We all know what we want from our government: Leave us alone, stay out of my way, protect our rights, and defend us from enemies, foreign and domestic.
What that means and requires of us and our leaders can often be at odds. Some would argue that means that a smaller almost nonexistent government is necessary, yet in the same breath they espouse the necessity of a large military. I’m not convinced we can have it both ways.
So many conservatives demand that the markets be very lightly regulated, if at all, yet when it comes to social and cultural issues, there must be strict and strictly enforced laws.
As I write this, the “Big Beautiful Bill” which a budget reconciliation bill, has passed the Senate and is now with the House of Representatives and being voted on. All the experts say it’s going to make the U.S. economy worse. It’s going to throw us deeper in the hole, rob millions of us of our healthcare, and frankly make life a living hell.
Maybe this will be the one to cause the majority of Americans to turn its collective back on the tenets of conservatism, if not merely MAGA.
I say let it be passed and we’ll see what happens, just be ready to clean up the mess that ensues. If this causes enough pain, strife, and suffering, it will be the catalyst for which we’ll be able to move forward with knowledge of what does and doesn’t work. We need to burn our hands to know we should never touch the fire.