Category: Politics

By now most people have heard of “owning the libs.” Conservatives like to say outrageous things because they believe it will “trigger” liberals, who will not respond effectively.

Are conservatives right about this? Definitely, in my experience. It all too easy to trigger liberals. However, it’s surprisingly easy to trigger many conservatives. It might even benefit the nation if more liberals understood this.

Continue reading “Triggering The Cons: Recognizing the Symptoms”

“Cancel Culture” has been in the news lately. Conservatives complain that Liberals want to censor them, to silence speech they find offensive. There is some truth to their complaints, though it is also a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Many conservatives are all too eager to cancel speech they don’t like. When Colin Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem, that was a form of speech, a form of protest. Trump and his followers demand that he be censored, cancelled: “Get that son of a bitch off the field.“

My approach is different. Rather than try to shut up people who disagree with me, I prefer to encourage them to speak, to share their views. Conceivably if enough moderates adopted my approach, it might at least somewhat tend to help heal our national divides.

Continue reading “Why Encouraging Nuts and Nasties to Speak Can Benefit Our Country”

The Washington Post has a truly, truly wonderful list. Let’s count our blessings for now and hope for even better news in the future. Our country now has a chance to return to true greatness, not the phony type. Will it happen? I don’t know. I do know that now we have a fighting chance.

The nuts have finally gone too far. A sense of revulsion has overtaken many Americans. 

There is evidence supporting this: 

Most important, the 180 degree reversals by key Republican leaders, including McConnell, Pence and Graham. They are savvy politicians who know which way the wind is blowing and are moving rapidly to try to salvage their careers. 

A couple of years ago I talked privately with a friend of mine, a high-powered lobbyist who has the best political instincts I know. He works for [redacted], but I don’t want to mention his name. His firm represents both Democrats and Republicans, and he doesn’t like to talk publicly about his personal political views. 

I told him my sense was that most Republican senators despised Trump and I thought it was inevitable that they would turn against him eventually. He responded:

“They will be for him until a half hour before they are against him.”