So I was reading Galts Gulch earlier today. There was a post about some political stuff, sorta looking at different philosophies. There were some great points about the Neo- Conservative movement and also Libertarianism. I wrote this as a comment: I just don't know. Voting libertarian gets nothing done because they don't win anything and all voting Republican does is keep those darn Democrats out of office. While better than nothing it sort of makes my skin crawl to have such limited goals.
My lack of any good answers has lead me to putting time and energy into other areas. Caring less about what they do and more about what I do is my personal answer.
I thought about this on and off through the day. I just don't see a great answer. That has made my thoughts and energy's turn more inward. Instead of being politically active or whatever I worry about and focus on how to make our place in life better.
The blogosphere has a combination of predominantly preparedness/ survivalist and liberty/ libertarian/ political folks. Not an unnatural combination as the two do blend but it is distinct all the same. Many folks who are hanging around here and are on the facebook and such are really political. Some of them are very involved in grass roots efforts for candidates that share their beliefs and they have faith in.
I applaud these folks and really with them the best. Personally I have a hard time putting energy or effort into ventures where the likelihood of success is minimal. I occasionally think and talk about politics but that is about it. As someone who is pretty dispassionate about things I have a hard time 'just believing'. Even if thousands of liberty loving people managed to each genuinely convert one other person every week it would be YEARS before anything close to a significant voting block. My desire to spend time and energy on something that seems futile just is not there.
This is amplified by my current somewhat nomadic existence making city, county and even to a certain degree state elections largely meaningless. I live someplace for awhile and don't get to really pick where then after awhile we move somewhere else. When I move to a place and grow some roots then who is elected to the city council or county commission or even to state office. If a place decides to royally suck I will just not move there.
Thoughts?
Posts
7 comments:
I think of it as picking my battles, since I can't fight 'em all. If I was donating money to libertarian candidates, or working in political activism, I'd still have to pick, since there are more causes than I have dollars or hours.
Think "hearts and minds". Not everything that can win these is overtly political in nature. Heck, teaching and promoting preparedness helps people be and feel more independent from government handouts. That's a battle to win right there.
I agree with Landshark. I guess for me, I see through most of the bullshit, and I stand up and scream, "Hey, this is really important! Why don't more people know about this?" I look at the structure of our government and how it has changed so dramatically from its constitutional roots. We used to be by the people, of the people, for the people. Now we are by the government, of the government, and for the government.
I can see how some people see changing that as a daunting challenge, but I am a born fighter. I see a good fight, and then go jump in it.
I think you're right - there aren't any good answers.
Personally, I'm trying to send messages with my votes. This time around, the message is, "You're all a bunch of lying SOBs, and I want you out." If the incumbent is a Dem, I'm voting Repub, and vice versa.
What I don't want is for the Repubs to have a lock on both houses of congress AND the white house. They've proven that they'll spend just as freely as the Dems. They're whores, too. They just have different John's paying for their services.
Until they're afraid for their jobs, they'll never change.
For almost 40 years, I voted in every election. I wrote to my Senators and my Representative. I gave money to political organizations that I thought would support my own belief system. My brother told me I was wasting my time, that the system is self perpetuating and exists to serve those in power not the people. I believe today he is right.
I look at it in the same manner as the progressives did. Win battles, not wars. For eventually we will win enough battles the war won't matter.
Granted, this take time - heck the progressives have been doing for close to 100-years. Just look where it got them. The White House, both Houses of Congress - and just about every dang city in the US.
We have to think longer term and local.
Sure it would be great if Ron Paul became president or a Libertarian, but then he just have to deal with both the two parties. I wouldn't expext much to get done of considquence.
At leass that is my take on it.
Robert Heinlein wrote in The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, "I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them."
This sums up my view of things. If I waste my time voting, I'll vote for freedom and libertarianism. At the same time, my goal is to become enough of a survivalist that, if things become too intolerable, I can split, vanish into the woods or whatever.
Hope for the best, plan for the worst.
The fact is, whoever can get the biggest mob behind him will be in control of a society. We'll never have a libertarian president until we have a libertarian country. And we'll never have a libertarian country if the majority of people are willing to trade their freedom for government handouts.
I hope that the current American culture quickly turns to embrace freedom, but I'm going to save up my money and bullets, and educate myself in preparation of total collapse, either of society, or simply free society.
Rob,
That quote from Heinlein is perfect. I have voted in every election possible. Wrote all my representatives, senators, president, whoever.... Wrote letters to the editor, etc. Made no difference whatsoever.
I have come to the conclusion I can only worry about my wife, kids, and close family. I have to take the world as it is, but I also need to remember I was born with certain unalienable rights that NO government can take from me or my kin.
I follow the sensible, constitutional rules, and to hell with the rest.
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