Where Are the Skeptics?

“Cogito, ergo sum” is a Latin philosophical proposition by René Descartes, which in English is "I think, therefore I am." I recently saw a t-shirt with “I think, therefore I am a conservative,” and as I considered that, came up with, “I think, therefore I ask questions, doubt almost everyone, and verify or validate what they write or say. I am an intelligent skeptic, and you should be, too. I originally posted this on October 29, 2007 on another site, which I no longer use, so I apologize if I leave in something dated that you missed or forgot.

Do you get as annoyed as I do with the extent to which the government fails to protect our privacy? Have you considered just how ironic and hypocritical the presumed effort is? After all, many in our government want very much to look after us, in every detail of our lives, and many of the citizenry appear to be ready to permit them to do so. How can it look after us as some omnipotent nanny and, at the same time, not invade our privacy? As important, what happened to the kind of American who wanted government our of his life, as much as possible? Where's the classic American individualist, rugged, independent, and mistrusting of government officials? How did we come to be a nation of over 325 million ninnies needing a nanny?

I would happily dispense with Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and every other federal social program, given suitable opportunity for adjustment, and I certainly don't want any more! I shuttered at the very idea of "Hillary-care." I was terrified at Obama's kingdom: "I just want all of you to pray that I can be an instrument of God... I am confident that we can create a kingdom right here on Earth." It sounded a little too much like Obama coveted the throne that Washington declined. Imagine if a Republican candidate had said something like that? Obamacare (ACA)? Horrible, raising costs and reducing coverage. Let's not kid ourselves; the next batch of would-be Presidents want the power to do far more, but not the responsibility, especially not for the cost nor the terrible, unintended consequences.

I intended to read a 2007 book by DavidHarsanyi called Nanny State: How Food Fascists, Teetotaling Do-Gooders, Priggish Moralists, and other Boneheaded Bureaucrats are Turning America into a Nation of Children. A rather contrary review got me interested and prompted this commentary, by yours truly, which I call "Ninny State." Read it, and find out why.

I have written about those annoying "chainmail" type e-mails. Then I was just explaining why I rarely forward them, especially when they try to guilt or scare me into doing so. Lately, I have been more bothered by the dishonestyin pieces I get or that get posted on Facebook. How can people who purport to be conservative or even Christian send material that that has been distorted or flatly falsified? What is the point? And, what also bothers me, how can people be so gullible, lazy, or careless as re-post them or send these "Phony Forwards" on to their friends, as if they were true, without verifying them, especially when it is so easy with a simple search?

We have been dealing with “closet socialists” for some time now, but now they're coming out of the closet. Grandfatherly Bernie Sanders is a complete fake, wealthy as he condemns wealth and so very much else, and an open socialist who once praised Castro. Recently elected to the House, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is remarkably ignorant but all the more frightening with her unbelievably extreme and almost immeasurably expensive “Green NewDeal.” No planes, no fossil fuels for cars or heat, no cows (eventually), every building in the country renovated, ocean-crossing fast rail, and so on. Extreme? How about crazy? Impossible?!

Americans have so many resources with which they can learn, teach, share, and care for themselves, their loved ones, and their communities. I find it sad that, with so much available, we allow ourselves to be duped so easily, whether by politicians or by perfect strangers who tell us believable lies. Where are the skeptics when we need them? How hard is it to be skeptical of a too big government which already has a colossal debt?

Look and listen closely. How many of our candidates and politicians have made grand promises that they didn't keep? Put your skepticism to work and ask yourself whether they ever truly intended to keep them, or did they just want your vote? I'm a white guy. Would you like to guess how many people who look nothing like me have benefited from my kindness and generosity? Would you care to guess how many of them have been disappointed by government programs, agencies, and officials? Do you really think that people spending tax money to buy votes with promises and costly ineffective programs will bring us a Utopian paradise? Come on, now. Be a skeptic if you're not already one, and ask questions, seek verification and validation, don't let anyone tell you what to think. Think for yourself, for your own good, and for the good of us all.