Benjamin David SteeleYes, I'm happy where I live and, at this point, wouldn't want to be anywere else.This town is a special case, but so is Iowa. As a highly stable economy based on natural resources, it has low poverty, unemployment, and…1d ago1d ago
Benjamin David SteeleFor years now, I've been mostly ignoring news media.My sense of this situation has shifted these past days. Consider the lack of a poll bump for Trump. For most Americans, the assassination…2d ago2d ago
Benjamin David SteeleHere is something else you might like. It might help you feel a bit better.After getting shot, Trump didn't get a bump in polling. Instead, he actually lost support slightly.2d ago2d ago
Benjamin David SteeleI do know one hardcore MAGA guy.My parents are lifelong Republicans of the Silent Generation. That makes them representative, as right-wingers trend older. They were both…2d ago2d ago
Benjamin David SteeleIt will likely have little effect.As for SDOs, who tend to be the authoritarian leaders, they rate high in Machiavellianism. Trump would be an SDO, as would most GOP…2d ago2d ago
Benjamin David SteeleHere is some real fascinating info.The GOP had a database of strong Republican voters who are gun owners and hunters, and the father was in that database. This database was…3d ago13d ago1
Benjamin David SteeleI won't be holding my breath to have my overall views exactly vindicated anytime soon, as we've…Besides, it's never clear which direction the wind will blow, be it toward the left (democratic reform, economic populism, progressivism…3d ago3d ago
Benjamin David SteeleI've been fed up for so long that my outrage capacity has somewhat burned out.One of his classmates said that, when the teacher had them pick sides on issues, the shooter would always take the conservative position…3d ago3d ago
Benjamin David SteeleIt looks like I was even more right than I initially thought.Taken all together, it suggests he likely had serious mental illness, presumably untreated because of his libertarian father's opposition…4d ago14d ago1
Benjamin David SteeleOne of the traits assoicated with liberalism and 'openness to experience' is cognitive empathy…Arguably, no one chooses such a way of being. Rather, it's a result of environmental and social conditions. It's less helpful to blame…5d ago5d ago