In these highly political times I’ve decided to openly declare my politics. They are complex because the universe is complex. They are NOT binary: black or white or red or blue. Or liberal or conservative.
I am liberal AND conservative. AND moderate, a rare bird in these divisive times, where you must be liberal or conservative.
On most SOCIAL issues, I’m liberal. On ECONOMIC issues, I’m moderate. And on most DEFENSE issues (personal and national) I’m conservative. My personal flag is red AND white AND blue.
At the base is defense. At the personal level, I interpret the 2nd amendment right to bear arms as applying to personal defense, not as applying to militias as the founders viewed it. I also believe that for every right comes responsibilities, the chief among them to act wisely. (To see more, click PERSONAL defense.)
At the national level, I support a leaner and more effective defense. I believe we need to focus less on hugely expensive weapons and more on ground troops and cyberwar. (To see more, click NATIONAL defense.)
After our physical survival is assured, we must consider our fiscal survival. Economies are cybernetic systems. History has shown that massive top-down control of economies (socialism) is largely a failure. Bottom-up controls (capitalism) are much more effective. But only if some top-down controls ensure certain endemic ills of capitalism are prevented. Small businesses, for instance, like all infants, must be protected from big-business predators. (To see more, click ECONOMIC issues.)
Physical and fiscal survival supports our spiritual and social health. Racism is an evil we must aggressively fight – BUT with firmness, not fanaticism. The same goes for religious intolerance and sexism. I am a feminist because feminism is, at its base, about fairness. Not just to the women in our lives, but also to men. We men have also been victimized by paternalism, though obviously less so than women. (To see more click SOCIAL issues.)
Laer Carroll 