Monday, March 08, 2021

Am I Getting More Conservative?

 Maybe I am.

Consider these issues:

  • I'd prefer to see bipartisan support for big initiatives, like the child allowance in the new stimulus bill, which Noah Smith describes as the most important feature of the bill. What I'm afraid is the Republicans get control of Congress in 2022 and undo what Biden's doing now, leading to more loss of faith in the capacity of government to do good things.
  • I've some reservations about various changes made or proposed in the student loan program.  There's inequity there when people, like my wife, paid off her student loans and others may get breaks of various kinds. (Looking back, I think we'd have been better off if we expanded the number and maximum amounts of Pell grants.)
  • I don't like "defund the police".  I'd rather see a boost in police funding paired with a program to move some responses to 911 calls to social services. IMHO you won't get police cooperation and buy-in without some sweetening for them.
  • I'm not really on board with trans-women competing with cis-women (hope I have the terminology right), at least not when they're able to win.  Again I'm concerned for the tone of society, more than the philosophical approach to rights. 

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