Politico Magazine: Opinion: Thomas E. Ricks: Why Am I Moving Left?

Thomas Ricks

Politico Magazine: Opinion: Thomas E. Ricks: Why Am I Moving Left?

This post was originally posted at The New Democrat on Blogger 

I can see why the last thirty plus years would move someone who is not a radical-rightist would move someone Left politically. Probably to the center-left because it is hard to imagine someone on the Right moving to the far-left for obvious reasons. But in Tom Ricks case I can see why he has moved left. Because he sees the current situation of the country and the people who have been in charge and thinking that something has to change and get those people out of power. Who seem to believe that the wealthy should do well even at the cost of everyone else and somehow that will trickle down to the rest of us.

Or no limits on campaign finance to the point elections are won in a lot of cases based on who has the most money to finance the biggest smear campaign against the other side. Or the Second Amendment rights at all costs. For me those issues are examples of why I'm a Liberal, but I just didn't suddenly come to liberalism. I've always believed in equal opportunity and that opportunity needs to be expanded to people who need it. I've always believed in the Second Amendment to go along with gun control. Not gun prohibition which is different. Because I don't believe criminals and the mentally handicapped have a constitutional right to own possess, and fire guns.

I've always believed in civil and equal right for all including for homosexuals. Because we are all people and should be judged by our character and be judged based on how interact with others and our personal and professional qualifications. Not by our race, ethnicity, complexion, religion or sexuality or gender. I've always believed in civil liberties and personal freedom in general. Because it is not the job of government to run our lives for us and try to protect us from ourselves. And if anything the nanny state has gotten bigger the last fifteen-years or so.

These are just some of my liberal values, but these are American values as well. The Constitution is a liberal document whether today's so-called Progressives and hyper-partisans on the Right want to believe that or not. So I can see why Tom Ricks would just suddenly realize that the Left may be right for him. But you would think more Americans would understand these values as well.