Ron: Brace yourself, I’m about to compliment President Trump

Donald Trump has done a good job so far responding to Hurricane Harvey.

I just gave the president a compliment. Crazy, right? I wonder how the folks that love to pile drive me about Trump online will spin that?

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Here’s a quick sample of comments from the peanut gallery when I posted my disapproval about the transgender military ban.

April writes: “Ron has tripled down on his Trump Hate so bad that he can’t turn back now. But don’t tell him that. He will accuse you of ‘not liking him’ because after all a dissenting opinion is a personal attack.”

And here’s Lisa: “Lost all respect for you Ron Upshaw. I do not care what point you are trying to make. Shame on you.”

Scott chimed in: “Ron stopped to his lowest point yet.” I think he meant “stooped.” Spelling, it’s not for everyone.

I’m pointing this out not in some attempt to rally people to my position, but to hopefully get people to look at each issue on its own merits.

There seems to be this dynamic that has developed where if you slap the label “Republican” or “Democrat” after your name, then you have to fall into lockstep and support every decision made by your side no matter how ridiculous. That just doesn’t make sense. Life is complicated. There are a lot of issues out there. It’s possible for the same person or the same party to be right about some things, and absolutely wrong about others.

Trump can be 100 percent wrong about the transgender ban in the military, and also do a good job responding to the hurricane. One thing has very little to do with the other. It’s not personal, yet people seem to take it that way.

One way elected officials in power are held to account is by the voice of the people. That’s the beauty of our country, we get to speak to power. One issue at a time. When they mess up, we get to tell them so and challenge them to do better and live up to the American ideal.

When they do right, acknowledging that even when you didn’t vote that way is also important.

Trump quickly declaring a state of emergency in Texas and quickly flying down there was the right thing to do. His decisive action set in motion the money and people of the federal government to help.

That’s a good thing.

This country is made up of people, not policies. We are more alike than we are different. Even when I voted differently than the vast majority of people in Texas, I will be there for them in their time of need. That’s the America I believe in.