Opinion: We need to stop doing dumb things

Over the years, maybe because of the way I grew up or because I chose the Marines as the cornerstone for my working life, I always hope for the best, but plan for the worst.

While I hoped we were all going to be home for Christmas, I knew it would be a bad idea to turn in my rain suit and my jungle boots in November.

This country is blessed in that we have oceans on either side of us, and borders that have at least amiable colleagues, if not exactly the best of friends abutting us.

In addition, our natural resources far surpass those of many countries.

These assets, the oceans for protection from adversaries and the vast resources including land mass for economic growth and expansion, have allowed us to evolve from the luckiest country on earth to being the best place on earth for humans to live.

Our country finds itself at the dawn of what could be a new era.

Many of the incoming president’s advisors are younger or have a different set of values than he does. Examples include Musk and Ramaswamy as well as Gabbard and RFK Jr. Trump has indicated he will go to wall for both Tulsi and Bobby Jr.

I think that’s a good sign. All we have to do now is to stop doing dumb things.

Unnecessary rules and regulations have expanded to a point where nothing is getting done. One example of this is the fact that money is approved for expansion of broadband coverage to rural areas, but no coverage is forthcoming, due to the massive bureaucratic morass. The “High Speed Rail” in California hasn’t laid a rail yet, despite billions of dollars having been spent. Elon and Vivek have been tasked to remove as many of these obstacles as possible.

Remember John Quincy Adams’ July 4 speech to the House of Representatives. He said in part that America goes not abroad in search of monsters to destroy, she is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all, but she is the champion and vindicator only of her own.

We have chosen to ignore Adams’ wise counsel and become embroiled in endless wars that include, Vietnam, Beirut, Gulf I, War on Terror and now Ukraine.

We don’t have to “do” anything, just “stop” doing dumb things.

Rube Render is a former Clovis city commissioner and former chair of the Curry County Republican Party. Contact him:

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