The One Test

I threw out about half of what I originally believed by applying a single question, and I'd give it to you as a general tool.

Would I still want this rule if the politician I trust least were the one holding it?

Not the one you dislike. The one you actually fear. Picture them in that office, with this rule in their hand.

If the answer is no, it isn't a rule. It's a weapon — and weapons change hands. Every power you build for your side will be inherited by the other within a decade or two. That is not a risk. It is how the system works and always has.

You can apply that tonight, to whatever your own side is currently proposing. It costs nothing and it clarifies everything.