Trump nearly every single issue.

[Vosem]

"Moderate" in the past has usually referred mostly to politicians who refrain from demonizing the other side, rather than to those who are less plugged-in to the ideologies of the respective party's. Not only is Kasich the answer here, Cruz is more "moderate" than _trump.

[beaver2.0]

"Moderate" in the past has usually referred mostly to politicians who refrain from demonizing the other side, rather than to those who are less plugged-in to the ideologies of the respective party's. Not only is Kasich the answer here, Cruz is more "moderate" than _trump.

Moderate on the issues and in campaigning style are two different areas.

[EliteLX]

Close this thread lol.

[Maxwell]

Probably Kasich by default.

Trump's neo-fascism on a lot of issues out shines any of the other issues he takes moderate-ish views on. Ted Cruz is a standard fare far right-winger and as a result doesn't really take any moderat-ish stands.

Kasich is also a pretty standard fare conservative, and the fact he's some kind of super moderate goes to show how crazy the Republican field has become.

[Wisconsin+17]

I don't like Trump, but I can't see how he's more liberal than Kasich.

[Fargobison]

Trump is all over the political spectrum and on some issues he has about three or four stances.

I guess for most of his life Trump you could definitely argue Trump to be the most moderate but lately he has been dabbling in the crazy.

[dax00]

Trump. He's changed party affiliation almost as much as I have over the past decade lol.

[Wisconsin+17]

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Never?

[Kingpoleon]

Kasich(sane, moderate)

[Intell]

Trump.

[Sumner 1868]

None because they have no real views.

However, Drumpf is clearly quite mad while Kasich is more low-energy than Jeb. So I suppose Cruz is relatively moderate in terms of personality.

[Cruzcrew]

Who in the right mind picked Cruz?

[beaver2.0]

Who in the right mind picked Cruz?

People who are unsure of what the word moderate means.

[Young Conservative]

John Kasich most certainly IS a moderate and so is Donald Trump. Ted Cruz is the only conservative left.

[Sir Mohamed]

Well… we have one hardcore right winger, a crazy billionaire narcissist who uses bigoted language and a somewhat conservative moderate.

[PeteB]

The quick off the cuff answer would be Kasich, but more for style than substance.  It really depends on how you define moderate.  

1. If it's "moderate on social issues", and looking at their overall records - not just this campaign, than it is Trump with a wide margin, followed by Kasich (Cruz is the most socially conservative there).
2. If it's "moderate on economic issues", than Trump closely followed by Cruz (Kasich is the most fiscally conservative here).
3. If it's "moderate in their outlook on life, fairness and treating others", than Kasich, by a wide margin (the other two don't even register on this scale, each for different reasons).

[100% pro-life no matter what]

The quick off the cuff answer would be Kasich, but more for style than substance.  It really depends on how you define moderate.  

1. If it's "moderate on social issues", and looking at their overall records - not just this campaign, than it is Trump with a wide margin, followed by Kasich (Cruz is the most socially conservative there).
2. If it's "moderate on economic issues", than Trump closely followed by Cruz (Kasich is the most fiscally conservative here).
3. If it's "moderate in their outlook on life, fairness and treating others", than Kasich, by a wide margin (the other two don't even register on this scale, each for different reasons).

How is Kasich to the right of Cruz on the economy??

[PeteB]

The quick off the cuff answer would be Kasich, but more for style than substance.  It really depends on how you define moderate.  

1. If it's "moderate on social issues", and looking at their overall records - not just this campaign, than it is Trump with a wide margin, followed by Kasich (Cruz is the most socially conservative there).
2. If it's "moderate on economic issues", than Trump closely followed by Cruz (Kasich is the most fiscally conservative here).
3. If it's "moderate in their outlook on life, fairness and treating others", than Kasich, by a wide margin (the other two don't even register on this scale, each for different reasons).

How is Kasich to the right of Cruz on the economy??

Because being fiscally conservative means balancing budgets, while cutting taxes, and ensuring the economy has the potential to grow and the system does not fail.  Kasich has proven he can do that and Cruz has not.  More worryingly, he has been throwing around ideas which carry a high risk for the economy. 

Introducing VAT, abolishing IRS or implementing a flat tax may all look "conservative" but in reality they could just produce unwelcome shocks to the economy (and a potential recession), more deficits and the need to cut various programs (good and bad).  And I am not even taking into account that they are supposed to be implemented by a young 45 year old lawyer, who has not run a lemonade stand, much less the world's largest economy.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Kasich

[MIKESOWELL]

If you go by what they're saying this election cycle, one would say Kasich. If you're going by their history, one would say Trump.

[Wisconsin+17]

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I'm not quite clear on how that's a bad thing for a fiscal conservative, when coupled with spending cuts.