There’s a tendency to make basic principles more complicated than necessary. How much better to instead drill down to basic terms everyone can understand and apply?

“Mind your own business.” America needs a political party devoted to that simple concept. So many aspects of the culture wars that’s needlessly ripping our nation apart could be alleviated if society followed that admonition. In a supposedly free country, why should you or the government make judgments on how individuals should live their lives?

“Leave well enough alone.” There is an American tendency not shared by other cultures that wants to make almost everything new and improved. Some aspects of life are just fine the way they are. Other aspects that might benefit from change can be practically or politically out of reach. The problem is that some politicos want to make their mark. Better they remained silent.

Recall the 1967 Lanterman-Petris-Short Act that closed California’s state hospitals and eliminated residential mental health facilities. That was the start of today’s homeless crisis. A better alternative would have been to bring these institutions into the 21st century.

“Local government is best.” This applies as much to governments as it does to fruits and vegetables. Thomas Jefferson got it right when he opined, “The government closest to the people serves the people best.”

Any Marin resident can march down to their local city hall or at the Civic Center in San Rafael and pop off. There’s a good chance that they might even have met their elected council member, county supervisor or school trustee. When we speak up, these officials, either out of small-town courtesy or political realism, tend to listen and address our concerns.

Try that approach in Sacramento or Washington. You won’t get far unless there’s a well-financed special interest lobby behind you.

“Keep it simple.” There’s a tendency among policy wonks and academics to explain politics in mind-numbing detail.

Two very different former presidents, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan, understood the dilemma. Their habit was to require that all major policy issues brought to them were accompanied by a briefing memo limited to one double-spaced page. Likewise, Supreme Court decisions start with a “syllabus” that briefly explains in easy-to-understand language the top court’s decision and rationale behind the justices’ conclusions.

“Don’t get greedy” It’s a rule for proponents of increasing taxes or issuing bonds. Some school districts include a wish list of improvements to satisfy their every constituency in facilities bond ballot measures. Marin has a history of generosity for schools and libraries. Given our shaky economy, property owners now have limits. They’ll go for bonding the essentials but not for what they perceive as frills.

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Saturday is a big political day in Marin for both Republicans and Democrats. It’s not only Flag Day, the anniversary of the establishment of the U.S. Army, but significantly, the 79th birthday of President Donald Trump.

Republicans will celebrate all things Trump with a “Pancake Picnic Party.” It’s at Civic Center Lagoon Park in San Rafael between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. The cost is $25. This springtime event is open to all.

That’s a far lower key event than what’s planned in Washington: a grand military parade that would’ve made Fidel Castro envious. It’ll include 28 Abrams tanks, 6,700 soldiers, 50 helicopters, 34 horses and two mules. The Army estimates it’ll cost $25 million to $45 million. There has to be a better way to spend our tax dollars.

Marin Democrats, led by the group Indivisible Marin, will mark the day with what’s described as “No Kings” Mobilization Day. Their slogan is “Marin Doesn’t Kneel.”

Twenty protests are planned from Sausalito to Novato and from San Rafael to Point Reyes Station. It’s part of a nationwide “thumbs-down” to Trump’s first six months in office.

For everyone else, there’s the Tiburon Classic Car Show starting at 11 a.m.

Columnist Dick Spotswood of Mill Valley writes on local issues Sundays and Wednesdays. Email him at spotswood@comcast.net.