Top 15 posts of 2023

I was thinking about avoiding a Top 10 list for the year (2023) but going back and looking through some of my longer forms posts, there are some worth revisiting because I think I did a decent job on them. In fact I have 15 and a couple of honorable mentions as well.

Honorable mentions - two on RFK Jr.

Is an RFK Jr. Independent Run good or bad for president Trump's reelection bid?  I shared some initial thoughts here. I followed up here, along with some additional context from Red Eagle Politics.

While I think his independent bid is a mixed bag, there are bigger fish to fry in the 2024 election season. Jill Stein getting on the ballot for the Green Party in some more states helps Trump's chances.  But the biggest "elephant in the room" is the possibility that Democrats ouster Let's Go Brandon and run a Gavin Newsom or Michelle Obama instead.  It's probably their best option at this point, and I'd say the possibilities are almost 50/50 with the polls still favoring Trump over Brandon.

(15) Slow walk the Hunter Biden investigation / impeachment efforts

I've argued that rushing the impeachment may help Democrats pull the trigger on removing Let's Go Brandon as being their nominee for 2024. Take the win in 2024 and prepare for Newsom as the nominee in 2028. Winning now matters.

(14) The Colorado removal of Trump from the ballot was destined to fail

I knew it.  Maine's effort will fail too. It is inevitable.

(13) The failure of follow the science explained

A non-political explanation of cognitive bias and a short commentary explains why climate change and COVID paranoia, among other junk-pseudo-science proclamations and dictates, were and are bad for America.

(12) The data doesn't lie (except when it does)

Academia is rife with mis-steps, often deliberate, and it's a wakeup call that data can reveal the truth, or reveal what someone wants you to think is the truth.  So be vigilant.

(11) The cyclical nature of stupidity

Here's why not all hope is lost.  Everything is cyclical, even common sense.

(10) Saul Alinsky vs Bud Light

Using Rules for Radicals as an approach to cancel a woke brand, shows the tactics can work for conservatives too.

(9) I provided Democrats some unsolicited advice on COVID

Because I know they won't listen. Here's how the Democrats could recover from some of their own stupidity - take ownership of it.

(8) How to fight the left

I keep harping on about this, year after year, because how we fight politically, matters as much as what we are fighting to support.  If you aren't effective at the battle, you can't win.

(7) More on how to fight the left

The fallacy of using only facts and logic. This is why Trump connects with voters; it's not just common sense, it's guttural.

(6) Why West Virginia matters

It's nothing to do with politics, it's what's happening there socially and economically. It serves as a warning to America.

(5) Chipping away at the foundation

Communists and socialists are doing exactly what you'd expect they would do to take down America. 

(4) Where did woke capitalism come from exactly?

Woke capitalism is a symptom of a bigger problem.  A bad symptom, but it is not the cause of what ails America.

(3) Trust first?  No.

I took issue with a reasonable argument from Mike Slater at Breitbart News Daily. Not because he's not mostly right, he's usually right.  Just not here. Trust must be earned over time.

(2) Reversing my stance (kinda)

In Top 15's #3 above, I argued why trust first is a bad idea.  But I have argued for a long time that America's greatness stems from economic strength. I was wrong.  Not that it's totally incorrect, economic strength matters a lot.  What matters more is character and values. Mike Slater was right on this point, the underlying social conservative is the fabric that must not be torn. Whether that underpinning strength of personal and national character comes from God (as I believe it does), or from just choosing to be moral and virtuous first and foremost, that underpins what makes it possible to have economic strength. Those are the deepest roots.

(1) The pitfalls of capitalism

A critical inward look at capitalism's imperfections. Despite these issues, it's still the best choice available to humanity to date.