An Outlier

Below is a compilation of some of my thoughts and opinions:

I believe in facts, science, honesty, and telling the truth.

I am not only college educated, but I have an advanced STEM degree. In 2025, many people would consider me an elite to be scorned if not despised. Well, I’m proud of my accomplishments both in school and in my career (biotech), but I’ve never shoved them down anyone’s throat or behaved like I’m better than anyone else. I wonder if these people realize that it’s because of elites that they have a home that doesn’t collapse, a vehicle that doesn’t explode, and doctors and medications that improve their health.

While I accept the Second Amendment, I see no reason why there can’t be limitations. If I can legally open carry a military assault weapon, what would in theory stop me from purchasing a grenade launcher, a machine gun, a tank, or if you really want to get extreme, a nuclear warhead? Where does it end?

I have the utmost respect and admiration for the police and the difficult and sometimes dangerous job they perform. But when I see them walking around with automatic weapons in hand, Kevlar suits, and aggressive looks on their faces, is it any wonder that the relationship between them and the citizenry is frayed?

I believe that every American (everyone period, for that matter) should have access to decent and affordable health care. Tens of millions do not. The US government (correctly, IMO) sees to it that veterans and seniors have this access. For most of the rest, your access to good health care is dependent upon the job you have or your ability to pay a substantial amount of money to obtain it. For all of those complaining about the price of eggs and gas, the best opportunity for lowering costs would be doing something about the price of healthcare, And a hospital’s number one priority should be helping sick people and not maximizing profits.

That being said, at some point, people need to be held accountable for how they take care of themselves. The obesity problem this country is facing is not a result of bad genetics. There has to be a way incentivize US citizens to make healthy choices and decisions.

I do not ascribe to the theory that most working class and poor people are lazy and are simply getting what they deserve. It’s not that easy to make your way to the top when you start at the bottom. People should not be judged solely on the size of their bank accounts or level of celebrity. And a significant portion of today’s wealthiest people are rich because they were born into it. Somehow, I don’t think Paris Hilton is uber-wealthy due to her intellectual acumen.

I am a strong believer in public education. It’s still our best option to put the most people in a position to succeed. There is no question that reforms must be made to improve it, but terminating the Department of Education and re-writing textbooks to exclude historical events that don’t fit the “white America is/was always right” narrative are not solutions.

While I expect a new administration to select Cabinet members that align with their political philosophy, I also expect these folks to have at least some credentials that would qualify them for the positions they are nominated to fill. In today’s Trumpworld, blind loyalty to the leader has become the new woke.

While it’s possible (or at least debatable) that making government smaller is a good thing, slashing government agencies simply for the sake of doing so with no idea or plan of what you’re going to do post-slash makes no sense to me. Not only will you eliminate services that people need and make them safe, you likely will put millions of hard-working individuals out of work and into a job market that cannot and will not accommodate them.

I am aware that this collection of statements makes me an outlier in 2025 America. And an outlier I will remain. I hope that in the meantime I can figure out some way to improve the world around me.

#STEM

#Second Amendment

#Healthcare

#Public education

#US Cabinet