Good ideas come from both sides

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for August 13, 2023)

A good idea is a good idea even if it comes from the worst person on Earth.

Good ideas can come from both the political right and left; conservatives and liberals, Republicans and Democrats. When anyone on either side has a good idea I'm happy to agree with them. I'm just as eager to disagree with the bad ideas either side offers.

Respecting everyone's equal and identical rights, no matter who they are, is the best idea humans have ever had. Both political sides wade carefully into the shallows of this idea, wary of getting in too deep lest they lose their political power to run your life.

Often, good ideas get more hot air than muscle. It's easy to say good things; acting on them is a lot harder and sure to anger those who liked the way it was before.

I am disappointed when one side abandons the good ideas they once had and embraces a bad idea they stole from the other side.

The Left did this when it gave up being anti-war to attack anyone who doesn't support Joe Biden's Ukrainian war to save his legacy.

The Right did the same when it gave up its small government position and replaced it with protecting Social Security, no matter what.

You could argue that neither side was ever serious about the principled positions they once held; only using them as political weapons against their opponents. You could be right, but I try to give them the benefit of the doubt.

When the Democrats favored ending the stupid and evil War on Politically Incorrect Drugs, they were on the right side. When they started handing out free needles and protecting drug abusers from the residents they were violating, they weren't.

When the Republicans went hard against actual criminals, they were right. When they substituted militarized policing for personal responsibility, they dropped the ball.

The Left demanded "defund the police", and they were right. Then they fumbled by keeping rules against owning, carrying, and using the proper tools for defense. This guaranteed their good idea would fail.

It's great to let people live as they see fit, but not to sacrifice the rest of us to those who see fit to violate our life, liberty, or property.

I do my best to evaluate the idea, not where it came from. The right thing doesn't become wrong just because it comes from someone you don't like.

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Rebel scum-- the more, the merrier

Recently I've noticed that some "content creators" I've followed for years, who I used to think were too pro-government, have been moving further away from their previous position.

Including people in other countries where I don't expect that sort of thing. (This showcases a blindspot I've had.)

They are becoming, at least somewhat, anti-government. They may not be quite all the way there yet, but that's the direction they are clearly heading. It's a good sign.

Of course, it's also a sign that The State is getting too extreme even for people who were naturally inclined to support The State before, which means it is hurting more people. And people are finally noticing.

Things are likely to get worse before they get better. But The Resistance is growing. Rebels are being born and made, all around the planet. 

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