Magic (tariff) Money

Sending out another round of stimulus checks, even if you call it a tariff windfall or something like that, would be incredibly irresponsible and economically ignorant. So... par for the course.

Just as I warned people back before the pandemic stimulus that it would cause inflation and make everything more expensive, I’ve tried to warn people this time.

They still don’t listen. They still don’t care. All they hear is “Free money!”

But TANSTAAFL.

At this point, I say send the money. Send some every month. Every week! Drive right off the cliff.

Sometimes you’ve got to stand aside and let people get what they want. Good and hard. No matter what the consequences. Yes, it will be another blow to the economy. At this point, does it matter?

Just do what you have to do to protect yourself. If you can find a niche to profit from the collapse, go for it.

For me, I think I’m done spending Bitcoin. I’ve done my part in working to make it spendable money. I think I’m going to HODL from now on. I was just about to spend $400 or so before the recent crash. I decided to wait until the price went back up, but I’m not inclined to spend any now. The economy looks too precarious at the moment. Maybe if things improve in a few years, I will reconsider.

And, if the checks do come, don't waste it. Get stuff that's going to help you through what's coming. Preps. Metals. Bitcoin. Guns and ammo. You won't regret it.

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It's Blech Friday.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am forever thankful for YOU! And to you!

I asked Grok to draw a traditional Thanksgiving meal. (Specifically, I wrote: Show a traditional Thanksgiving meal, with a roasted turkey as the centerpiece.) I got the nice picture above. 

Then, to be funny, I asked it to give the turkey four legs. That was a nightmare-inducing mistake. The results reminded me of something out of Kurt Russell's The Thing.  It was downright Lovecraftian!
Horrors incomprehensible to the human mind. Perhaps suited for the most terrifying Halloween meal, but not for Thanksgiving. I stopped before something worse happened. You're welcome to try it yourself and see what Grok serves you.

Be Thankful I spared you from seeing that! You're welcome.

It's true: Democracy is mob rule

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for October 22, 2025)

There is no such thing as a "right to vote".

This may be shocking, but it's true. No one has the right to impose politicians or policies on others; to govern them. Not by being king nor by voting.

Democracy is mob rule, even with the weak guardrails of a republic under a constitution describing which lines are never to be crossed, no matter how many voters approve. It didn't work; legislation violating the limits laid out by the Constitution is routinely imposed and upheld. None of the responsible lawmakers or legislation enforcers ever face repercussions for these illegal acts.

Might through superior numbers can't turn wrong into "right". Alternative ways of governing others are no better, in case you misunderstand my point.

The only legitimate use of a vote is as a privilege of club membership, not as a right. Those who aren't in the club don't get to vote on club matters. Further, the results of a vote can't be binding on those who didn't vote or on those on the losing side; only on those who voted in favor of the particular question.

If you vote for a tax, you bear the expense. Those who didn't vote for it don't pay it, nor do they get the privilege of using the product or service that the tax funds. For something like garbage collection or a water utility, providers can charge a user fee or allow people to opt out or find their own alternative. It's unethical to force others to go along just because you outnumber them.

For something you believe will benefit those who vote against it without them contributing, take this into consideration before voting. Maybe you can make your argument and persuade them to join you. Or if this fails, maybe you'll change your vote in this case, as is your right.

To argue in favor of a near-universal right to vote just because people live in a particular place is like saying I have the right to tell a church in my neighborhood how it will operate and spend money. Just because of where I live, whether I choose to join it or not. I am not that arrogant or entitled.

There's no "right to vote", but neither is there an obligation to abide by a vote which goes against your rights or preferences, nor a right to use something you aren't willing to pay for.

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The War Between the Statists

The War Between the Statists is heating up. 

Do you see it, too?

They don't realize how much alike they are. Statism is statism, and it's all socialism/fascism. It's all authoritarianism. But they are at each other's throats over the minor details. They want this variety and not that one. They want this loophole of liberty closed, and their opponents want that other loophole of liberty shut down. Working together, they try to crush any possibility of liberty.

I admit I occasionally do things just to aggravate them if they are being particularly nasty in their statist advocacy.

But, you don't have to intentionally poke them to make them go crazy after "the other side", although it can be amusing. It's like watching one of those cat videos where a cat baps another cat on the head, but the victim flips out on a third cat who was minding his own business. That's statists for you.

Stay safe as they go after each other. Stupid people can be a danger to those around them.

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Pirates, but the lame kind

US Customs and Border Protection [sic] posted on X, bragging about stealing someone's money. They got dragged for their efforts, but that didn't return the stolen money to their victim.

They even admitted that it wasn't "illegal" to carry the cash, but pretended it was somehow "wrong" to not inform them that you're doing so. If not a crime, it's still something they'll use as an excuse to harm you. Typical government nonsense.

By their actions, they've illustrated why people are right to want to hide their money from theft gangs like the CBP.

"We just want to know about it". Yes, I'm sure you do, Scumbags. I'm sure all muggers would like to "require" potential victims to provide a list of any valuables they're carrying. It makes theft more efficient; you won't waste effort on people with nothing worth stealing that way.

These thieves are pirates, but they aren't the cool kind of pirate with eye patches and swords. They are the loser kind with badges, just like those cops who pose behind a table covered with stolen guns, money, and drugs. They are all spiritual clones of Somali pirates- no charisma, just thievery and aggression.

There were a few disgusting copsuckers who said stuff like "Yeah, like they got that money honestly. LOL" Or some variation of the bootlicker mantra, "Thank you for your service". But all the thinking, ethical people were on the same side of this. The side that opposes thieves.

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Toss a life raft my way.

Smart about politics

Most people who believe they are smart about politics are really just pragmatic statists without principles. 

That doesn't look smart at all. 

It looks useful to the rulers.
It looks handy for the criminals.
It looks profitable for the lawyers and bureaucrats. 
It looks like a jobs program for fake economists and other "experts".

But "smart"?

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Gold, Silver, and Bitcoin are nice tips.

"Refuse orders"

Some reflexively anti-Trump people got together and made a video asking the military to refuse to obey any unconstitutional orders coming from Trump.

I'm in complete favor of this.

But...

Haven't we been told that such oathkeeping is a crime? Domestic terrorism or sedition or something? Haven't people had their lives completely destroyed for promoting this entirely ethical message? 

But now that the orders could be coming from "the other side", suddenly these clowns are in favor of it.

Welcome to the party, Pal.

And why only "troops"? Why not cops and other armed government thugs who spend their lives enforcing unconstitutional orders (legislation)? Could it be because these activists like the unconstitutional "laws" being enforced? 

It seems more like it's only about the illegal orders these government supremacists don't like. Continue to obey all the rest. Right? I'm sure that has something to do with it.

I think either pardons are in order, or some consequences need to be incoming. The double standards- even when I agree in principle with the message- are sickening.

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My parasites or yours?

I end up disappointing or confusing people all the time. 

When I criticize the particular government they are burdened with, some of them think it’s a gotcha to say something equally critical about the government that I’m burdened with.

It bewilders them when I agree. 

That's because they are coming to the conversation in the middle.

When I say all governments are evil and all cops everywhere are scum, I mean ALL. They aren’t expecting that- they expect me to defend the ones that bother me, personally. Nope. I dislike those much more than I dislike the ones that molest them. Context.

I still want them unburdened by the regional goons who violate their liberty, even if I'd rather flush the ones who violate mine even more.

Liberty is big enough to accommodate us all.

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Envy is Ugly

Envy. It’s really disgusting to me.

I’ve never been envious or jealous of wealthy people. That’s why socialism/communism has never been appealing to me. I want other people to do well.

Yes, I wish I had "more" like they do. It's mostly my own fault that I don't (and I sometimes thump myself in the face over some bad choices). Although government has contributed much more than I'd like to the situation.
I don't blame rich people for being rich- as long as they didn't use politcs/crime to get that way.

I understand it takes wealthy people to create businesses and jobs for most of us. And the products we want and need. If you tax away their motivation to keep going, they might stop. That's not going to help things. "Free stuff" doesn't appear out of the quantum foam.

What I don't like is when rich people use government against the rest of us. Or when they act as a de facto government with their business- spying, controlling, and cheating us. That's (apparently) government's "job" and it doesn't need help!

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Let's shut down government for real

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for October 15, 2025)

Recently, everyone has been up in arms over a supposed government shutdown. The same way they were over the last few and will be when the next regularly scheduled shutdowns roll around. Some act as if this hasn't become normal political theatrics. I'm not sure which rock they've been hiding under for the past few decades, but it must be a remote one.

These same people are trying to decide who's to blame. Blame?

Instead of assigning blame, if there were a government shutdown, I would suggest proudly claiming credit for the accomplishment. Blame belongs to those who want to end the shutdown and open government back up, not those who keep it shut down. Even if I oppose them on everything else they do, shutting down government is heroic. Shutting it down permanently would be an improvement.

Of course, there is no government shutdown, nor has there ever been one in modern America. Government shutdowns are a hoax, and too many fall for it every time. There's too much government still happening to call it a shutdown.

As long as your paycheck is being taxed, grandmothers are being groped at airports, and gun purchase background checks are being committed, government is still open and violating you.

Political criminals only shut down, or scale back, the few things they hope will make the public whine and beg to have government turned back on. They'll never shut down something if it would neuter government's power to bother you.

I want a real shutdown.

I want the political parties to compete to see who can shut down government the best. Let them jockey to shut it down the most often, the most completely, and keep it shut down the longest. Trying to blame each other for a government shutdown is like people condemning each other for not mugging you. It's nothing to find fault with; it's the right thing to do.

Any fault is found in not shutting down enough of it, or in giving it a chance to come back... with back pay for all. Just let it go. Have you tried unplugging it and NOT plugging it back in?

As long as people entertain the illusion that there is such a thing as the right to govern others, they'll keep doing the wrong thing. They'll fight to reopen government. The occasional shutdown theater is nothing but a distraction from reality.

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Aversion therapy

It's disturbing that there are some truths that even Libertarian / Abolitionist / Voluntaryist / Anarchist people have allowed the statist narrative to make too dangerous to debate. Or even speak. 

To act as though the statist position is valid and beyond examination.

I've waded into that mire myself a few times, and it isn't fun. It trains a person to stay silent in the face of certain topics where statists are objectively wrong, by every rational standard, but have had such a heavy influence that even most of those who aren't in their camp simply accept the narrative without question- and often pile on if anyone dares to question it.

This just shows there's a lot of work to do, both as individuals and together, to free society from statism. There will be a lot of resistance, though, from all sides.

Some days I'm willing to face the arrows; most days I'm not. So I guess that means the tactic is effective.

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Does anyone even notice this anymore?

Round numbers

It's been ten years.

I hate that the arbitrary fact of a round number makes it feel more important and more painful.

Those files

I have almost no interest whatsoever in "The Epstein Files". Shocking and unique, I know. I'm supposed to care. Deeply! But I don't.

I assume all political criminals are scum in every possible way. The only thing those files might do is show a lack of evidence that one of them isn't scum in one specific domain. Maybe. An absence of evidence is never evidence of absence.

I assume any file that was important in showing guilt has been wiped, deleted, shredded, burned, and scattered to the winds. Or doctored to either show guilt or to cover it up.

It's better to assume they are all scum and work from there.

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Be a hero

Government makes everything worse

I was going to list real-world examples of how government makes everything worse; how adding some government control or oversight ruins everything.

But the list got too long. Basically endless. So many specific examples came to mind that I was overwhelmed.

I can't think of anything that has been improved by giving government control over it. Can you?

Give me an example, if one comes to mind, and I'll consider it.

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Could you? Would you?

War is politics

War is politics. Maybe slightly extreme politics, but still politics. It's politics in full bloom.

Anyone who uses politics against me is someone who I believe would hurt me in other ways if they had the opportunity. They're simply going about it dishonestly.

This is the kind of person who will go to war with others if in a position of power, even if they lie about what they are doing and try to give it Orwellian euphemisms- like "peacekeeping".

If you make a habit of using politics against others, don't complain if it comes back on you tenfold. You may find yourself in a war you didn't realize you were starting; a war you're not going to win. I have no sympathy.

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I dare you

Non-functional

Through the years, I have seen some very pretty non-firing firearms replicas. The "non-firing" part completely ruins them for me.

A large part of the beauty of a firearm comes from knowing it functions as it's supposed to function, which includes sending a projectile downrange at high speed. Even the airgun replicas of real firearms are better than the non-firing replicas because of this. 

And blank-firing guns are all noise and disappointment.

That's kind of how I feel about "libertarian-leaning" people. They may look nice, but they fail to function correctly. By insisting on hanging on to some statism, for pragmatic or other reasons, they don't work right.

They might make a nice display piece, or a lot of noise, but they won't save the day when the chips are down. All because they're unable to let go and trust liberty.

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Go crazy

Government failing at its only job

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for October 8, 2025)

Much of the conflict over government stems from different ideas about what its job is— or should be.

If we strip away all the nonsense and propaganda- all the excuses- there's only one justification for government that holds water; it's there to protect the life, liberty, and property- the fundamental human rights- of the people forced to live with it. A job it seems unwilling or unable to do. Anything else it does is a direct betrayal of this purpose.

So much for the notion of a "night watchman" government.

If government were capable of fulfilling this purpose, it might be worthwhile to keep one around. Since government is the main problem we are likely to encounter in our daily lives, it's not worth the expense or the risk. Government is the wolf at the door, demanding you let it in so it can protect you from wolves.

So-called "safety net" programs- welfare, subsidies, and other handouts- are often sold as government's duty, but it's a trick. Every cent funneled through these schemes must first be stolen from the rightful owners through taxation. If government's job is to protect property, picking your pocket to hand the loot to me is a contradiction. You can't protect property by stealing property. You can't protect rights by violating rights.

No one needs bureaucrats taking their money and then deciding who to give it to. Charity is better at filling real needs while correcting for mistakes or scams. Stealing money through taxation, then giving it away (even if they aren't trying to buy votes with it) isn't generosity. It doesn't make for a kinder society. It breeds dependence and resentment, and it undermines the foundations of society. If there were any such thing as a "social contract", this would break it.

If you assume people can't run their own lives, and treat them as if they can't, they'll prove you right. If you try to remove the cost of being irresponsible, no one has any incentive to be responsible. If you insist on governing them, they'll never learn to govern themselves.

If government is to be tolerated, it must stick to its job of protecting your rights. Not violating you in the name of what someone pretends is a right. Not being a nightmarish nanny or a parallel universe Robin Hood who steals from the people to give to the state.

It can't do this, so why put up with it?

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Truth in labeling

I recently watched the movie Soylent Green. It was made in 1973 (“based on” a 1966 novel) and set in 2022.

The movie was not nearly as shocking as I'd been made to think it would be. Which doesn't say good things about how dystopian the world has been turning since the early '70s, or how callous I may be.

It seems to me that the core problem in the movie is a truth-in-labeling issue. Turning a massive glut of corpses into food seems a good use of resources (protein) under the fictional overpopulation scenario depicted in the movie. 

I can't imagine that the people of that world- seeing what they have become accustomed to tolerating- would really have that big an issue eating the processed remains of their fellow humans. 

Maybe Thorn was acting like it was a big deal, but no one else cared. That is where the movie ended, after all. He screamed the truth, the cameras shut off, and people shrugged and went on about their miserable lives, with bigger problems to worry about.

Come to think of it, that feels like the response to most uncomfortable truths about government and lost liberty that I feel people should care about.

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You're a King

What's better than "No Kings"?

Everyone a king or a queen. Everyone the sovereign individual they were born to be.

8 billion+ kings/queens is better than none. 

If there are none, slimy political criminals will call themselves something else while they take on the king's role and assert illegitimate "authority" over your life. Don't leave a power vacuum; wear your crown- or not. It's your decision as King.

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Socialist politicians take note

Any "affordability" that doesn't take the cost of taxation and regulation into account is a lie.

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