Seattle rents will soon skyrocket

While the Seattle city council might have good intentions (although I fear it’s simply political posturing), their ordinance to restrict the ability of landlords to screen their tenants will likely backfire. Attempts to regulate the rental housing market to increase the housing stock for historically undesirable tenants are doomed to failure.

If Seattle really wants to help less desirable tenants, then they need to offset their higher risk with more landlord-friendly eviction rules. Otherwise, the increased risk to landlords will result only in fewer rentals and higher rents.

Come now, children; play nice…

A professor at U.C. Berkeley and (former) science envoy for the State Department resigned his position in a resignation notice where he largely berated President Trump. However, it has also been noted that his long-winded and scathing resignation letter had an interesting attribute: the first letter of each paragraph, when taken together, spell out the word “IMPEACH”.

A similar tactic was used when all 17 members of the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities – consisting entirely of Obama appointees (they wouldn’t have a political agenda in mind with their mass resignation, now would they…?) resigned their positions. In their resignation notice the first letter of each paragraph (including the “Thank you” sign-off) spell “RESIST” (notice link here).

In any event, I find it interesting that this science envoy chose to resign only one month before his commission ended (according to the NBC article linked above), leading me to believe that this was more a political opportunity than a true expression of concern. Also, if the message hidden withing his resignation was intentional, it was an incredibly immature act much more reminiscent of a child’s temper tantrum than a statement meant to produce useful change.

We need people who will pull us together, not political opportunists who will push us apart using cheap parlor tricks. We have no use for sore losers who choose to lament their election losses with politically-motivated actions under the guise of legitimate protest.

Confederate monuments

A friend of mine suggested that Robert E. Lee objected to confederate monuments being erected after the civil war, and this PBS article confirms (and is an interesting read). Lee felt that such displays would slow the healing and reconstruction of the nation.

Perhaps it is time we heed his advice. It’s not necessary (or advisable) that we forget our history, but maybe we can present it in a light more respectful of the circumstances.

Free speech advocate = racist

Today, being pro free speech will get you branded a racist. Soon (if not already), simply being a conservative will do. By the end of the next week, all Republicans will be racists, to be attacked at will by roving squads of Antifa. Sound familiar? You might see parallels in the rise of just about any south American dictator…

It is important to guard our constitutional rights to free speech, no matter the subject under discussion. Don’t let these “counter-protesters” shame you out of your cherished right to be heard.

Google’s thought police

We should all be concerned about the precedent Google has established by firing an employee for holding an independent opinion contrary to that of Google, irrespective of the actions of the employee. The message is clear – your opinions alone can get you fired, particularly if you are not a liberal.

Google’s action will have a chilling effect on free speech, not only at Google but at other left-leaning employers, too. I’m appalled at this blatant attempt to silence speech, but not surprised that this form of oppression has originated in Silicon Valley. Nonetheless, it has worked. I, too, am now afraid to express my opinion for fear that my left-leaning employer will silence me by eliminating my job.

I fear that free expression will not survive under these conditions.

The alt-left vs. alt-right

With all this talk about alt-right incited violence, maybe we should take a quick look at the provocateurs of the alt-left. After all, it takes two to tango. Both groups should be held accountable for the violence resulting from their actions.

Note, too, that both of these groups are at the fringes of society; they have only gained mainstream support by bashing (sometimes literally) the other. If you look closely at some of the organizations behind these protests/counter-protests, you’ll see that any support you offer may be misguided.

For instance, on the so-called alt-right, the Traditionalist Worker Party: a socialist, anti-capitalist, anti-immigrant group reminiscent of neo-Nazi nationalism. On the alt-left, the Worker World Party: a socialist, anti-capitalist, anti-American group reminiscent of revolutionary Marxism. Are either of these groups really ones that you want to support?

So if violence occurs when groups like these clash, don’t fall victim to the rants of some who place blame on one side or the other. Instead, place blame squarely where it belongs: on the shoulders of all involved parties.