Current Events Write-Up: Steve Austin, Introverts, Hillbilly Elegy, Gorsuch, Nuclear Option, Kim Jong Un

Time for my weekly Current Events Write-Up, in which I link to articles that I found interesting.

It Really Sucks to be a Christian Right Now, by Steve Austin.

This post was not what I expected.  I was expecting the usual progressive Christian screed against conservative Christians.  Instead, the article was about feeling like an outsider from ideological camps, choosing to take a lower profile in terms of online debates, and not knowing what one believes on certain hot-button issues.  I could identify with a lot of this.

Introvert, Dear: The Science Behind Why It Can Be Hard for Introverts to Put Their Thoughts into Words, by Jenn Granneman.

Introverts can be articulate, I think, but many of them have to think before they speak, so they are not always adept at rapid-fire responses.  I can identify with this.  I remember when someone asked me a question, and I was trying to formulate my response.  He was yapping at me like a chihuahua, asking me his question over and over!

American Conservative: Rod Dreher’s Interview with J.D. Vance, Author of Hillbilly Elegy.

I know the article is about a year old, but I still want to share it.  I would like to read Vance’s book, but it has a long waiting list at the library!  After reading this interview, I can see why.  Vance has a working class Appalachian background, but he went to Yale Law School.  He talks about why he believes that white working class people supported Trump, critiques the left and the right, and discusses his own personal background (i.e., learning discipline in the Marines, coming back home, etc.).  He has excellent insights.

New York Times: The Government Gorsuch Wants to Undo, by Emily Bazelon and Eric Posner. 

Gorsuch prefers to defer to legislation rather than administrative regulations.  This article explains why that may be problematic: it takes so long to craft and to pass legislation, whereas administrative regulations can address problems quickly and more flexibly.  The article also explores the history of administrative regulations, going back to the New Deal.

Townhall: Gorsuch and the Ghost of Harry Reid, by Cal Thomas. 

Cal Thomas is a conservative and, not surprisingly, he thinks the Senate Republicans should use the nuclear option to get Gorsuch confirmed.  What is interesting about this article is that it discusses the history of the nuclear option.

Why Is Kim Jong Un Our Problem?, by Patrick J. Buchanan.

Maybe Pat is a little naive about Kim Jong Un.  I don’t know.  Still, Pat offers intriguing arguments against the U.S. tying itself up in alliances that may require it to go to war.  According to Pat, as the U.S. takes up slack in defending other countries, those countries are using their resources to compete against the U.S. in trade.  Buchanan also does not feel that everything would fall apart if the U.S. were to pull back from being the police officer of the world.  He explains why.