Despite the propaganda of those with political power, freedom is not freedom from liberalism, conservatism or facts.

True freedom is freedom from exploitation and pollution. In his classic novel 1984, George Orwell’s totalitarian government proclaims to its citizens in double-speak that “Freedom is Slavery.” Donald Trump proclaims to us that lies are truth.

Columnist Jay Ambrose’s Orwellian argument is that modern conservatives are today’s true liberals because they oppose government regulations that limit individual freedom of choice. Jay’s argument merely exposes that the words “liberal” and “conservative” have become meaningless double-speak to an objective observer of the political policies of today’s politicians.

To benefit a booming economy by increasing pollution and exploitation, today’s conservatives (liberals?) are doing away with environmental regulations that protect clean air and clean water so that they can conserve pollution and exploitation of powerless citizens and Mother Nature.

Short-term economic gain yields predictable long-term human pain in the form of ideological political policies that produce natural disasters and ever-increasing hurricanes. Just what are today’s self-proclaimed conservatives and liberals leaving as a legacy when they pass tax reform legislation that puts a pittance in most taxpayers’ pockets now by increasing the national debt inherited by our children and grandchildren?

Ask yourself what is being conserved, at what cost, who is being liberated and which citizens are flourishing? Then vote for candidates of vision and integrity that support civilized and sustainable public policies for all our citizens.

Tom Driscoll

Poulsbo