... certainly weren't mere centrists in office. The pre-emptive war nonsense, the USA Patriot Act, faith-based initiatives, and serious assaults on social security and Medicare & Medicaid began with them. They expanded many of the nasty conservative actions begun by centrist Bill Clinton. After their eight year regime ended, centrist Obama took it from there and kept all of their worst excesses going.

Many of the less wacky conservatives who end up in office act more "centrist," true. But you have to separate the wheat from the chaff.