I agree with pretty much all of this. When it comes to protecting the country, I certainly believe that an anti-conflict approach should be taken. I think the war in Iran right now was avoidable if the deal Obama made (which really wasn't great, but it could have lasted us 10-15 more years or so if renegotiated on the same terms) was kept. We really shouldn't let other governments control ours, especially not for the purposes of promoting a religion through genocide. And although rights are god-given, or 'natural' if you will, it is the government's job to uphold them. And I do believe that there is a balance when it comes to small government. The system, as it is right now (or as it is intended to be) is perfect. It doesn't really need changing. Bureaucracy is just as important as any other part of government. It's been that way since Confucian times. People really don't take the time to understand that a balanced bureaucracy isn't made up of 'career politicians' who are trying to get around term limits, it's made up of a lot of dedicated civil servants who work for the people before themselves. If that's not their priority, they shouldn't work for the government. But yes, states should have the final say in any law that is more public opinion (like birth control or DEI). We have the Constitution for a reason. Every US politician should uphold the US Constitution—Republican, Democrat, Independent, hell I don't care if you're from the freaking Green Party—because it is what our nation was founded on.
