The tallest of Snow White’s dwarfs is not tall. The cheapest Tesla is not “cheap.” And, moderate Democrats are not “moderates.” Not by any standard of what we used to mean by moderate.

Pennsylvania’s two leading Democrats — Governor Josh Shapiro and Senator John Fetterman — underscore it. Even if one believes they say moderate things, compared to their fellow Democrats, their votes and records prove they’re not moderates.

Any attempt to label them moderates is an attempt not only to mask their progressive views, it papers over the reality that today’s Democratic Party is built around a left-wing platform, many clicks to the left of what it was just a generation ago.

Even more than Republicans, elected Democrats vote the same way, and their activists demand unity of thought. So we take note when we hear any deviation in substance or tone (which is really important in the suburbs.).

Throughout 2024 and even during year one of President Trump’s second term, there are Republicans who publicly disagree with the President, vote against him or even try to block his policy goals. Moreover, there are elected Republicans who partner with Democrats on issues—from “libertarian” Congressman Thomas Massie to Pennsylvania’s Brian Fitzpatrick; from Alaska’s Senator Lisa Murkowski to South Carolina’s Lindsey Graham, legislators who on any given issue might be Trump’s most passionate defender or his most vocal critic.

There are important distinctions. No one thinks Thomas Massie is a moderate. Some think Lindsey Graham is. However, neutral commentators accurately see Lisa Murkowski and Brian Fitzpatrick as moderates — working in a bipartisan way on issues.

Isolated acts of independent thought have caused many commentators to refer to Shapiro and Fetterman as moderates. It’s actually the near unanimity of priorities, votes, language and temperament among Democrats that draws attention to any elected Democrat who deviates from the script.

Ironically, moderate is a title that Josh Shapiro craves as a candidate for reelection as Pennsylvania’s governor, yet, one that he’ll reject faster than a “Schwarbomb” leaves Citizens Bank Park when campaigning in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Senator Fetterman is notable for his clarion call to protect Jewish Americans against antisemitic rhetoric, rallies and violence — and support of Israel’s right to defend itself in the face of the barbaric attacks of October 7 (hostages from which are still being tortured in captivity.)

His independence on this issue even had his fellow Democrats and legacy media allies cruelly suggesting that he has mental health issues. 

Fetterman had another episode of  “independence” during the recent riots in Los Angeles. He rightly stated that it was wrong to riot, attack innocent people, and burn police cars.

Yet, review his actual voting record. He’s for legalizing abortion on demand up until the moment of birth; allowing men to play women’s high school and college sports; legalizing recreational marijuana; and opposing school choice. He gets a 100 percent rating from the AFL-CIO. He has frequently described climate change as an “existential threat.” In his first two years, he was rated as the second most “left” freshman Senator.

Fetterman is a card-carrying progressive — with an independent streak, whether progressives want to admit it. He’s no moderate.

Shapiro. The starched shirt, tie-less, Brooks Brothers suit wearing politician — right out of suburban central casting — is often referred to as a moderate. 

Yet Shapiro supports abortion on demand and without apology. He is so pro-abortion that he is the only governor in Pennsylvania history to veto funding for “crisis pregnancy centers” — certified care centers that offer information, medical and financial support for women who are scared and feel they have no option but to abort their baby. Something that not even “Lockdown Tom Wolf” did. He’s even sued the Little Sisters of the Poor to force them to offer abortion “care” in their employee health insurance coverage.

Shapiro has introduced three state budgets. Each one planned to spend more money than the state had, and tried to raise fees or taxes. Shapiro attacked those wanting to protect women’s sports from men as “extremists.” When he’s not tweeting about abortion, he tweets about the latest LGBTQIA+ issue. In fact, he’s joining with Democrat governors to sue Trump to allow hospitals to perform gender surgery on minors — even using taxpayer funding.

Being Jewish, he has rightly spoken out against anti-Semitic rhetoric. This causes Shapiro to (sadly) stand out. Yet, he still advocates the Democrats’ “two-state solution” that even Palestinians oppose.

He says he’s for school choice, yet he vetoed legislation to enact it— Lifeline Scholarships. He attends natural gas energy conferences, yet he’s suing in the Supreme Court to defend his right to unilaterally impose taxes and regulations that punish natural gas use.

Commentators occasionally label Shapiro as a moderate. This is possibly because of his appearance and tone — or because of who he isn’t: AOC or Jasmine Crockett. But his spending, energy, education, social and cultural policies, tweets, and vetoes are those of a progressive. It’s false advertising to describe his record as moderate.

Today’s Democrats support higher taxes. They supported vaccine and mask mandates — including firing soldiers, police, and nurses who didn’t comply. They oppose school choice. They oppose Trump’s border wall and policies. They support abortion on demand up through delivery — some after delivery! They support men playing women’s sports. They support an ever-evolving laundry list of genders. They supported “defund the police.” They defended antisemitic rhetoric and rallies. They want to ban fossil fuels.

Commentators rushing to label them as moderates says more about the left-wing agenda of 2025 Democrats than it does about Fetterman or Shapiro. One may argue that they’re moderate Democrats, but one cannot accurately label them moderates.

After all, the tallest of the dwarfs isn’t tall by any measure.

Guy Ciarrocchi writes for Broad + Liberty and RealClear Pennsylvania. A Senior Fellow with the Commonwealth Foundation, you should follow Guy at @PaSuburbsGuy.