A Good Mind is Capable of Holding Many, Seemingly Opposed Ideas

The Age of Trump has caused me to spend several years examining my ideas and ideology, a process many a former kindred spirit has abandoned while they express politics through their equally opposed political dark hearts and near-Freudian ids.  I've been thinking recently about seemingly opposed ideas in the same head, and the quote attributed to F. Scott Fitzgerald that "The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function." This essay attempts to do something like that. In it, I will explore the deep recesses of my political/social mind in an attempt to put forward a number of opposed or "not necessarily aligned" ideas that I hold equally in good standing.  Here goes.

I am a conservative. 

President Trump is not conservative.

I am not a Republican.

I cannot be a Democrat.

A well-trained police force is essential to law, order, and civil life.

Many communities in this country have legitimate beefs with the police. Many of those communities are minority, including black communities.

Peaceful protests are a constitutional right are to be encouraged in a free society.

Looting and violence are crimes and should be met with force if necessary.

Law and order and the protection of bodily and property safety is the purview of state and local police forces. Federal intervention into local disturbances should come after deep deliberation and caution, and in cooperation with state and local authorities.

Federal intervention can become necessary when local disturbances exceed local ability to quell.

Police reform and criminal justice reform are reasonable policy options in response to current upheaval.

De-funding police departments is not reasonable.

It is asinine for Trump supporters to say "take him seriously, not literally".

It is asinine for activists to say that "De-fund the Police" does not mean--de-fund the police. 

All Lives Matter.

Black Lives Matter.

Racism exists in the United States.

The United States is not racist.

Capitalism will inevitably create losers. 

The alternative makes everyone a loser.

Free markets are a form of liberty.

Markets are far from free.

Our friends and allies around the world do not spend enough on their own defense.

Abandoning our friends and allies is a terrible thing.

American participation in international organizations constrains policy choices.

Participating--no, leading--international organizations is in our national interest. 

Socialized medicine is an evil worth avoiding at all costs.

Our system linking insurance coverage to employment is ridiculous.

Taxation is confiscation.

Taxes are the price paid for a functioning civil society.

America has a gun problem.

The crime rate has dramatically fallen over the same time there has been a significant increase in the number of privately held guns. 

Determining who enters and who stays in this country is the table-stakes of sovereignty.

America is improved by its immigrants.

A wall or physical barrier on our southern border is a prudent policy choice.

This choice should be made by our representatives in our Federal legislature, not funded by Presidential fiat through questionable re-allocation of appropriated funds.

That was fun. You are invited to share oppositions from your own supple minds in the comment section.