(July 4)  As a lifelong liberal (James) and a lifelong conservative (Quin), we have been on opposite sides of almost every election in memory. There are things on which we agree, though, starting with our reverence for the idea of America itself and the need to preserve it.

Part of preserving it involves finding common ground. And yes, there is common ground on matters big and, well, less big.

[kpolls]

Starting with what’s at the top of the news these days, we agree that neither President Joe Biden nor former President Donald Trump should be inaugurated for a new term next January.

Nobody should come anywhere near the Oval Office after trying to throw out an obviously legitimate election, instigating a mass-casualty riot and refusing to call it off, and publicly berating his own vice president even when knowing the veep’s life may be in danger. Trump is a menace who cannot be entrusted with power, period.

But nobody should re-up for president until age 86 when, at 81, he is already intermittently (but increasingly) incapacitated. Even for a good man, it is flat-out irresponsible and unfair to the nation and world to ask for that massive responsibility in these circumstances. Biden should not be renominated.

On policy, we both agree on a hodgepodge of issues. We agree that extreme identity politics and woke obsessions are unnecessarily divisive. We agree that Biden’s student loan forgiveness plans are ill advised and more helpful to those who don’t need assistance than to those who do. And we agree that huge university endowments should be tapped or taxed to aid those who really do face long financial odds.

We agree that the Supreme Court’s recent decision awarding presidents a vast degree of “immunity” from criminal prosecution is wrong constitutionally and profoundly dangerous. We agree that high-paid corporate executives shouldn’t escape Social Security taxes….. [The full column is at this link.]