Interesting N&R letter to the editor from James Jackson of Reidsville:

Look at the larger pattern: Conservatives tend to see the world as hostile, needing guns to defend against criminals, viewing immigrants as a threat, being defensive against foreign governments, opposing welfare as weakening recipients, resisting big government and taxes as threats, and opposing cultural change, while admiring the wealthy as winners. By contrast, liberals tend to take a more optimistic view, relying on police to fight crime, welcoming immigrants as assets, negotiating with foreign governments, supporting welfare to reduce social problems, accepting taxation to improve quality of life and embracing cultural change, yet suspecting the wealthy for being too self-serving.

Funny, I have the exact opposite viewpoint. For example–does Mr. Jackson ever listen to NPR, where, in their compassionate “public radio voice” reporters list the 5 million ways to get screwed in this world? Climate change. Racism. Sexism. Oppression of transgenders. Religious intolerance, and not on the part of Muslims, either. Gasp—-future generations are going to be fatter and less healthy. A president —-in all places, communist Vietnam—once again apologizing for America while the socialist hellhole Venezuela has simply let its people down ‘big time.’

Look I’ve got many reservations about Donald Trump. And there are many so-called conservatives out there who are not real conservatives—they don’t preach the belief that in this wonderful country founded on freedom it is still possible for the individual to become anything and to become as wealthy (or not) he or she wants to be.

Note the emphasis on ‘still possible.’ I often wonder these days.