OPINION: Too far

Neuroscientists will tell you that the prefrontal cortex, the part of the human brain responsible for impulse control, prioritizing, planning and generally making good decisions, is underdeveloped until the mid to late 20s. This explains many of the poor decisions made by teenagers. As parents we ask “What were you thinking?” and the answer is that they weren’t thinking, at least not fully. The task of guiding and correcting immature behaviors falls to adults and society has developed moral codes, laws and taboos to help character development.

In order to successfully solve a problem or accomplish a task you must first evaluate and understand the situation. You then develop and implement a solution to accomplish the goal. A critical step is to evaluate the effectiveness of the solution and determine if there are unintended consequences that negatively impact the results. This last step is frequently omitted by politicians implementing policy.

Democrats in particular have become notorious for utterly failing to consider the actual consequences of the policies they enact. It is as if they believe that the solution to a bad situation is a worse situation. They have become the party of taking things too far. Examples of this are everywhere and at all levels.

The Democrat solution to the occasional case of police brutality was to defund the police, arguing that less police would lead to less police brutality. In practice this led to more crime and the brutality inflicted by criminals so the overall brutality increased. This was not a surprise to thinking adults that the Democrats went too far.

To avoid the embarrassment of the rising crime rate, Democrats in several cities decriminalize many criminal acts thus “reducing” crime rates while actual crimes increased dramatically. When citizens began protecting themselves against crimes, the Democrats began prosecuting the victims. Too far.

So intent on masking the consequences of too far policies, the Democrat city officials in San Francisco are considering making it illegal for store employees to stop someone from shoplifting. Clearly this would lead to rampant, unchecked theft which would cause stores to close which would starve communities of basic necessities which would cause the city to collapse economically and socially. Those most at risk are the poor, those that the Democrats claim to champion. Too far.

Other examples include:

Weaponizing the IRS against the Tea Party. Too far.

Investigating parents who disagree with school board policies as “domestic terrorists.” Too far.

Using the intelligence community to spy on a political rival and to obfuscate evidence of a Biden family member’s criminal activity. Too far.

Promoting gender dysphoria in children and then encouraging permanent, life altering physical disfigurement as a “cure.” Too far.

The White House’s violation of the Flag Code by displaying the American flag in an inferior position to the Pride flag. Too far.

Advancing legislation that makes it a crime for parents to “mis-gender” their own children by referring to them by their biological gender rather than the child’s imaginary chosen gender. Too far.

Turning a blind eye toward violent and destructive Antifa and BLM riots but incarcerating, for years without trial or bail, participants in the Jan. 6 protests. Too far.

The Democrat president stating the greatest threat to our democracy is “white supremacy” while failing to give a definition of “white supremacy,” preventing people from knowing when they may be committing this ”crime.” Too far.

Denying a student the earned right to participate in their high school graduation because the student publicly spoke a scientific fact that there are only two sexes. Too far.

Using the resources of the FBI to attack a political opponent in an attempt to delegitimize a sitting U.S. president. Too far.

Using a person’s sexual orientation or race as the primary, or even only consideration for employment or appointment to a position or office. Too far.

The Biden administration utilizing the Department of Justice and criminal indictment as a political tool in an attempt to defeat a political rival. Too far.

Democrats have become the “too far” party. At some point the Republican “parents” will reach their limit of toleration and the too far Democrat “teenager” actions will be met with firm resolve. Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake summed it up this way:

"If you want to get to President Trump, you're going to have to go through me, and 75 million Americans just like me. And most of us are card-carrying members of the NRA. That's not a threat, that's a public service announcement."

It’s also common sense.

• • •

Brent Regan is chairman of the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee.