Believes we all want similar things
It may surprise many, but both conservatives and liberals, Republicans and Democrats, all want pretty much the same things. The difference is in how to attain the desired goals. Sometimes neither side has the right or best answer, but a true compromise between the opposing sides would work best.
For instance, take The Wall, please! All that physical barrier will do is keep an honest person honest, just like a lock on a door. Punishing employers who hire “undocumented workers” would go a long way towards solving the problem. Many illegal aliens here commit deadly crimes, where legal, born-here Americans often pay with their lives. Take photographs, fingerprints, and DNA samples from every illegal alien arrested. If such an alien is deported and returns, it’s straight to prison. Make our laws mean something.
We all want a “living wage” so people who are working will be able to support themselves, but I do not believe that the government, ANY government, has the right to dictate how much an employer has to pay employees. Different parts of the country have different economies, and therefore different levels of what constitutes a “living wage.” Entry-level jobs should not require a high threshold of pay. A free-market economy really works best.
A person’s gender or sexual orientation makes no difference in the performance of most jobs. A hard-labor, physically demanding job might be too difficult for a female or small-framed male and that would mean less pay for less work if the person in question was unable to perform equally with strong men. An office job or something less physically demanding shouldn’t penalize a person because of gender. If you can do the job, you deserve the pay. Simple. It puzzles me why some people cannot/will not see that.
We all have equal rights, regardless of whatever alphabet soup group to which we belong. Nobody should have more or extra rights. Unless, of course, you’re a politician who writes laws to exempt him/herself from laws that govern us unwashed masses. Laws passed by the Legislature and especially Congress should apply to everyone, not just to ordinary citizens or just to the “elite.”
Here’s my hot-button issue: “gun control.” To me, that means hitting your target with every shot fired, and knowing when to fire or not. There is no such animal as “sensible gun control.” The Second Amendment expressly forbids it. House Speaker Pelosi said she raised her hand and swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Then do it!!
Making the possession of guns illegal will not make America safer. Chicago has some of the most stringent anti-gun laws in the world, yet Chicago is one of the most dangerous/deadly cities in the world. Does anybody remember the alcohol prohibition that failed so miserably? A Constitutional Amendment banning guns will have the same or worse effect. The black market will flourish and only the wealthy or criminals will be able to afford guns. As it is now in some states, you need high-level connections to get a permit to own/carry a gun. That ain’t right.
True compromise is needed to achieve our mutually desired goals. Try one method and see if it works. If it doesn’t, try another. The main thing is that we elect sensible, responsible adults to represent us in government. That might mean the most popular/handsome person doesn’t get elected, but this ain’t no beauty contest!
Cameron Triplett
Brooksville
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.