Editor: We are crossposting an article from the conservative San Diego Rostra by Brian Brady – who has been in a dialogue with Bob Dorn – a contributor to the San Diego Free Press – over the issue of the ban on plastic bags. Dorn wrote a satirical piece in response to Brady’s disparagement of the possible ban by the City. Here, Brady outlines where he and progressives agree and disagree. The Free Press is the progeny of the OB Rag.
Freeped Today and Feeling Fabulous
by Brian Brady / San Diego Rostra / Monday, September 16, 2013
I was the subject of a satirical post on San Diego Free Press. Bob Dorn had some fun today, using some garden-variety stereotypes about liberals and conservatives, because I dared to confront a premise, proffered by OBRag’s Frank Gormlie, supporting a single-use plastic bag ban.
I don’t think that Bob Dorn likes that I comment on the progressive’s little paradise. He’s discounting something, though–I AGREE with the Freeps on a number of issues. To wit:
- I think the “war on drugs” is an abject failure and waste of taxpayer money. Not only do I support the use of medical marijuana, I would like to see marijuana decriminalized completely. Too many lives are being lost to the violence prohibition brings.
- I don’t support a taxpayer-funded stadium for any sports team (and I certainly don’t support subsidizing drunks to get to the game).
- I support a less robust foreign policy. I want a robust MILITARY, defending American shores. While I support an aggressive intelligence community, I certainly don’t want them aggregating data about American citizens, especially without a warrant from an independent judge. I think the USA-PATRIOT Act is anything but patriotic. Security, while important to me, pales in comparison to a protection of our individual liberties (which is the most important role of government)
- I abhor crony capitalism and get uptight when progressives think it is emblematic of true capitalism. As such, I get it when Freeps rail about “downtown business interests”–those rent-seekers irritate me as well.
I’m different from the Freeps, too:
- Obamacare is an assault on on economic freedom. Forced purchases and indentured servitude are hardly ways to solve an insurance inflation problem.
- Education works best when parents are involved in their kids’ lives. I want to break the education monopoly and give parents a fighting chance at helping their kids determine their future.
- I support the right of free association and delegated collective bargaining agents. But I don’t support labor monopolies. Repeal The Wagner Act and I’ll be the biggest union supporter out there.
- I think free people really DO perform most things better than government. As such, I side with Thoreau when he said “That government is best which governs least”.
Conservatives think I’m a libertarian and libertarians think I’m a conservative. That’s okay; anarchists think we’re ALL statists. But today, the Freeps have now deemed me important enough to satirize and frankly…
…that kind of makes me feel good. Would that we listen to one another sometimes, we would discover that, in many instances, it’s more of a battle between the forces of tyranny and liberty than right and left. Even though they’re making fun of me, someone is listening to the Liberty message. That’s a good day.
I just hope they don’t draw cartoons of me !
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I wonder how would the late Jim Sills, uber-conservative former editor of Rostra, feel about this sunny open approach by his successor, Brian Brady, who amiably joshes with SDFP satirist Bob Dorn and consorts with founding father Frank Gormlie at the
OB Rag? Could this be another example of the good fallout coming from Occupy?
Brain Brady pretty much represents the viewpoints of thinkers.
Really refreshing to hear viewpoints such as this… not just on the Rag, but in general. I wish more folks could drop the partisan rhetoric and think a little more outside their own self-imposed political boxes.
“Could this be another example of the good fallout coming from Occupy?”
I sure hope so. I actually went down to the OccupySD (and I am a tea party activist) camp 2-3 times and looked for common ground==I think I found it in the backlash against the bank bailouts. I tried to educate folks about the Federal Reserve Bank and gained traction from, people Doug might call “thinkers”.
I’m triply honored Frank. Thank you Doug, Frances, and Frank for the forum. This isn’t the first time I’ve commented on OBRag and it certainly won’t be the last
Too many generalities in your beliefs, Brian, and I suggest you go back to pre WW2 era and see how “good” things were for the general public. Govt. came in the picture because it needed to; luckily one program was the GI Bill that helped the soldiers to get into a profession by going to college. The next generation are living much better as their parents did also. The WPA was another wonderful program; the education bills, etc. helped us all, and now we’re seeing what happens when the govt. has changed to let the banks and for-profit colleges do their damage. Hope you don’t have kids going that route. But sadly, the corporate world has taken over for the govt programs.
Your not liking the war on drugs goes beyond marijuana, and yes, that could take some tweaking, but I’m glad my son heard plenty in school about not doing drugs.
And that brings me to your very general comment that all believe in “ed. works best when parents are involed in their lives.” – no kidding. Put it into practical terms.
So you believe in “liberty.” Sorry, that alone doesn’t bring a decent life for many.
Put it into practice. Look at our neighbor Mexico, and the non-industrialized nations; see how their people fare. Then look at the industrialized countries and how govt. regs have helped their peoples’ standard of living.
You don’t like Obamacare; so you’re okay with 40 million not having insurance and thousands dying cuz of it. I personally want the Canadian health system. I take it you don’t believe in car or house insurance either.
I’m glad the govt. wants us to have that too, but that’s just me. Maybe you don’t like regs about how close our housing should be to businesses, nuclear power plants, etc. and wouldn’t care what was next to your bldg.; too many city rules in your mind I guess. I’m so glad we have the rules we have, and the few I wouldn’t care about, are in the minority.
So, Brian, sorry you’re not happy with what govt. has done for you to make a better life for yourself and family in this country, you might want to check out some other country that would provide the kind of place you’d like to live in.
Re: insurance. You don’t get fined for choosing not to drive a car or to purchase a house.