Rush to the Middle

My politics haven't changed much in the last 4 years, but COVID-19 pandemic politics have taken my favored policies from being considered radical left to being main stream or moderate left: universal health care and universal income. My views didn't change, the world's views did.

And I am starting to consider a 3rd issue as important as these two, and that is the 1st Amendment, freedom of speech. Radical groups in the USA seem to be attacking this key requirement to making democracy function. On the left we have "cancel culture" seeking to demonize anyone who doesn't comply with the latest post modern jargon and slang. On the right we have Trump supporters endorsing a war against the media, journalism and anything even remotely like politically independent fact checking. The radicals in the USA are becoming incredibly information resistant and extremist.

The fact is Trump is a real threat to democracy, he even says so on a regular basis, asking for more terms, openly interfering with elections, praising dictators, and so on. Trump's followers when pressed seem to believe that our republic has failed as it has legalized abortion, so that democracy is no longer their preferred form of government. 

And what does the far left do in response? The same antisocial and ineffective things they did in 2016, only 100 times worse, with their childish riots and attempts to butcher the English language. Most protests aren't riots, but the riots that have happened have completely replaced the videos of police brutality in the voting public's mind. Their justification for endangering our democracy is that maybe something more Marxist will replace it.

Regardless if you are a left wing or right wing radical, know that something better isn't coming along to save you from representative democracy. If your traitorous antagonism causes the constitution to fail, the USA is done. Power holders tolerating your post modern linguistic games? Done. People tolerating your armory of a gun collection? Over. Your radicalism is a luxury of our constitution, and without it that luxury will no longer be afforded by what follows.

And so yes, the grown ups have work to do. The never Trumpers and moderate liberals have to come together to save our country from your crap. The more you throw tantrums over it, the more you show what an incurable baby you are.