Sunday, November 27, 2022

Swapping politicians pointless change

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for October 26, 2022)




It might surprise you to learn this, but I don't like change. Well, that's not completely accurate: I don't like pointless change.

I have tolerated uncomfortable situations simply to avoid the pain of going through a change I couldn't see as improving anything.

However, if something is broken and I can see a solution, I want to change it. This is why I try to save people from their addiction to political government and all its various manifestations, such as police, taxation, various prohibitions, and so forth. This would be a useful change.

The kind of change I don't like is trying to vote yourself free by selecting a different political criminal to replace the previous political criminal. Even if the new boss (who is supposed to be the servant) respects rights that were being violated before, you can be positive he's going to violate liberty in other ways. The nature of politics is to ratchet up the control.

Swapping out politicians is as useless as rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic after it sank.

This kind of pointless change is never a net gain.

However, I agree that sometimes any change can provide temporary relief. If a headache can make you forget about your broken toe for a while, I see how some people might choose the headache. The problem with politics is there will always be those who'd prefer the pain of the broken toe over the headache, so they aren't going to appreciate your preference being forced on them.

This winner-takes-all approach is why politics is so toxic to society. It's like voting on which church everyone is required to attend and fund for the next four years. This would cause religious wars, as history demonstrates. Political government isn't special. Don't ignore this effect just so you can govern others the way you want for a while.

To back a change I have to see how it could make things better than they are, or better than they seem to be heading.

The fewer people who take politics seriously, the better. Focus on your life-- govern yourself. Don't try to impose politicians or legislation on others to govern them. No one has the right to do so. Not even if you call it "democracy" or pretend a "right to vote" exists. Growing past this worn-out superstition would be a positive change I could support.
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Trying to spread the liberty virus


I just helped advise a couple of Hillary-loving, unwavering Democrat-v*ting Lefties on buying a handgun (I really dislike the term "handgun" for some reason-- it seems to have anti-gun bigotry baked in, but that's an irrelevant tangent).

It wasn't my idea, but they did ask for my advice and recommendations, and then asked what I thought about the gun store's offerings and suggestions.

They have never quite been anti-gun bigots, but they have been politically suspicious of guns. They actually gave me a .22 rifle a few years ago. It had been passed down to them and they had no use for it; they knew I'd be responsible and appreciate it. And I do.

The past few years (including suffering through a bad case of MSNBC-induced TDS) caused them to decide they might ought to consider at least having a pistol at home, but I haven't won them over to daily carry. Yet.

I will work with them to help them with safe handling, care, use, cleaning, ammo selection, and skills, and I and my son will take them to the range.

I really think that familiarity with firearms will go far toward extinguishing fear. If I can chip away at the fear, maybe the anti-gunners will have lost a little support. Those who I see make the biggest anti-gun claims are always* speaking from a position of ignorance. Every time. Even the ex-military people you might reasonably assume would know better. But, Nope. They don't.

*(It's ignorance in every case even when it isn't also seasoned with a big helping of open dishonesty.)

I don't expect this pair to overcome their Democrat beliefs, but even a taste of liberty could be a foot (or a toe) in the door. Even if they never get past their belief in a Loving Parent Government, they've taken a small step on the road to personal responsibility. It feels like a win to me.

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