Beliefs

You should believe in many things, and always yourself.

We’ve reached that point in our current politics where one side is determined to slander the other side with zero basis in reality. Fine, people are going to do what they are going to do. However, knowing what about your political representatives believe is important! Beliefs, values, stance on issues! So, here is what I believe: Note that I have no party affiliation because I don’t align well with any major party. As always, reach out and ask questions if you have any! I’ll start with the most boring/least applicable and then move to the important stuff. I’m oversharing stuff that doesn’t really matter to the board both because it gives a better overall picture of me as well as emphasize I’m an open book.

When it comes to foreign policy I’m a realist. George Kennan is my model here. Also, we use the combat capabilities of the military far too much in our overseas adventures. This leaves me politically homeless because solid realism hasn’t been practiced in this country for decades and Presidents love using the military because it’s a big ole Easy button. [Of all my Big Idea Politics beliefs, this one is the one I have the least confidence in, except the military part.]

I believe in fiscal responsibility. At the national level that means lower deficits and restructured taxes. A balanced budget is economic malpractice for the richest country in the world, but our Congress spends like a drunken sailor and that isn’t sustainable. Deficits must exist, but should be smaller than they are now and mitigated over the long term by growth. I’m politically homeless here because both parties are addicted to spending and our huge deficit, even the so called “fiscal conservatives” who are always blowing up the deficit more than the "non-conservatives." [I also believe the term "conservative" in popular discourse has now become unmoored from any literal or traditional meaning]

I believe the tax code should be simplified because most people (e.g. non-business owners) shouldn’t have to spend more than 10 minutes doing their taxes. Congress will never allow this because the tax code is where they have the most leverage with businesses and individuals. One of the first things DOGE did this year was make filing taxes more complicated – there is a reason for that! Congress won’t do this because there is too much benefit for them. Again, my views don’t fit with the mainstream of either party who are both on the “I love complicated taxes” train so we have to live with the tax system the two parties have given us.

Fiscal discipline at the local level is more complicated because we can’t just print money and run deficits. Taxes are a necessary burden but should be levied and spent responsibly. (Cops, firefighters and schools are quite important to begin with) For small entities like cities and school boards the goal shouldn’t be the lowest tax allowed by law nor should the goal be the highest tax allowed – it should be the tax level that optimizes the programs they fund. Anyone who is focused on the tax rate above everything else is just trying to sell you something (usually themselves).

[Specifically, as an aside I believe when the incumbents harp on keeping the LOB at 31% it is because they don’t have a good grasp of the budget system and, like so many politicians, want to obscure the plain facts. Over their tenure they’ve chosen to raise taxes every year, including the LOB rate some years. (There is a reason it’s called the Local OPTION Budget, folks) I’m not saying it should or shouldn’t be raised but this notion that they did a good job not raising the LOB 1 or 2 percentage points in an election year when they have previously raised it in non-election years is, well, one form of politics. I'm being polite here. It’s the same when they or any other politician talks about lowering the mill rate – it’s a way to obscure the fact that they had anything do with raising your taxes. Mill rates can go down if property assessments go up, bragging about lowering the mill rate is meaningless when the check you write every month is higher. I believe in transparency and keeping communication straight.]

I believe parents and guardians are the first educators. They have the most time with their kids and are the largest influence and that is the way it should be. Parents don’t give up any rights when they put their kids in public schools.

While my daughter is a sophomore at Derby High and she and two of her older siblings attended classes at Park Hill, Derby Middle and the high school, my wife and I homeschooled our kids for most of their education. That included religious education, which we take seriously. We taught it in the home…where it belongs. I believe even if you aren’t teaching your explicit religion in a school but are teaching values that are rooted in that religion but not otherwise widely held by the community, it is functionally the same thing.

I believe that anyone who runs on something but insists that something isn’t part of their agenda is trying to fool someone – maybe the voters, maybe themselves. For example if someone runs on their religion that means they will make decisions based on their religion regardless of what other people in the community believe. Believe what people do more than what they say.

I believe no teacher gets into the business because of the money – I believe it is a calling. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be paid better, but it certainly means they should be respected.

I am a constitutionalist. Our Constitution is imperfect but it is what we have, and we should guard it jealously. I took an oath to that constitution and I am still bound by that oath. I believe in the Rule of Law. Laws should be obeyed and when they aren’t there should be consequences. Punishment has a place but we focus too much on punishment and not enough on reconciliation. When the law doesn’t apply to everyone equally its legitimacy is reduced which makes it less effective. I have learned in the last few years that this is a much less popular belief than I thought it was.

I believe all people are created in the image of their creator and should be seen in their own light. The diversity of human existence is amazing to behold and we are better for the experiences that follow from that. If the facts of your existence or your actions don’t affect me or other people directly why would I feel the need to dictate your actions? If you have a different belief, why does that impact my belief at all? People who are insulted or afraid of the very existence of people different from them have a serious problem – but it is entirely with themselves. Kant is correct, humankind is formed from crooked timber, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t beautiful.

I believe John Adams was correct: “There are only two creatures of value on the face of the earth: those with the commitment, and those who require the commitment of others.” (This is his clever way of saying everybody)

Speaking of which: Everybody matters or nobody does. Everybody means everybody.

I believe politics itself isn’t bad – it is just how policy is set at any given level. Policy, politics, all derived from “polis” – the Greek word for a city, which was the smallest and most ideal unit of governance. Politics gets a bad name because there will always be those who want to divide people rather than collaborate. People who insist it is their way or no other. People who think anyone who doesn’t agree with them is “radical” or “evil.” Politicians who think an acceptable theory of power is “we have more votes therefore we get our way because we don’t care what you think” all detract from the positive aspect of politics. That more than anything else gives the idea of politics a bad taste.

I believe Too many people don’t seem to understand the difference between “political” and “partisan,” nor the difference between “bipartisanship” and “nonpartisanship.” I speak my peace but I’ll not hold my breath because they are regularly used wrong throughout our civic conversation. C’est la vie.

I believe evil exists and should be confronted. I don’t think evil lurks everywhere and I don’t think people are evil just because they disagree with me or have different values. I don’t think elections are the primary way to combat evil either – that’s absurd for multiple of reasons, one of which is that that isn’t how elections work in a republic. I don’t think being afraid of other people because they are different is anyway to live one’s life. Heck, I don’t think life is meant to be lived in fear but as I look around there are an awful lot of people who do. Nothing – and I mean nothing -- chokes good judgment more than fear.

I believe you should listen to someone when they are talking about their values. However, if they act otherwise that probably is more accurate information than what they say. Like Maya Angelou said, when someone shows you who they are you should believe them.

I believe humor is a uniquely human characteristic and should be cherished. One of my wife’s college teachers once said “Why do we get an education? So we understand the jokes.”  Speaking of which…

I believe in reading books, especially old books. In part because now more than ever it is important to understand that Tom and Daisy were careless people.

I believe we should all love our neighbor as ourselves. There was a pretty good parable this Jewish carpenter told regarding that concept but if you ask me who my neighbor is I’m going to reply, “Who isn’t my neighbor?” Which was, I think, exactly his point.

I believe in the nonstop effort to cultivate empathy. We are all in this together, folks, and the best way to live with each other is to do our best to try to understand each other and not try to cram everyone into our own framework. Or think anyone who thinks differently than us is evil.

None of this will convince anyone who already has decided what I believe, especially if they need to paint a false picture of who I am in order to nurse some hole in their own soul. That’s okay, that’s a them problem, not a me problem.

Finally, I believe Elwood P. Dowd was correct that it is better to be pleasant than smart. (Quoted with permission)