There’s been plenty of coverage around the idea that our society has never been more politically divided. It’s hard to know, given the context of history, how much worse it is than other times. It sure seems like it was probably worse during the Civil War. But we’re definitely not unified right now. One of the things that brings us down is the inclusion of politicians in our conversations about politics. When you’re talking about policies, actions, and statements, you’re talking about ideas, and the execution of those ideas. It’s fertile ground for debate and innovation. When you think…
Why the wealthy favor liberals
Ever since I’ve been alive, I’ve heard that conservatives are all rich and live to get rich by getting in bed with big business. Yet, when you look at who the biggest donors to Democrat candidates have been, it’s a who’s who of business leaders from large cities across the country To be sure, many large businesses also donate to Republicans. To me, the more important point is why would any corporate leaders support Democrats at all? For years, Democrats have rallied against “Big Business.” In early 2009, Democrat politicians were rallying people to protest CEOs at their homes….
Great regulations in American history
I’ve read many books and taken many courses about American History. Never have I run across a section on the great regulations in American history. America did not become the greatest nation on the earth through government regulations. Quite the opposite. It was by turning people loose and allowing them to pursue their ideas, without restraint, that made us the superpower we became. We don’t need someone to tell us how much water we can use in the shower, how much salt we can put on our food, what food we can eat, how high we can mow our…
The conservative view on taxes
One of the main tenets of conservatism is to let the free market run free. It’s self-correcting. It goes in waves. There are highs when production improvements and massive innovation take hold and drives the economy. There are lows as we transition from one form of production to another or when some sort of product revolution is beginning. Essentially, that’s the conservative plan – there is no plan. (That’s obviously an oversimplification, but you know what I mean, right?) There doesn’t need to be one because the economy runs best when it’s left to the natural forces of capitalism,…
Conservatives and economics
Obviously, there are a lot of nuances and factors in economics. But I think it boils down to two opposing worldviews: conservatives see the world as a dynamic place that will go in whatever direction the market (people) want it to go, while liberals see it as a static place that can be micromanaged and planned. For liberal planners, this is the way things are and the way people are, and this is how it’s always going to be. It’s one pie, and the bigger the piece one takes, the smaller pieces everyone else gets. Conservatives believe that the…
When romance meets cleanliness
A few years back, I thought I would go the classic romantic route for Valentine’s Day. I thought ahead, called a flower shop, and ordered a few bags of rose pedals. Before my wife got home, I laid out a route that went from the front door to the bedroom. (Like I said, classic…) It ended up being more fun than I thought and looked pretty great. I was excited to see her reaction when she got home. And excited, her reaction was. Before I could even say, “Happy Valentine’s Day,” she was already into, “What the hell is…
You don’t want to vote? Don’t vote.
Many say voting is a critical and vital civic responsibility. I believe that premise is flawed. It’s not voting that’s the civic responsibility, it’s being informed if you intend to vote. That’s the responsibility. In our society, there are those who are tuned into the issues of the day and those who aren’t. There are those who try to follow candidates and issues closely and those who couldn’t tell you who they are or what they stand for. It’s a self-selecting process, and that’s fine. There are those who don’t like politics and have no interest. There’s no shame…
Suppression vs free flow of information (guess who’s for which…)
You will never hear conservatives calling for the elimination of any news source – no matter how useless or biased they are perceived to be. (And there are a number from which to choose.) The mainstream media is essentially the propaganda wing of the Democrat Party. (Or, perhaps, the Democrat Party is the propaganda wing of the mainstream media…) But you simply don’t hear conservatives insisting they close up shop. At the same time, with the Fairness Doctrine or through internet regulations, some liberal politicians are consistently trying very hard to shut down conservative talk radio and conservative news…
Socialism vs capitalism
There are books upon books about the differences between and the merits of both Socialism and Capitalism. I’d like to simplify it a bit. Socialism exists under the premise that rights come from government, or man. Under Socialism, the government controls the economy and society lives to serve it. People rely on the collective for everything and the governing body attempts to impose – not equality of opportunity, but equality of results. American Capitalism presupposes that rights do not come from man, but from a higher power. And the rights are not specific to conditions like being employed or…
The origin of playdates
More than one set of parents has rolled their eyes at the idea of a playdate. That we’ve evolved to the point where our kids have scheduled play times with friends, much the way we’d schedule a work meeting with a vendor, is yet another way we’ve taken the spontaneity out of childhood. Who do we have to thank for the playdate? Well, like most things, it’s not an entirely simple answer. Working parents. Helicopter moms. Over-scheduled kids. These are all contributing factors. But logistically, we can thank the smart phone. Back when land lines were common, a kid…