Anti-Trumpism and a Biden administration

With Trump in office, liberals seemed to consolidate behind a unified anti-Trump agenda. In a way, it radicalized them. The important thing was to be against Trump, therefore any nut who was against Trump was acceptable.

Here are two possible theories about a Biden administration.

1. The radical elements of the left — that were tolerated because they were anti-Trump — have become mainstream (for Democrats), and Biden will be captive to them. They have the energy and the enthusiasm.

2. Now that Trump is gone, more moderate Democratic elements can reassert themselves and cast off the nutty fringe. The “deep state” on the left will beat back the newcomers.

I hope for #2, and fear #1. But I don’t know which one to expect.

A city set on a hill

Ronald Reagan used to speak that way about America. Today, as I’m processing recent news, I’m seeing some problems with America’s evangelical mission.

The two things that stand in stark contrast to me right now are our ideals and our system. In other words, do we intend to be an example to the world because we believe the right things — in freedom, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, etc., or, for some people, because we follow the demands of wokeness — or do we intend to have and demonstrate a fair and just system?

Of course some people think it’s ridiculous for the United States to see itself as an example of anything except racism and injustice, but there was a time when we held up our system as an example of fairness in practice, as opposed to the raw exercise of power.

What I’m getting at here is a question of ideals vs. procedures. Every dictator has ideals, but he cheats and lies and murders to get the power to enforce them. We’re supposed to be different. We should strive to have good ideals in a good system, but there have been some fault lines between the two.

  • Portland puts the ideals of the protestors above the just administration of law.
  • The Obama administration weaponized the justice department against Trump, and the FBI went along.
  • If it’s true there has been voter fraud, people have compromised fair procedures for the ideals of the left. Or if you look at it the other way, if the right is cynically attacking the voting process just to keep Trump in power, it does the same.

For some people, it’s all about the ideals, and process or procedure is a distraction. Recall Pelosi’s reaction when someone asked her where the constitution allowed the government to do health care reform: “Are you serious?”

As a general rule, it seems the left is more often guilty than the right of pursuing whatever means necessary to attain their ends. “Ideals above rules and procedures” is a defining characteristic of liberals, and “but you have to do it this way” is a defining characteristic of conservatives. But the right can be criticized on this point as well. E.g., Lindsay Graham proposed one set of rules when it came to Merrick Garland and another when it came to Amy Barrett. And Trump has shown a disregard for the truth to press his agenda.

This break between ideas and rules is a fundamental error. Rules and procedures are the instantiation of our values. You can’t believe in free elections and commit voter fraud. You can’t believe in free speech and shut down speech you don’t like. You can’t believe in personal liberty and allow protestors to burn down private property.

Is it just me, or is this a growing problem? Is the connection between ideals and rules falling apart?

Are too many people in jail for minor pot possession?

I hear this repeated all the time, but I have my doubts.

Since almost all cases today involve plea deals, how can we be sure about this alleged problem? For example, let’s say a person is busted for five offenses, two of them violent, but the prosecutor makes a deal and he pleads to simple pot possession. Then the good-hearted liberal comes along and says, “why is this guy in jail for ten years just for having a little pot?”

The current system needs to be reformed, but we’re not going to fix it by making little tweaks without looking at the whole picture.