Labels

People like to classify other people using labels like conservative or liberal.  Once they apply the label they associate every position supposedly held by that group to you.

With the exception of the Trump Puppets, most people are much more complex than that.  We used to realize you could be a social liberal and a fiscal conservative.  We also used to realize you could  be liberal on one issue, say civil rights and still oppose things like abortion.

We have apparently devolved into a nation where individuals are assumed to simply except the party line.  Take a somewhat controversial congress women like AOC who represents a very progressive position and for various reasons has become something of a figurehead.  I agree with some of her positions but not all of them and I know I don't consider her my spokesperson.  She is of course entitled to hold her positions and the only ones she actually has to answer to are her constituents.

Someone who believes we should have universal health care can also believe we should balance the budget.

You can hold liberal, moderate or conservative views (or a mixture thereof) on each individual issue and ultimately support a candidate who comes closest to your views.

In the current environment one big issue is that the current incumbent of the White House is simply the wrong person who espouses or at least encourages some elements of hate.  You can unite in opposition to him while still not becoming a socialist.

In fact the person elected to the Presidency needs to represent all Americans, not just those who agree with him/her.

By definition that makes that person a moderate, or maybe more of a moderator.

The Executive Branch executes the programs passed by the congress.  If they determine the programs too we have lost one of main principles, democracy.