“Nice” Isn’t Enough in Politics
Hi friends,
I want to give credit to Ronald Dodson. He wrote a great article, “The Flaws in Mass Democracy Continue to be Made Manifest”.
My shorter version is below.
The runoff is over, and AG Paxton is the Republican candidate for that Texas Senate seat.
The reason this is still worth talking about is because conservatives must stand together and, in November, vote Republican all the way down the ballot.
You know the Democrats will, and under-voting elects Democrats.
Texas cannot afford to allow Talarico a U.S Senate seat.
Vote for the person who can do the job best
One of the biggest mistakes voters can make is confusing personal pleasantness with political virtue.
That confusion was especially clear in the Texas Senate runoff, where many people were tempted to frame the choice in overly simple terms:
John Cornyn was considered by many to be the respectable, experienced, “nice” institutional man. Some called him ‘cardboard’.
Ken Paxton was considered immoral (Who is free from sin?) even though he is a proven and successful conservative fighter.
Cornyn had Senate seniority, bipartisan relationships, and the calm, polished style that Washington rewards. Paxton carries obvious baggage, but he also has a reputation for fighting aggressively for conservative priorities.
Some voters were deciding based on the less controversial or the stronger fighter?
But politics is not a contest in niceness or morality. It is about rule, justice, courage, prudence, loyalty, and whether elected officials actually defend the people and principles they were sent to protect.
A man can be uncontroversial yet function as an agent of surrender.
Manners may matter. Character may matter. But in a degraded political culture, “morality” is rare, for sure.
Conservatives have rightfully become skeptical of “statesmanship” as Washington defines it. Establishment approval is typically for the ineffective, the one who goes along to get along.
The real contrast is not “nice” versus “immoral.”
It is this:
Cornyn was the danger of ‘respectable’ unfaithfulness to his constituents.
Paxton represents the willingness to fight for Texas conservatives and the political good that must be defended.
Here’s the question:
Who is more likely to preserve and advance the good that must be defended - with courage, prudence, justice, and proven self-command to be effective?
That question exposes the hollowness of respectability when it is detached from faithfulness.
This is the hard reality of politics in a decadent age. A polished instrument may be pointed in the wrong direction. A compromised instrument may be pointed at the right target. Prudence does not get to pretend either fact is irrelevant.
Conservative voters are not necessarily choosing vice over virtue when they reject the polished establishment candidate. They may be rejecting a form of public virtue that has become detached from loyalty, courage, and the actual defense of their communities.
As always, do your own research and make up your own mind.
White paper on land and water rights: Property Rights and Freedom: A White Paper on America’s Disappearing Land
United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.
VoteTexas.gov, https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/index.html
Disclaimer:
As always, do your own research and make up your own mind. This Substack is provided for informational and commentary purposes only. All claims or statements are based on publicly available sources and are presented as analysis and opinion, not legal conclusions.
No assertion is made of unlawful conduct by any individual, company, or government entity unless such claims are supported by formal public records or verified legal documents. The views expressed here reflect my personal perspective on property rights and land use issues.
While I strive for accuracy and transparency, readers are encouraged to verify all details using the official sources and references provided. Any references to third-party material are included solely for your consideration and do not necessarily reflect my views or imply endorsement.
If you share this content, please include this disclaimer to preserve context and clarity for all readers.
Until next time…
Please share your thoughts in the comments. Or email me, and let’s have a problem-solving conversation. I welcome ‘letters to the editor’ type emails and may publish yours. I hope we can create a caucus with positive, back-to-the-founders’-dream-for-America results. Have a topic you want to know more about?
Some housekeeping…
Going forward, you may need to check your spam folder. And please mark this address as ‘not spam.’ If the newsletter isn’t in your spam folder either, you should look in the Promotions tab.
You can always see everything on the website, RationalAmerican.org.
Thanks again for reading! I’m glad you’re here!