Conservative pundits like Tucker Carlson and Kurt Schlichter bash South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem for vetoing bill to forbid biological males from competing in girls’ and women’s athletics. Noem objected that bill would only antagonize NCAA. They would ban competitions in her state, blocking not just females but all athletes from competing, winning, and perhaps getting athletic scholarships to college.
Carlson and Schlichter seem to prefer grand gestures to actually getting things done. Who would benefit from NCAA ban? No one. Athletes would suffer. Businesses would boycott the state. Noem could feel good about herself while accomplishing exactly nothing.
No, Tucker, Kristi didn’t “cave.” No, Kurt, she didn’t go “squishy.” She acted like a conservative. She foresaw the consequences of her actions, rather than making a useless grand gesture that felt good.
Let liberals and leftists go for the grand gestures. Let them feel good rather than doing good. But let us conservatives foresee the results of our actions, something leftists and liberals rarely do. In fact, foreseeing consequences is a key characteristic of conservatives. Or so I was taught.
[Personal Note: I was born in North Dakota, so praising the Governor of South Dakota is painful – but necessary.]
