Politically Homeless

On the 4th of July, Sam Altman, founder of OpenAI and Chat GPT, said he's politically homeless. At twenty he was a proud Democrat. By thirty he thought they'd lost the plot. Now at forty, he sees no room in the party for himself or those somewhat like him. He says he's proud to be an American and wants leaders who focus on spreading prosperity instead of erasing billionaires like himself. That's why he's politically homeless.

I am too, Sam. But for different reasons.

I'm a black, independent civil libertarian. I feel abandoned by our shrinking political tents. I think too much power in too few hands is scary. And I think it's foolish not to have borders and that any wall on them can and will be used to keep you in.

When norms, rules, and basic institutions get remixed because of feelings without compromise or consideration for the rest of us, that's a road to trouble.

Our republic has survived because change is slow and debated hard. It's a feature, not a bug. Remember that we're all Americans, and we have to keep living here together, I hope.

The system works when we remember that the person who disagrees with your vote is still your neighbor.

So what do you think? Are you politically homeless too? What should people like me and Sam Altman do?

Let me know in the comments and check out more at jamesabrown.net. On that note, I'm James A. Brown, and as always—be well.