Rebuild or Reimagine? SMRs, Utah GOP, The Golden Age of Baseball
This is their opportunity for social engineering.
Rebuild or Reimagine?
The COVID-19 crisis has devastated small businesses.
More specifically, government’s response has devastated small businesses.
As we resume the legislative session in Colorado, it’s becoming clear where “battle lines” are being drawn. Republicans want to restore our economy by helping businesses that were impacted and restore funding to services that were cut. Democrats, on the other hand, view this as an opportunity to “reimagine” our economy.
As President Joe Biden says, “Build Back Better.”
Social engineering has always been an acceptable tactic of Democratic legislators. From imposing sin taxes to discouraging (or encouraging) growth in certain sectors, the careful nudge of government for individuals to act a certain way has been a defining feature of progressive policy for generations. Republicans, on the other hand, tend to lean towards allowing individuals to decide what is best for themselves. Those lines are blurred sometimes, without a doubt, but generally this is where the parties divide.
The clearest example one can see of this is the stimulus package that has been proposed by Governor Jared Polis with the support of legislative Democrats. While there many good policies that will earn bipartisan support, there are also those that provide financial incentives for new businesses with new types of owners and in new industries.
Basically, Democrats view the economic collapse as a time to rebuild in the fashion they see fit. We’ve seen rhetoric from progressive organizations and politicians ramp up, pushing the message that this is an opportunity to right the economic wrongs of yesterday.
You can agree or disagree with this philosophy - I certainly find it disturbing - but it’s worth noting how evident the divide is between the two parties in this regard. Pay attention to the nuance in what our leaders say.
The idea that elected officials “know best” when it comes to how our economy should be structured is terribly ignorant, if not arrogant, in my opinion. Government shutdowns and safety orders directly resulted in businesses struggling and closing. As such, any relief we offer should be focused on those businesses. I don’t want more centralized planning or social engineering.
We’re not government’s guinea pigs. Or, perhaps, we certainly shouldn’t be.
Ever heard of Small Modular Reactors?
Neither had I, until recently. I’ve been doing a fair bit of research into the next generation of nuclear technology. For a variety of reasons, nuclear poses the greatest opportunity for reliable, clean energy and for zero-emissions based energy infrastructure, but it gets left out of the conversation due to the negative connotation of anything regarding “nuclear.”
I found this great 2020 article from City Journal that explains some of the background of Small Modular Reactors - or SMRs - and how they could bring about a new nuclear age. It’s pretty exciting stuff.
The Utah GOP Gets It Right
In the midst of statewide Republican organizations censuring and condemning Republican U.S. Senators for voting their conscience on the conviction of Donald Trump, subsequently making fools of themselves, the Utah GOP released a statement last week that should be a glimmer of hope for any Republican who envisions a party that does not exhibit cult-like allegiance to any individual. Senator Mike Lee voted against conviction, while Senator Mitt Romney voted for conviction.
I am a fan of both Lee and Romney for a variety of reasons, and I actually had the privilege of meeting Lee a number of years back. Very nice guy.
“The differences between our own Utah Republicans showcase a diversity of thought, in contrast to the danger of a party fixated on ‘unanimity of thought.’ There is power in our differences as a political party…”
- Utah Republican Party
(Here’s my tweet on the statement)
The Golden Age of Baseball
So, I’ve gotten into collecting baseball cards. Specifically, autographed baseball cards. In my research, I found that Eddie Robinson, a baseball player who played for a variety of teams from 1942 to 1957 is still alive at 100 years old and has a podcast where he discusses stories of his career.
The podcast is a bit choppy, but how fun! I figured I’d send it along as it’s quite a little gem in the rough. Eddie was a 4-time All-Star (1949, 1951-1953) and won the World Series with the Cleveland Indians in 1948.
Give the podcast a listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
I Won
I won a giveaway on Twitter. I’ve never won a social media giveaway before. Two more signed baseball cards for by budding collection!
Colorized & Enhanced
I colorized and enhanced a photo of Calvin Coolidge and Warren Harding. I thought you might appreciate it. I used an app, so don’t think I’m one of the amazing wizards that can do this with Photoshop.