Election Results: America Loses, Again

Having seen some of this year's crop of political advertisements and the clowns who were asking for our votes, I don't know what to think. Can voters be this mindless? These ads are such an obvious diversion from the true issues that I find it hard to believe they are not seen as buffoonery. "Candidate A" is against this and that. "Candidate 1" is against that and this. They ignore the clear fact that they are both against liberty. Smoke, mirrors, slight-of-hand, holograms, "Hey, look over there", and other tactics hide the true agenda that these treasonous monsters are pushing on us. They promise to steal from someone else to finance giving YOU something, but you too are a "someone else" to somebody. We, the productive humans of Earth, need to put these political parasites on notice that we are watching them, and we do not find their abuses amusing. We are not fooled by their lies and distractions. Any "laws" limiting, regulating, licensing, rationing, or downplaying rights are disgustingly wrong. Politicians, enforcers, and bureaucrats need to be held personally accountable for the evil they do to us. For the rest of their pathetic little lives. Voting against them is not enough.

Vote if You Must

But please, vote for NO INCUMBENTS. Vote for the Libertarian if there is one, even a LINO Libertarian; one of the honorable "third parties" if not. If there is no Libertarian on the ticket, remember that "None of the Above" is better than a Tyrannocrat (R) or (D). Or, just write "Kent McManigal" in for everything. Maybe you would rather participate in This Campaign instead. Don't fall for the "If you don't vote, you can't complain" lie.

Personal Responsibility (Again)

The worst feedback I get is when I mention "personal responsibility". Do people fear it, or do they believe they will be held responsible, yet others will not? Do most people feel that they themselves are honorable, but no one else is? Universally, people reach out to those who promise to control others through victim disarmament, drug prohibition, cruel moral codes, and other forms of slavery. They reject those of us who tell them to take responsibility for their own lives, and stop worrying about what other people choose to do with their lives. The busy-bodies cry out "But what about X or Z?" Who will stop that from happening? Who will punish the guilty?". In many cases "X" and "Z" are not a violation of the Zero Aggression Principle and should not be forbidden in the first place. In other cases, without statism tying your hands, you would be able to stop it on your own. Morally and without violating anyone's rights. I would prefer to live in a society which is founded on personal responsibility, and teaches that actions have consequences, rather than a "punishment state" where the only thing holding back the flood of chaos and mayhem is the threat of armed assault by the bad(ge) guys.

Remember, Today

Remember, remember, the fifth of November.... And watch V for Vendetta today.

We Can't All be Right, But.......

It's amazing to me that all the political ads I see are saying things that are completely contradictory, yet both sides of the national Tyrannocrat Party (Republicans and Democrats) think they are right, and obviously believe that viewers/voters will agree with them. In my heart and mind I know I am right. Unfortunately, I suppose they feel they are right, too. Why is it this way? We can't all be right, but they can both be wrong. Each arm of the Tyrannocrat party advocates theft, and promises victimizing some segments of the population slightly more than other segments. The ads are nothing but promises of kickbacks. They promise you that they will steal from me to pay you, and they promise me that they will steal from you to pay me. I do not want your money. Don't promise to give me kickbacks for my vote. It doesn't work that way. If you vote for a candidate according to his promise of "entitlements", "government programs" or "benefits" you are merely choosing a warlord to do your stealing for you. If this is your motivation, do us all a favor and stay home on election day.

Devoured by Government

Have you ever watched a snake eat?

As it swallows its prey whole, the jaw stretches wide open. The bottom jaw separates at the chin so that each half can work somewhat independently. Then one side will slide forward a ways, then pull backwards while the other half slides forward. The snake's teeth are backwards curving so that the prey will only move in one direction; down the snake's throat.

This is similar to our situation.

The Democrats are the left jaw and the Republicans are the right. Bureaucracy and counterfeit "laws" are the top jaw, pressing down on us. Any evidence that they are not all part of the same snake's mouth is an illusion. First one party gets into office and slides forward, then waits when the other party gains control.

It is a dance of death for us, the prey. Slowly, inexorably leading straight down into the belly of the beast.

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Frontiers Beyond the Reach of Tyrants

I think that a lot of government sympathizers feel the way they do because they believe there are some projects too large for individuals (or non-governmental groups of individuals) to undertake. The space programs come to mind. To my way of thinking, government has bungled space programs terribly, trapping us on earth for the foreseeable future. I think if government had stayed out of it, and also not regulated the exploration of space to death, we would probably have large numbers of humans living off-world now. Government representatives went to the moon almost 40 years ago .... and then dropped the ball. Would private space companies have done this? Not unless it proved to be a waste of effort. I don't think space exploration is a waste of effort. Humans need a frontier. This is the first time in human history that we don't have a frontier that ordinary people can escape to. No place remains out of the reach of government. Make no mistake, that is what frontiers are all about, even if the foolish settlers usually rush to set up a new government to molest them. Today, even if the average person sells everything they own, they will not have enough money for an orbital trip; no one to fly them other than government; and no destination is available. This is a condition that cannot continue. There are places on earth that could be frontiers, if government were banished. That isn't likely. Space is the only option that is left for those of us who don't buy into the lie that we "need government".

Are You "Anti-anti" or "Pro-pro"?

Does everyone need to be "anti-" something? I notice that so many people seem to get their identity by what they oppose. Why not embrace a positive instead of only condemning a negative? I am not "anti-government"; I am promoting individual liberty and responsibility. That covers about all of it. Murder, kidnapping, theft, rape, assault, and fraud, are all violations of individual liberty, and rejections of individual responsibility, whether committed by free-lance or governmental villians.

Next Prez Poll

There is an online poll at The Next Prez that you can vote in. About halfway down the page on the right side is the Libertarian Poll. You can vote for me or the candidate of your choice there. Thanks.

Small World?

It is amazing and frustrating to me that just as technology has gotten our planet more connected, the xenophobes in government are doing all they can to alienate us from the rest of the world. I think it is good to trade with other countries. It is good for people to travel and experience other cultures. That is often the best way to appreciate your own culture. Free exchange of ideas and ideals is good for humanity. What is good for people is not too good for government, though. Each government must convince its subjects that their country is the best there is, otherwise the people might decide to make some changes. Change rarely bodes well for rulers. Blind fools often say idiotic things like "Love it or Leave it!" Wiser voices say "Love it and Keep Improving it!" It is often said by government sympathizers that "America is the best, most free, country on Earth." Perhaps, but there is always room for improvement. Imagine you are standing in a bed of fire ants. While looking east you see a crater filled with lava. You should be very grateful that you are not in the lava. If you only look toward the east, you might truly believe that your situation is the best that there can be. All the while, west of you, is a green meadow filled with Twinkies and butterflies (or your pleasures of choice). If you are surrounded by a chorus of voices telling you that your fire ant bed is the best place there is, and that you are utopian or stupid for thinking that there might be a better life, you may believe it. But if you travel, or talk to other people, you will be less likely to buy into the propoganda. At times, even reading fiction can open your eyes to better possibilities. It is in government's best interest to demonize other cultures to create phantom enemies, or to magnify real ones. Ignorance is government's tool. Therefore government tries to keep the world big and scary, and builds walls and fences to keep you in your place.

A Sighting: Tales From the Dark Side of My Mind

"I stepped outside and noticed a bright light in the sky. Suddenly in the underbrush, I saw tiny bipedal creatures kicking aside the leaf litter as if looking for something. They did not seem concerned that I was there, watching them. I observed them for a minute or more, before a passing car caught my attention. When I looked back, the creatures had vanished. Similar events have happened in my presence frequently."

Sounds like a UFO sighting with live "ETs" observed, doesn't it? Well, maybe. Depending on whether the story teller is trying to be totally honest, or is trying to deceive without exactly lying. The above story can be completely true, while still being misleading. If the observer stepped outside during the day (bright light = sun) saw a couple of robins looking for worms (bipedal creatures = robins) which flew away after being startled by a passing car, then the tale would technically be true.

This is what government does when it tells us how great the economy is; how gun "laws" saved lives; why this new law or order will not destroy liberty. Politicians can be technically telling the "truth" while still being as deceitful as is humanly possible. Then, too, government often just lies.

"I'm From the Government! BOO! You're Dead!"

Want to be really scary this Halloween? Dress up as Government. Drinking the life-blood of the productive people of the world. Clothed in the blood of the 200 million or so victims of 20th century government. This is the very real horror we face. This isn't "government gone wrong" but a logical progression of the very principle of government. Government doing what government is designed to do. Government, and state worshippers, believe that force is the way to get things done. When someone disagrees with government edicts, the force escalates until someone is killed. Sometimes government ghouls, I mean "agents", are killed "in the line of duty", but the individuals who only wish to live free of coercion almost always fall. Now, with the laws which government has seen fit to inflict upon us in the past few weeks, we have lost the "privilige" of facing our accusers and knowing what "law" we are accused of breaking, if the government decides we disagree with them (because then we can be declared "enemy combatants"); the President, as Decision-ator, can take over the national guard if the citizens of a state protest his administration's policies. (As President, I solemnly swear I would never do this, and would overturn this provision.) The rule of law (the Constitution and Bill of Rights) has been driven from the US with pitchforks and torches. The zombies of government are after your brain. Defy them. Think.

The Coming Election

I will now make a prediction: Democrats will win big in elections all across America. Freedom will continue to suffer at the hands of tyrants. The US police state will continue to grow like a cancer. More people will have their lives destroyed by the insane War on Drugs. More people will die on the altar of Victim Disarmament. In other words, there will be no real difference. I am amazed that anyone still believes that there is any substantial difference between the different branches of the national authoritarian party. One cow pie; different sides! Liberty infringements that are squealed about by the "out of power" branch, are happily used when they get "into power". It is simply a ratcheting of the noose around the throat of liberty. What does it matter if the torturer has a (R) or a (D) after their name in the press? Trying to control the lives of others is wrong. Why is that such a difficult idea to understand? Is tyranny such a basic driving force of human nature that few can see it? I hope not. The time will come when the tyrants are made to pay for their occupation of American territory. At that time, will the defenders of liberty show the mercy that is lacking in the US government now?

Thinking or Obeying? Be a Human!

It seems to me that people today find thinking for themselves to be very difficult at best. We are accustomed to others (whom we think of as "superiors") telling us what to do and think. The authoritarians in power like it this way, as it is easier to control populations who wait to be instructed. Some of this behavior-modification (perhaps most of it) gets ingrained during the humanity-crushing years spent in the government indoctrination centers that we are told to call "schools". Then we move on to "jobs" which are usually a poor substitute for a meaningful trade. There we are subject to the whims of bosses who, in many cases, reach their intellectual limit by standing upright. It is no wonder that voters continue voting for the cretins who insist that they know what is best for us. News Flash!: No one knows, or can know, what is best for you as an individual except for you. Unless of course you are mentally compromised in some way. The goal of compromising your intellect is what many politicians and bureaucrats strive for each and every day. "You are not highly trained enough to defend yourself. Let us send experts to save you after you have been victimized. Our body-bags are the industry's finest." Or: "You are not smart enough to know which medications are best for you. Even if this one helps you, with no side effects, we don't like it. It sends the wrong message. Take this expensive one that you will need us to help you pay for. Never mind the horrible side effects. They will only help you welcome death." Yes, I am exagerating, but not by as much as you may think. I have faith that if you stop accepting what the authorities tell you as truth, you will be able to discern the truth for yourself. The truth can be ugly, but ugly or beautiful, it is still the truth. Wishful thinking will not change it, but thoughtful action can.

Weird Al vs. The RIAA

Weird Al Yankovic has a good commentary on the tyrants of the recording industry on his site. Plus it is hilarious!

Listen to: "Don't Download This Song" And have a nice day!

Voting

Does voting make a difference? Is voting even morally right? Is voting "mob rule" or initiation of force? If 99 people vote to violate the rights of one person, is the vote right? Is "democracy" three wolves and a sheep voting on what's for dinner? If you don't vote, do you have a right to complain about the result? If you do vote, are you obligated to go along with the result even if you are on the losing side?

I will admit that this is the one area where my opinions change regularly. This makes me think that perhaps we are asking the wrong questions. Voting results from the feeling that it is right and necessary to have a government, and that the only fair way to do so is to vote on what that government will do. I think this is a mistaken premise. If every person in the world, except for one, wanted to violate the rights of that last one, it would not be any more morally right for them to do so, than it would be for the one to violate the rights of the rest of humanity. Rights are not cumulative nor divisible. They are not subject to "regulation" or rationing. Rights are absolute for everyone, everywhere, at every time, regardless of what government would like us to believe. Voting and government are violations of our basic human rights. The Covenant of Unanimous Consent avoids these human rights abuses.

If, though, you still feel the need to vote (perhaps in self-defense), please do not vote for any incumbents, and only vote for candidates and issues that will shrink the scope and reach of government. Whenever you can, vote for the Libertarian candidate instead of either of the authoritarian candidates. Vote to legalize marijuana if you get the chance. Vote against any government-empowering issues. Never vote for a tax. As much as possible, vote against the police state. At least until it is possible to end the abomination of government once and for all.

"Hope" for the Future

I have mentioned it before, but I will again. You really need to read the book "Hope" by L. Neil Smith and Aaron Zelman. It is a very good book and is a blueprint for what a President should be, and should do. It is MY blueprint for my presidency. I am not one for drama or showmanship. I know what must be done, and I am willing to work towards that goal. I know that the Bill of Rights must be enforced, and that it is a package deal; you cannot pick and choose among the Amendments and only enforce the ones you like. The Constitution was only ratified after the Bill of Rights was promised. Ignore one Amendment and the entire deal is off. If the deal is off, then the US government is no longer the legitimate government of America. If it then tries to force itself on America, it has become a terrorist group occupying our land. The only Amendment in the Bill of Rights that has not been violated by the US government(yet)is the Third Amendment; the one forbidding troops in our homes. A libertarian president like the book's Alexander Hope (or like Kent McManigal) would understand and act on this chilling knowledge.

Will the "Right Law" Save Us?

Why is it that many people, when confronted by problems, tend to look to government to "fix" things? I think it is because we have been conditioned to think this way. Whenever I hear a report of some newly discovered, or recently exhumed, problem, I notice that the first comments seem to be "what laws can be passed to stop this?" This is the kind of immature thinking that has given us the legal pollution we are choking under today. Laws do not fix anything, but instead, make the problem worse. Living by the Zero Aggression Principle, or even the Golden Rule, would give us the liberty we need to form a better society. All other laws are just noise. It all comes down to personal responsibility and self governing. Without the two of them, no law will ever help us in any way.

Conspiracy Theories

Did the US feds destroy the World Trade Center? Was the Oklahoma City bombing an inside job? The fact that anyone even considers such ideas shows that Americans have lost faith in The US government. With good reason. Just because the US had motive and means to carry out these attacks, and that they are also the ones in charge of investigating the crimes (so they could fabricate any evidence they need) does not mean they are actually guilty. The real conspiracy that has damaged America is what has happened since then. It is not even a secret conspiracy. Government at all levels has declared war on freedom. Vast governmental resources have been co-opted to demonize liberty in every way possible. Brainwashed people now believe that "patriotism" means unthinking loyalty to the US government instead of loyalty to the Constitution and Bill of Rights, which are, at the very core, what America is. Police and other enforcers all over the country are being trained that if anyone speaks of these founding documents of America, then they are potential terrorists. Do you realize how backwards this is? Americans who honor America are now defined as terrorists by the very agents and bureaucrats who kill and destroy in order to impose a nazi-style police state on us? The real terrorists are calling patriots "terrorists". George Orwell would nod knowingly.

Wanna-Be Enforcers

A couple years ago (spring 2004), I had a long conversation with a college student who was on course to throw away his life as an enforcer of counterfeit "laws".

A television was playing a news story about some perceived threat to the state capitol building. I commented that we would probably be better off without it, and the corruption it represents. He disagreed.

We then got into a friendly discussion regarding government.

He informed me he was going into law enforcement when he graduated college. He had been taking the law enforcement courses.

I asked him what his thoughts were about enforcing laws which violated the Constitution and Bill of Rights. His responses still haunt me.

His view (and I am forced to assume that this is what he was being taught) was that the Constitution and Bill of Rights were written for a different era, and do not apply to us any more. They are just something that wackos quote, and should be forgotten.

He told me that without government cracking down on citizens, chaos would erupt.

It was obvious from his attitude that cops are being trained from day one that it is "us against them".

So be it.

There are still a few, usually older, cops who understand their duty, and remember who they work for, but more and more the newer enforcers have the militarized mindset, dress-code, and swagger, and are out to feel the rush of combat. Combat against America in the form of "The War on Drugs", "Illegal Guns", "The War on Terror", and whatever the hobgoblin of the week happens to be.

These cops are traitors; domestic enemies pure and simple.

*

Freedom Zones

It seems as though America, as a whole, gets less free and more draconian every day. Some people will resist this alone, in their own homes, surrounded by neighbors who slavishly worship the US police state. Others are joining together with other freedom lovers and moving to areas where they can support one another against the encroaching tyranny. The Free State Project and Free State Wyoming are the most famous/popular/successful of these movements. I would suggest that if seeking the company of other libertarian minded folks sounds good to you, that you look into both of these projects and see if you might find a brighter, more free future in either New Hampshire or Wyoming.

I think there is a place for the lone freedom outlaw ("firefly") and for the free region groups. These are just different methods to the same goal. Each person will find the niche that works best for themselves. Historically the freedom movement has mostly been the lone firefly against the world; it is time to try some other ways and see if they might be more effective. Liberty for ALL!

As President, I will ......

I just noticed that I have not been announcing what I would do if I were elected President. I have not promised to give money to this or that crisis. I haven't rattled my saber at any "outlaw nation". I haven't been doing any of the typical politician-type things. That is because I am not a politician. I am an individual. I care about my country. I want to leave it better than I found it. My presidential philosophy is similar to the way I behave in the wilderness. I don't litter or destroy, and I repair any damage that others have done before me (that I can), and I pick up whatever trash I can carry out. Those entrusted to take care of America in the past have done a dismal job. They have littered with millions of toxic laws. They have looted our futures with confiscatory taxes. They have sprayed graffiti on the Constitution so that it can say what they want it to say. I don't know about you, but I hate stepping in "it" when someone has used the woods for a toilet and not finished the job by burying it. Government has been using America as its personal toilet for generations, and it is time to clean up the mess. It will not be pleasant. It will not be easy. Some Americans have grown attached to the stench, and will scream mightily when we begin cleaning up. If they love wallowing in filth, they are free to turn their own house into an open sewer if they so desire, but no one has the right to force us all to keep living in a nationwide cesspool. I intend to begin the reclamation of America. Will you help?

Wrong is Wrong

If the government passed a law that declared that rape was legal, how many of us would immediately go out to commit one? Zero libertarians would, because it is against our principle. The Zero Aggression Principle to be precise. Authoritarian types, though, seem only to care about what is "legal"; not what is right. Torture, secret trials, gun laws, drug laws, militarized police, taxation; all these things may be legal, but they are still evil and wrong. No amount of law or enforcement will ever make "wrong" right. The IRS claims that the income tax is legal because they arrest people for defying it. That is the silliest justification I have ever heard. If I pass a "law" that says I can enter your house and take what I want, and then use the fact that I will shoot anyone who objects as my justification, does that make my actions legal? Of course not. Government can't be allowed to make its own rules, then judge whether its rules are OK, just as I can't. Judges should only be paid when they rule against the government if we were to try to reverse the abuses of the past couple hundred years. You cannot have the "impartial judge" working for only one side as they are now. The only times they rule against the government are when they are making a show of being fair, not when they could actually make a difference. They never strike a crippling blow to the US police state. This must change if America is to survive.

Emergency Preparedness

Do you have enough food and supplies to keep yourself and your family healthy in case of an emergency? I am not talking about M16s for every member of the family, and enough ammo to keep away hordes of looters (although that isn't a bad idea). I am talking about food (that doesn't need refrigeration), water, heating/cooking fuel, medical supplies, and the like. A natural disaster can hit any part of the world at any time. Governmental and social disasters can also hit anywhere there are other people. You should keep enough food to feed your whole family for a week or two at least. If anyone in your house is dependent on any medical supplies, be sure to keep ahead on purchasing them, as well. As has been shown rather graphically time after time, government will not come to your rescue, and may actually make the problem much worse as it did in New Orleans after Katrina.

You should also get a kit together in the event of having to leave your house without warning. Called a "Bug-Out Bag" this should have enough to keep you going for at least 72 hours. Even some of the mainstream media have begun to mention disaster preparedness as something Americans should think about. You are responsible for your own safety. No government cares as much about you as you do. Any preparations are better than none.

Here is a partial listing of the contents of my personal Bug-Out Bag:

BACKPACK to carry it all
Shelter: wool blanket
Water: Purification tablets
6 Bottles of water
Food:Jerky
Parched corn
6 energy bars
Fire: Magnesium fire starter
6 Candles
3 Sterno
Dry tinder
Fatwood
Health: Toilet paper
BandAids
Antibiotic ointment
Listerine
Aspirin
Extra clothing
Cotton Balls
Q-Tips
Baking Soda
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Security: Folding knife
Sharpening stone
Hand-powered flashlight
Wind-up alarm clock
Money

The Roswell Lies

The story is that a flying saucer crashed in Roswell, New Mexico on July 2, 1947. Did it happen or not? I first heard the story in the early 1970's while I lived in Waco, Texas (the scene of more notorious lies by the US gov decades later) so I know the story did not start circulating in the mid 1980's as I have heard it claimed. Ignoring the sensational aspects of the story, the only thing that I believe we can ever know for certain is that the US government has been caught lying about this event time after time. Initially gov stated that it had captured a flying saucer. Then changed the story to say it was a weather balloon. Then said that it was a balloon from Project Mogul, and that the "alien bodies" were crash test dummies that were dropped on the area almost a decade after the event. Whether you believe in UFOs or The Roswell Incident, the one undeniable thing is that the US government lied about this time and again, and made liars out of the military people who they fingered to spread each subsequent version of their story. This is not the action of an honorable group who deserve any loyalty. We have been invaded by aliens, and they are the humans who run and worship government. Take back our planet for the real, free, human race.

The FCC: Owners of the Electromagnetic Spectrum

When I think of all the useless government agencies out there, one shining example of utter waste comes to mind. The FCC. Originally conceived to keep radio stations from overlapping their signals (at least, this was the excuse used), this agency now seems to think it owns all of the atmosphere around America. The "overlapping signal" was a counterfeit problem to begin with. It is not in the interest of radio stations to have a frequency too close to another nearby station. Who would want to listen if there were two stations broadcasting on the same frequency? Try it by tuning into some distant AM stations and see how long you would listen to that. The stations had already privately solved this before government came rushing in to rescue them.

Their censors have bewildering standards. If I were not a libertarian and I were trying to keep the airwaves "decent" I would not let half of the garbage be broadcast that they allow. Yet they levy huge fines for nonsense violations of the bizarre rules that they do have. The First Amendment reminds government that it has zero authority to regulate the press or to control free speech. Regardless of "public sensibilities". Popular speech needs no protection. No one is forced to own a radio or television. The stations do a pretty good job of advertising the type of programming you are likely to see or hear when you tune them in. If you are afraid of seeing bare flesh, don't watch Cinemax. If you don't wish to hear certain words, don't watch HBO. If somewhat milder stuff offends you, don't watch CBS, NBC, FOX, or.... You do not have a right to not be offended.

Radio waves are nothing but a form of electromagnetic radiation; like light. Government can't own light. FCC licensing is absurd. Ham radio operators are "required" to get a license, and they seem to think it is a honor to bow to the requirement. Does government really think that unlicensed radio signals are a threat to America? In Great Britain, the royal subjects must license their TV sets. How much longer until the FCC, in order to protect us, starts requiring the same? Support any "pirate" broadcasters in your area.

The Constitution

I hear a lot of libertarians argue that the Constitution is irrelevent. That it is either directly responsible for the police state we now live under, or that it did nothing to prevent it. Perhaps. It is still the only thing that even the worst jabbuts (jack-booted thugs) pretend to operate under. This is why we must constantly remind them that they do not even obey their own laws. The Constitution and the Bill of Rights are this country's highest law. They outrank all others. Even the corrupt Supreme Court has ruled that no one is under any obligation to obey any "law" which is prohibited by these documents. Of course, they will almost never say that a "law" is unconstitutional; especially when it would bring down a whole sector of the government and leave them open to imprisonment and execution, such as victim disarmament "laws".

I think it goes even deeper. Government must be reminded and shown that if it operates outside its authority and does not honor the Constitution, then it is no longer upholding its end of the bargain. It has ceased being legitimate and has become an occupying government of criminals. Remind them often.

Yes, I realize that no one alive agreed to be bound by the Constitution. I never agreed to be bound by the "laws" that are passed daily in any government hive. Government can not be allowed to continue ignoring the laws that apply to them, but then insisting that we, the people, must live under the "laws" they inflict on us. That is a recipe for their own destruction.

Delusions of Grandeur

I have no illusions or delusions about my importance in the presidential race, or even in life. Very, very few people read my blogs. Few people visit my webpage. No world "leaders" are worried that I would be in a position to help America shake off its authoritarian chains. Most of the time, I don't really mind. Freedom is not a popular goal. If it were, there would be no need for people such as myself to run for president. If even 10 or 20% of Americans were really hungering for liberty the way I do, America would be a free country. Too many of us believe that government will protect us, without seeing that government is the vampire draining our life-blood, while it pretends to keep the ghosts from getting us. I don't know if this will change in my lifetime, though I can always hope. Will I play a part in the change if it occurs? I really can't say. With the internet, these posts will be available for future readers. Perhaps something I wrote will reach the right person at the right time. Will this blog lead to a "Kent Presidency"? Not unless some universe-altering quantum fluctuation occurs. I am afraid that any libertarian (or Libertarian) president we would be likely to elect will be more like the authoritarians we already struggle under. It is still worth the effort, though. Freedom is worth it. America deserves to be free.

I Missed a Major News Story!

Yesterday, I somehow missed the fact that it was Friday the 13th! How could I have let such a momentous event pass unnoticed? Because I am not paraskevidekatriaphobic. I am astonished that people even think about these things. But then I see otherwise intelligent people who are superstitious about everything under the sun. Superstition is the belief that mysterious, unseen forces guide your life and control your destiny. These "forces" can be appeased by doing certain "rituals" or saying magical words at the right time. I suppose it can be comforting to some to believe that they do not really have control over most of the things that happen in their lives, or that they can appeal to the universe to favor them. It is harder to accept responsibility. Stay alert. Stay awake, and don't blame mysterious forces when things don't go the way you want. The blame (and the credit) usually lies with the person who looks at you from the mirror.

Sex

Consentual sex between adults is none of my business, nor is it any of your business. Unless someone chooses to make it your business, but even in that case, you have no authority to enforce your moral code on the other person. I can't understand the notion that it is fair game for government busy-bodies to pry into. If you are the recipient of unwanted sexual advances, say "no". There is no need to get violent or hateful. Forced sex is never right and you have every right to defend yourself against it with as much force as it takes to stop the threat. "Age of consent" is strictly a government notion. One size does not fit all, because biology is not constrained by "law", but sexual activity IS constrained by biology, so children are always off-limits. Most people are decent, and whether they are homosexual, heterosexual, bisexual, polyamorous, or asexual does not change that fact. If you wish to rent or trade your sexual favors, that is your business(literally). Discrimination based on a person's sex life is stupid and wrong, but there should not be "laws" punishing discrimination. Stupidity is not, or should not be, illegal. Nowhere in the Bill of Rights does it suggest that these Rights apply to "everyone except ____________ ". Violate the rights of another person, and you are guilty. Sexual lifestyle does not figure into the equation anywhere. If marriage (of any kind) is your desire, do it without government approval. You do not need it. Government has zero authority in that area unless you willingly give it to them. Don't.

Government Dog-Kickers

Rights supercede any laws issued by any "authority". Any legitimacy a law has comes only from the Right which the law is enacted to protect. Any "law" which seeks to violate, infringe, regulate, license, limit or downplay any Right is abhorrent and must be most vigorously opposed.

The United States has too many "laws". Every time someone has any difficulty, they seem to think it is their right to have a law to protect them from this indignity. After centuries of this idiocy, we now have a "legal" code that it would be absolutely impossible to know, even if you did nothing else but read the "laws" every day for your entire life. This will backfire. If you have a dog and you make up random or ridiculous rules for him to live by, and kick him everytime he doesn't, will you have a well-behaved dog? No, you will have an aggressive dog that will be a grave danger to you and anyone else he views as a threat. Government has been lucky, so far, that humans are more compliant and forgiving than dogs. Perhaps they will continue to be lucky, but I doubt it. I don't think government believes their luck will continue, either. This is why new, even more draconian "laws" get passed constantly. They are desperate to get anyone who might oppose them disarmed and in "the system" where they can be more thoroughly controlled. It may work for a time. But...They can't control us all.

Governing While Intoxicated

While driving around today I saw one of those "public service" billboards which seem to be everywhere promoting socialist ideals. It said "Buzzed driving is drunk driving". My response: No, it is not. I don't know of anyone, even hardcore alcoholics, who think it is a good idea to drive while you are drunk. The problem is that the government has defined "drunk" so broadly that it is now completely meaningless. If someone does not act drunk, it does not matter what their blood-alcohol level is; they are not drunk. What is the issue is how they act and react, not whether there is alcohol in their bloodstream. Back in 1999 in the middle of the night, I watched a cop give a kid "sobriety tests" in Gunnison CO for over a half hour. The guy passed every single test that the bad(ge) guy threw at him. At least until the crooked cop had exhausted the poor man, and he finally slipped up on one test; then it was hand-cuffs and into the car for him. This is criminal behavior "authorized" by a badge and a gun. If cops want people to have respect for them, and for real laws, they must stop enforcing counterfeit "laws" such as this.

Goin' Nuclear

Maybe North Korea has "the Bomb", and maybe not. There are a lot of governments which do; does one more really make a difference? It would be better if no one had nuclear weapons, but just as with many things, that is only a "what if". The reality is that nuclear weapons do exist. Now the question is whether it is as terrible as the media makes it sound IF N.Korea has a nuke. My guess is that it doesn't make any difference. The biggest, most aggressive government in existence has had nukes for over 60 years. Why do they think that it is OK for them to stockpile these weapons, but no one else should? It is the same reason that they keep fully automatic rifles, but almost totally forbid private ownership of the same guns; they wish to be able to have their way with you or anyone anywhere on the planet. Government is a spoiled child who can destroy worlds at the push of a button. But here is the main thing to keep in mind: is it likely that Koreans would target and kill you, personally, with any kind of weapon? Not at all. You have much, much more to fear from the agents of the US government. Americans are more likely to be killed by a cop than by (other kinds of) terrorists. Think about that in light of the Homeland Security fear-mongering. Neither of these risks is even in the "top 10" anyway. Don't be distracted from living free by media induced panic.

Busywork

Have you noticed how much of your time you must spend in order to stay "legal"? I think this is a way government gets you to use up a lot of your energy that you could otherwise be using to oppose them. They keep you so busy that you don't really notice what they are doing. Don't allow yourself to be distracted by this tactic. Always remember that the busywork is not legal in most cases. Remember who is forcing you to do it. What types of things am I talking about? You must fill out tax forms, and make sure you keep the records. Keep your car registration up to date or the Bad(ge) Guys will have an excuse to pull you over and molest you. Are all your official papers in order? Do you have all the permits the Storm Troopers require? There are thousands of nonsensical busywork-type things we are forced to do and then keep up with. It cheapens life to be forced to deal with all this garbage. The real problem comes from the punishments dealt out to us when we are not careful enough in dotting "I"s or crossing "T"s. Government can, will, and does destroy lives, steal homes and possessions, and murder innocent people who did nothing more "evil" than sloppy paperworking. Government only has the authority to inflict requirements on you that you allow them to inflict. Stop allowing it. Withdraw consent to be governed by criminal gangs.

Pop Culture

I frequently hear intelligent people brag that they don't know who such-and-such celebrity is, or that they NEVER watch TV or something similar. It is as if not knowing anything about pop culture is a badge of honor. L. Neil Smith says you can't fight something you have no knowledge of. My brain stores a lot of useless junk that I don't even remember being exposed to, so I do know a lot of pop culture info. I don't dwell on it, or even normally think about it, though. Pop culture and the media (and sports)have a way of giving common ground where it is scarce, then you can find other commonalities when you dig deeper. I enjoy some mainstream things and some very obscure things. Everyone does unless they have the depth of an oil slick on a puddle. There is a lot of garbage out there in the media, and there are a few diamonds. Recognize the difference, but don't let anyone put you down because of what you enjoy. It is, after all, your life.

Boot the BATFE

Help JPFO get the BATFE out of America.

MountainMan Wisdom

Accepting government handouts is like milking a grizzly bear: it may keep you fed for a while, but you will get mauled eventually.

Preaching Liberty

From time to time in our lives, we come across someone whose beliefs are very different, or even diametrically opposed to ours. It can be fun debating these people, as long as no one becomes angry in the process. This happens most frequently in the realms of religion and politics. It is usually pointless to try to really "convert" the other person, as in both of these areas, we "know what we know" and no amount of logic is likely to get through all of our mental defenses. Once, in debating someone, over a course of days, after making all of the points I could think of, the other person finally admitted, "What you say makes sense, but I am gonna believe what I want to". I was struck by this admission. I came to realize that when someone has a great deal invested in a belief system, be it political or religious, they can not afford to simply walk away from it. I don't blame them; I am the same way. You could trumpet the benefits of government control over every facet of our personal lives; show me examples backing up your claims, and I would know at my very core that you were wrong, and that freedom and liberty are better. So what can a liberty minded freedom outlaw do? Lead by example. Do not abandon your libertarian principles when it becomes difficult to live them. Show how much better personal responsibility is as a life style. Do not fall into the government handout trap. Do not initiate force. Do not back away from defending yourself and your family. Do not apologize for living by your principles. It time, others will notice your life. Then you can welcome them to liberty, beyond the reach of government thugs. When enough people see government for the farce it is, we will have won our freedom.

Free to Live and Ignore the Terrorists

What is a peaceful person to do? Counterfeit "laws" threaten us daily; the police have been militarized and taught that it is "them against us" from their first day of training; the Torturer-in-Chief and his minions in government at all levels think the Constitution and Bill of Rights are "just a %@#&%@$ed piece of paper" to be ignored unless it is in their interest to reference them; and almost without exception, Americans don't care. I am reading the book Unintended Consequenses and enjoying it very much. The author, John Ross, did his research. I wish we had more Americans like the heroes of this book. Perhaps even admitting this labels me a "gun-nut". I have watched freedoms being ripped away by a government out of control throughout my adult life. I recognize criminal behavior when I see it, as I am sure you do. I have watched politicians and bureaucrats acting as though they are the masters and we are their pawns, to use as they wish. I have seen extreme crimes of government go unpunished, and the thugs even rewarded and praised in many cases. And, through it all, I have seen almost all of America accept this as OK or even good. I am afraid that when government tightens the noose to the point the average American feels it, just before the trap door opens, it will be too late. It may have been too late when the Supreme Court staged the coup and stole the power to decide Constitutional issues unilaterally. My advice is: just ignore government to the best of your ability. A retired sheriff's deputy told me a few years ago, "by the time you eat breakfast in the morning, you have broken some law. Anyone can be arrested at any time. Just don't worry about it and get on with your life." I guess what I am trying to say is, don't worship the parasites; don't shoot them unless they attack you; don't even waste the energy to flip them off, unless it enriches your day to do so. Just find ways around them when you need to, and ignore their idiocy the rest of the time. Government is not worth your time. If it pleases you, vote for me or someone like me who is an avowed enemy to the present police state. Get libertarians into for every office you can vote for. If voting is against your principles, then try to convert as many police state groupies as you can to your side. And just keep living free despite the best efforts of federal terrorists, and their local terror cells.

Letters to Editors

I just spent my morning sending letters to editors of newspapers throughout the state regarding the recent school shootings. I took my two blogs on the subject and combined them into what I hope was a cogent letter. I have some reservations about writing newspapers. I have seen many letters that, while I basically agree with the writer, seem like they were written by a howling mad lunatic. I hope I did not fall into that trap. Also, I watched once as a letter writer (whom I knew) was arrested soon after his letter advocating liberty and knocking counterfeit "laws" was published. It may have been coincidental, but it makes me wonder. Government does not like to be reminded that it is no longer a legitimate authority. They do not like to have that fact pointed out publicly.

If you are willing to take the risk, please send some letters to editors. If you wish to, feel free to use my blog entries as a starting point for your own letters. Just change them enough that they are not obviously the same. The pro-government extremists are busy writing; we, with our more reasonable position, need to do the same.

White House Forms Panel on School Violence

There is no problem so bad that it can't be made orders of magnitude worse by adding government. So here they go again.

Help Me Fix the World

I don't know whether you, the reader, agrees with me or not. I would guess that most of you instinctively know that America is on the wrong path, even if you don't think I am pointing in the right direction. Whatever direction you think America should be heading, you are the most powerful force for that change. Your life belongs to you, and America (and the world) is built of the individual lives of you and me, and people just like us. The only way to really fix the world is one person at a time. If you are drawn to political action, do it. Just realize that forcing your views on others is never right. If you just want to be left alone to live as you see fit; that is great, too. Do not let anyone make you feel guilty for living your own life. If you think my views have any validity, please pass the word to others who might enjoy reading these blogs. Even if they would only enjoy reading in order to ridicule me.

Abdication of Self Defense Responsibility

The Amish school shooting (sigh) shows another side of the guns in schools issue. Guns do you no good if you have a moral prohibition against self defense. To me, self defense denial is equal to saying that your life or the lives of your family are not worth protecting. This is abominable. To me, those little Amish girls were worth dying (or going to prison for violating counterfeit "laws") to save.

I also repeat my sentiments of September 28 and add to it: Watch out for copy-cat crimes anytime a tragedy occurs. Sick evil people need little provocation to set them off. That is why these things always happen in clusters.

My "Political Virginity"

On another blog (Small Government Blog) one of the commenters claimed I could be "worse than even Bush" and spoke of my "liabilities", while another pointed out that I have never held elected office and said I should start out as dog-catcher or on the local Soil & Water board.

I am still awaiting my comment to be "moderated" regarding the "worse than even Bush" claim. As far as the fact I have not held elected office, I have a few thoughts.

I would never run for dog catcher because this is not a legitimate government function; same for Soil & Water board. I have actually thought of these type positions before, but without any Constitutional legitimacy, I could no more justify holding the office than I could justify mugging poodle-walkers in the park. I once thought of running for sheriff in the Colorado county where I lived for years, since the entrenched tyrant on the job was smug and crooked, but felt that some "law enforcement" background would be essential to the job, or at least to getting elected. This would be a position where some real good could come from a libertarian knowledge of what constitutes a legitimate law rather than a counterfeit law. President of the US is different; it is not a specialized job. One must be able to see things from different perspectives, and without a lifetime of political back-scratching experience. I also feel that if you spend years getting elected to "lesser: offices, by the time you could reach a point where blog commentators feel you deserve to be President, you would be so accustomed to the political process that you would not be effective for instituting real change because by that time, you would be blind to the problem. What is needed is a political virgin, not a political whore.

America: R.I.P.?

A lot of people are saying that The Military Commisions Act of 2006 was the death knell of America.

Perhaps.

The United States has been killing America one piece at a time for 230 years.

When George Washington sent troops to put down tax protestors; when Thomas Jefferson purchased Louisiana; when the Supreme Court unilaterally decided that they would have the final word on what the Constitution means; when Lincoln used war to force the Confederate States back into the United States (and used income taxes, and forced [enslaved] troops to do the fighting); when the Second Amendment was tossed aside for the NFA in 1934; when ....you name it. There are too many to even scratch the surface.

And the pace of these abuses of federal power have been increasing for decades.

Make no mistake: the worst threat America ever faced was the United States. The US won and America lost.

I believe America lost the first time a federal employee or bureaucrat committed a violation and was permitted to live, and continued to hold office. The Constitution and Bill of Rights should have had an enforcement clause.

If we want anything resembling America to exist again, we need to put teeth into our liberty, and have the determination to USE them.

"Kent for President" Items for Sale

In case anyone is interested, I now have "Kent for President" items for sale in my CafePress shop.

Political Compass test

Here is a test to let you see where your political compass points. As with all tests that I have seen of this sort, it has some serious shortcomings where it does not allow answers that indicate that you acknowledge that "government is NOT the answer"; it forces you to choose between the lesser of the listed evils in some cases. I scored slightly right (4.00) and libertarian (-6.15) for comparison.

The Fool on the Hill

When I was a teenager, my best friend once told me he had found an old Beatles song that made him think of me. He wanted me to listen to it. The song was "The Fool on the Hill". I am not sure why he thought of me when he heard the song, and I wasn't really sure if I were being insulted. I am beginning to think that, perhaps, he was right. I am like a fool on a hill. I know what I know; I see what I see. Does anyone else see it, or care what I see? My friend's name was Jay. I wish I knew what he would think of me now, but I can't; he was shot to death when he was 24. I am writing this blog to let people know what I think on various issues, and so that they can determine for themselves if they would like to be a part of the world I can envision in my mind's eye. I don't mean this in any mystical sense. Look at history and human nature. I think that for civilization to survive, society will need to embrace a large part of a libertarian world view, if not become completely libertarian. I usually don't understand why so few people seem to realize this. Other times, I think that it is because of authoritarians' favorite twins: ignorance and apathy. Tell me: do you know or care?

School Shootings

I am sickened, appalled, and infuriated that government still demands that teachers and students continue to be sacrificed on the blood-soaked altar of "gun control"!

Call it what it is: victim disarmament.

If the state is to continue to demand that children be herded into their indoctrination centers, then at the very least, allow teachers the tools to defend our kids' lives! And for goodness sake, don't advertise schools as "gun-free zones". Anyone with a mind can see that this is just begging for violence.

This crime lays directly on the hands of every politician, bureaucrat, or activist who has ever advanced the theory that "guns cause violence". Evil people cause violence, with or without guns. Guns are the only tool that can effectively give the small and the weak a fighting chance against predators.

Only a monster would forbid them the use of this tool. Are you a monster?

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Boston Tea Party

After a considerable amount of thought, I have decided to declare that the only political party I will actively seek the nomination from is the Boston Tea Party. If I were nominated by BTP, I would gladly accept, since I support their platform fully. Now the only question is: would they have me? Only time will tell.

Privacy

Privacy means different things to different people. Some people believe that if you do not disclose every tiny detail of your life you are hiding something. Others believe that "it ain't nobody's business". Where do you draw the line? Do you need to know the sexual orientation of the guy across the room? Do you need to know if your cousin smokes pot? What if your hairdresser has a fully automatic AK-47? On the other hand, it would be good to know if your doctor keeps botching proceedures; this is a public, not private concern. Unless or until private issues affect you in some direct way, you have no right to know anything about any of these peoples' private lives. People who feel the need to know things like this used to be called "busy-bodies". The state in all its twisted forms has become the worst busy-body the world has ever known. It is populated and run by shrivelled little tyrants who have nothing better to do than to try to snoop, then catagorize, then persecute every little "deviation" from what they believe should be. This is the reason for our national ID (also known as "driver's licenses") and for Social Security numbers. (Did you know that in most cases it is a federal crime for businesses to ask for yours, and to use SSNs as identification numbers?) Government, for its own purposes, wants to learn everything it can about you, then use that information to control the aspects of your life that it does not approve of. Guess what.... you do not need the approval of government, but it does require YOUR approval. Stop giving that approval and starve the monster. Do not do anything that makes government snooping easier. I'm not saying structure your life so that it is difficult for you to function, just don't help them out. Your private life is your business, unless you choose to make it someone else's business. Choose carefully.

Badge-bullies go "Fishing"

I have a strong suspicion, which was strengthened today, that cops in general see someone they want to do a little "fishing" on, and stop, harrass and question them, just hoping to find something they can arrest or fine them for. "Are your PAPERS in order?" Oh, they will make up a reasonable-sounding LIE to "justify" this violation of your humanity, but that is all it usually is: a lie. There is no honor behind those badges. Just a withered soul looking for a victim.

Look at this: link

Licenses, Permits, Horsefeathers

Does getting a license from government make you a safe driver? Does it make you love faithfully forever? Does it make anything at all more legitimate? No. What it does do, is reinforces in your mind that you do not own your life.

Government had nothing to do with marriages until very recently. When you got married, your family and friends gathered together; a ceremony of some sort was performed; and you were married. The end. Then government decided that it needed to be sure that the wrong "types" were not marrying each other. So we got "marriage licenses". It is so ingrained into our culture that homosexuals actually want government to sanction their marriages now. Folks, if it ain't broke, don't inject any government into the mix or it will be soon! Next, the polyamorous will be looking for government approval. You don't need it!

Then there are "driver's licenses". Do they make the roads safer? Judging by my experience: no. Why does government think it has the authority to regulate travel? At first, they only insisted that commercial drivers get licensed. Once the jackboot was in the door, it was only a matter of time. Now even if you have never owned a car, government has made it difficult to exist without their card of approval. It is their way of tracking and controlling you. Notice how many "offenses" are punished by revoking your "license". Most of the time no one even bothers to put the word "driver's" in front of "license" anymore. It is as if that card is your license to exist.

Government thinks it owns you. Want to defend yourself against crime? First (according to government) you must get a permit to carry any weapon that would actually be effective for self defense. That is after getting approved to purchase the weapon in the first place. If guns are so dangerous that you must be screened before buying one, and you pass that hurdle, why is there any need for a carry permit? Does this mean that there are people that government thinks are OK to own a gun, but not to carry it anywhere? Where is the reason in that? Government has no authority to regulate, license, or otherwise control guns in any way at all. Independent of the Second Amendment. Owning and using weapons is a birthright of all humans everywhere. Then add to that the fact that the Second Amendment makes it a crime for government to try to enact any laws concerning guns, and the whole "permit sceme" flies right out the window.

If the government passes a law that required you to get a permit for an "assault typewriter" (a computer) or to attend church, or to own a book with "too many pages" (why would anyone need a book with over 500 pages, anyway?) would you comply? Why or why not? Is it because that would be ridiculous? That is my point. Government permits and licenses are horsefeathers.

Today's Libertarian Enterprise

The Libertarian Enterprise was offline most of the week, so they only have one article today, but it is very good. Please read it and really think about the message.

I Now Pause for This Commercial Message...

My cousin Charla Beth is hosting CMT's Insider temporarily. She has been the host of CMT.com/loaded's show Wide Open Country and is taking over Insider during the regular host's maternity leave. She is a very talented singer, too. (This is one of those "life is more than just politics" things). If you get a chance, watch her.

Education

Almost everyone recognizes that there is something seriously wrong with public education, or more properly: "government indoctrination centers". Too many kids graduate without being literate, and not just in the literary sense. They can't read, do basic math, distinguish between science and nonsense, or think critically about things they are told. What they can do, although some fall short here too, is jump at the sound of a bell, move with the herd, and believe it is normal to live under an authoritarian system. They may balk at this, but it is undeniably effective or else they would reject the current system in droves once they reached "voting age". That they don't, and only argue about which authoritarian to vote for (if they think about it at all), is proof that the government has indeed indoctrinated them to believe exactly what it wants them to believe.

I hated school. Every second of it was hell for me. I did not fit in. I was bored out of my mind. I was not a discipline problem; I just daydreamed. My teachers could never understand why I lacked motivation. I was too polite to tell them it was because nothing in class captured my imagination. When I got to high school, I frequently skipped class to stay in the library and read. Other than one spectacular teacher (who quit the next year in disillusionment), the library was where I learned everything I learned during high school. Obviously I thought home schooling was the answer.

After I graduated I began noticing that the home schooled kids I dealt with in my retail jobs were were almost invariably "socially awkward". This is a polite way of saying they were rude, and they tended to run amok in the store. I even saw one family's kids go from being a joy to wait on, to cocky little monsters, only a year or so after they switched to being home schooled. I also noticed that most of the parents I knew who chose to home school did so in order to keep their children from being taught science. After many years of seeing this pattern emerge, I began to dislike home schooling.

So, now that I have thoroughly confused you about where I stand on the issue, I will try to clear it all up. Government schools are awful. They are not designed for education, but for creating obedient commoners who think it is normal to have all-powerful "leaders" making nonsensical rules. Home schooling, if not done very carefully, can produce science-illiterate (but otherwise highly intelligent), self-centered authoritarians who think that no one would dare disgree with their wisdom. But... you have an absolute right to educate your children in any way you see fit. If it is important for your kids to grow up as good little factory cogs, then by all means send them to public schools as long as they continue to (unConstitutionally) exist. If you quake at the thought of your kids learning science and the scientific way of analyzing the universe, then home school.

If, however, you want to help your children become fully functional humans, it can be done with either system. Teach them to critically think about orders they are given, and not to automatically obey. Teach them how to analyze things they are told as "just so". Show them how to respect the rights of others. Expose them to things that may make you personally uncomfortable and allow them to explore. Give them a good foundation; you will not always be there to tell them what to think or do. And listen to them.

Separation of Life and State

How important is "politics"? In some ways, it is the most important thing; in others, it has absolutely no relevence to daily life whatsoever. Anyone who bases their entire life on politics is missing out on a lot. Read my previous post about what "politics" is. The personal scale is where politics matters most. On the national or international scale, it rarely matters to us individually. Let governments bluster and threaten each other all they want. Unless they begin threatening the real people, what does it really matter? What does it matter which authoritarian is president? Democrat or Republican; they are just two sides of the same cow-pie. In most cases, the best method of dealing with government predations is just to ignore the idiots' ravings and live your life. On the other hand, if you can make a difference, and won't cheapen your own life in the process, then by all means jump right in. Obey the laws that you can without betraying your principles. Ignore the counterfeit laws that you feel you need to. Don't violate the ZAP. If it will make you happy, monkeywrench government efforts to number, control, and track you. Don't believe anything government tells you without first confirming it from a reliable source. Even if it turns out to be true, does it matter? Government needs to keep you in panic in order to gain more power for itself. The state will never ackowledge a separation of life and state; that is for you to do for yourself. Don't let government intrude where it is not welcome and has no business snooping. Live your life free.

What "Politics" Means to Me

I think that politics is a system for getting along with people who you do not like. No one needs politics for dealing with those we like. Getting along with them comes automatically. Therefore, I believe that the best political system is the one which allows those who really don't like one another to still live their lives peaceably in the same space. Authoritarianism doesn't work because it usually forces those people together in a way that makes both sides more unhappy than they were before. Only in a libertarian society can people be free to associate in any way they choose, as long as no one initiates force. This is not a huge revelation, but I see it work on a small scale every day. If you truly dislike someone, minimize your dealings with them, and do not cause situations which escalate the dislike on either side. When you must deal with them, do so with the same respect that you would want, and then move along. Don't dwell on the fact that you don't like them. If you can ever grow past the need for your dislike, you might just find that they are not so bad after all. It has happened before for me.

Politics as Usual, Unfortunately

Read the haloscan comments under my post "Call Me an Anarchist" and you will see that I am being encouraged to lie about where I stand in order to further "the cause". The person who is wanting me to lie calls himself a "Biblicist". Isn't lying to get votes a socialist thing? This is not the libertarian way, and if I ever start doing this, it will be time for me to give up, for then I will have abandoned my principles. I do not do "politics as usual".

Please tell me where "The Ten Commandments" contains our inalienable rights. I can't seem to find anything in there establishing a right. The first five deal with how to respect God, and the last five tell us what not to do with respect to other humans. Other than telling us not to murder (which is not the same as establishing a "right not to be killed") I really do not see anything that could be construed as a right. Basing a government on "the Ten Commandments" is a bad idea. It has been done to death. You can never get away from those first five commandments that lead to persecution of people who have different views on the supernatural than you have. That is why the First Amendment exists. Freedom of religion isn't just a good idea; it's the law.

I'm back...

I am back after a couple of days without internet access, so, like it or not, I will be back to blogging as soon as I get some things done.

Highway Robbery

Yesterday while traveling, I witnessed many highway robberies. The criminals were driving cars of many descriptions, most were camouflaged as normal vehicles, but they all had flashing lights. One city that I passed through was particularly dangerous for the travelers; I witnessed a crime every half mile or so. Some people may think that these robbers are making the road safer for travelers, but I saw no difference in the behavior of the drivers in the places with lots of government shake-downs and the relatively freer areas. The drivers who are driving erratically are never the ones I see getting violated. It is usually the safe drivers whose only "offense" is driving faster than the government mandates. It is not about safety; it has never been about safety. It is about stealing the money needed to finance these and other state abuses. A free country would never, and should never, tolerate these highwaymen and their bosses harassing motorists.

Recommended Sites

If any of you are not familiar with The Libertarian Enterprise, you should be. A new issue comes out every Sunday. I highly recommend checking it out.

Another site you should go to is The Claire Files. This is a very good forum for liberty lovers. There is information on a great many subjects, depending on the depth of your interest in liberty.

Call Me an Anarchist

I have internet service here in my Springfield MO hotel room! So, like it or not, you get a blog tonight!

I have never hidden the fact that I am an anarchist libertarian. I am willing to work within a small, weak, and continually shrinking government to reach what I see as the goal of personal liberty, restricted only by the rights of others. If government gets in the way of the goal, then the plan would need to be revised. As long as someone lives by the ZAP (Zero Aggression Principle), then we can work together toward a free America, and eventually, a free world.

Remember that "anarchy" does not mean "chaos", but means "without rulers". Rule yourself and live by the ZAP.

On the Road Again....

For the next few (several?) days I will be traveling, so I am not certain if I will have internet access. If not, I will post as soon as I get to my destination. I will try to find motels with internet service. Take care, and tell all your friends about this blog. Help me spread the word. Thank you!

"Libertopian" America

I wish I had the foresight to be able to tell you exactly what to expect in a truly free America. I wish I could tell you all of the wonderful, exciting new things in store for us, as well as any pitfalls that we could avoid by planning now. I can't, though. Neither can anyone else. In all the history of the world, there has never been a truly free country. We have no real-world models to point to for examples. Some people dwell on the fact that no one quite knows how the road system would work itself out in a free country, so they timidly cling to the current government monopoly instead of realizing that taking chances can be exhilarating and liberating. I know there may be times that, at first, things may not be smooth in the transition. That is to be expected. As long as we refuse to settle for less than true liberty, we will find the way that works. I can think of several areas that some might be convinced that government control is the only way to protect our interests. Food and drug safety, doctor licensing, border guards, disaster recovery, and such are some areas that have been mentioned to me. I can see free-market solutions to most of these things that I think would actually work better that the current system. To act like frightened children and stubbornly cling to the familiar is a type of Stockholm Syndrome; identifying and sympathizing with your captors. Let's free ourselves and begin the exciting journey into the unknown world of Libertopian America.

the "War on Terror!!"

Regardless of who was ultimately responsible for the 9-11-2001 attack on the World Trade Center, I think we all agree that it was an act of terrorism. Immediately afterwards the government told us this happened because the terrorists hate our freedom. So what was the government's response? Was it to throw out all "laws" that prevent us from defending ourselves and others in defense of freedom? Nope. Not even close. The government's response was to make more freedoms go away. So wouldn't this mean that the government decided the terrorists were not thorough enough so government would finish their job for them? Seems that way to me. Ben Frankiln warned that those who give up essential freedom for temporary "safety" will have neither. What you will have is a more powerful government. The US government HATES freedom and seems determined to erradicate it in all its forms, except for mind-numbing entertainment. As long as they can watch movies, listen to music, or play video games, most people believe they are free.

Where were the terrorists that all of these freedom killing "laws" were supposed to catch? Make no mistake; if there had been any terrorist "cells" in America on the afternoon of September 11, 2001, we would have seen more attacks. Nothing happened other than the US government declared war on America.

If government ever really wants to get rid of terrorism, they could. All it would take is:
Remove any "law" that makes self defense punishable by "law", on the ground or in the air!
Remove "laws" regulating ownership and carrying of weapons
Stop molesting and killing people in other lands.
Abide by the very clear language and intent of the Bill of Rights.

As long as they do not do these things, you can be sure that "The War on Terror" is a phantom menace orchestrated to keep Americans scared enough to put up with terroristic behavior from government.

The Jury: Our Last (peaceful) Hope

Do you know what a jury's true duty is? It is to judge the case according to the law, and to judge the law according to common sense (and each juror's conscience). That means if a law seems to you to be unfair, you have a right and a duty to refuse to convict, regardless of the judge's instructions to the contrary. This is known as "jury nullification". Up until a generation or so ago, judges would even remind the juries of this responsibility. In today's police-state mentality, that kind of independent thinking would spell the end of counterfeit "laws", or at least the end of jury trials. The drug warriors, vice squads, and gun-banners would watch helplessly as juries released innocents who had "violated" counterfeit "laws".

Knowing your responsibilities comes at a price, though. Jurors have been jailed in recent years for refusing to convict in direct defiance of a crooked judge's orders. For more information on jury nullification, I encourage you to check out The Fully Informed Jury Association. I think that jury nullification is the last chance for a peaceful end to the downhill slide we are on toward a full-blown police state.

Drug Prohibition

Remember the 1920's with the gangster shootings, bathtub liquor, moonshiners, and such? Yeah, me neither. What I do remember is the crime, destroyed lives, and militarized cops resulting from the newest chapter of Prohibition. The so-called "drug war". In case you are under the mistaken impression that the first Prohibition was repealed, I am sorry to inform you it wasn't. The government got jealous of the freelance gangs and decided to take over. A piece of the action wasn't good enough; they wanted the whole ball-of-wax. So instead of liquor being "illegal" everywhere for everyone, we got saddled with liquor licenses, minimum drinking ages, and lots of money flowing into government coffers. Is drinking alcohol wrong or is it right? If it is wrong, does paying government for the "privilege" make it right? Sorry, that doesn't hold water. I think, that like most things, alcohol is morally neutral. It can fuzz up your thought processes, but you are still responsible for your actions, drinking or not.

I also believe the same thing about other drugs. Some are obviously more dangerous than others. Caffeine is less dangerous than opium. Marijuana is less dangerous than heroine. Does making a drug "legal" or "illegal" change its properties one iota? No. Do I think it is smart to smoke crack? Of course not. Is it your right to do so if you wish? Absolutely.

Safety is not the issue. We all do a lot of things that other people see as dangerous. Because of a bicycle wreck when I was 12, two wheeled things like motorcycles scare me to death. It took me over twenty years to really ride a bike again. I also can't understand why anyone would ride in a car without a seatbelt. On the other hand, I have grabbed full-grown, angry raccoons by hand in an animal rescue situation. It may have been stupid, but I knew the risks and was willing to take them. It is not the government's place to forbid me the freedom to take the risks I am willing to take. What about innocent bystanders? Eliminate the profit motive and drug related crime would dry up and go away. It did with alcohol without the prohibition even being totally lifted. What about people driving under the influence of drugs? Drowsiness, illness such as flu, depression, or even a bad day can cause poor driving. That is a poor excuse to destroy lives, families, and America. You should always stay aware of other drivers no matter whether you believe they are sober or not. I know from personal experience that marijuana is less debilitating than alcohol. I have also never observed marijuana causing anyone to go around picking fights. If any drug should be ignored by "law enforcement" it is pot. No honest cop would ever arrest a person for using drugs; "just doing their job" or not.

The drug war has been used as an excuse to militarize the local police, to kick in the wrong doors in the middle of the night, to set up illegal traffic stops, to violate the Bill of Rights and the Constitution, and generally go against everything America is supposed to be. It spawns such evil as the DARE program which teaches children that it is good to betray their family to the government. There is no justification for this evil behavior. None of this even reduces drug use anyway. Even the government's own "numbers" show this. The lives supposedly destroyed by drugs, are actually destroyed by the drug warriors. Notice how few of the ill effects are really caused by the chemistry of the drugs, and how many are caused by the politics and "law".

One final warning: If you DO get so hooked on some substance that you end up in a gutter somewhere, don't come looking for government handouts. You make your choices; you live the consequences. I choose to use my drug of choice, caffeine in the form of Dr Pepper, regardless of the damage that it may do to my health because I understand the risks and am willing to take them. Everyone has the same right.

ZAP: The Zero Aggression Principle

"No human being has the right -- under any circumstances -- to initiate force against another human being, nor to threaten or delegate its initiation."

Formulated by L. Neil Smith, this is generally (but not universally) agreed to be the core principle of libertarian philosophy. I DO think this is the basis of libertarianism. This has the same message as The Golden Rule and most other guides for dealing ethically with others. I have heard the argument that "initiating force" can be defined any way the person wishes to define it. I do not believe this. Someone calling you a nasty name has not initiated force; someone pointing a gun at you has. Someone making a threat against you, if it is a credible threat, has initiated force. I don't see that it is a difficult concept to grasp. Once force has been initiated, you have the right to counter that force with defensive actions, including force. You have a moral obligation to use an appropriate amount of force. In other words, if someone shoves you, you can't justify beating that person to death with a statuette of Gandhi. In most common situations, you would be smartest to simply walk away. This isn't always an option. You might need to point a gun at that person and warn them to leave or be shot. At that point, they have a choice to escalate the situation, or leave.

There is also The Coventant of Unanimous Consent which takes the ZAP and uses it as a basis for a system of dealing peacefully with other humans.

Taxes

If some mugger comes up to you, shoves a gun in your face and demands money, that is wrong. If a government demands money from you, and you refuse to pay, what happens next? The government will raise the stakes. First will come threats. Then government will begin trying to take things from you by force of "law". If you keep resisting at each step of the process, there will come a time when government agents will come to your house with guns drawn to arrest you. Resist at this point, and they will kill you. How is this any different than the mugger? Morally, it is not any different. "Pay us or we will kill you" is the implied threat that keeps most Americans paying taxes of one form or another. Name one government program that is worth killing for. If you can, I would need to be convinced.

It really doesn't matter how many "laws" are passed to authorize this tax or that. Governments could pass laws allowing all people with red hair to be burned at the stake, but it would still be wrong. Theft is wrong; taxes are theft-by-government; taxes are wrong. So, how would government programs be paid for? First off, I will say I do not believe government should administer ANY programs, but for the sake of argument we will pretend. User fees would be a much more fair way to pay for the programs. If you refuse all dealings with government, you would not pay fees to support government. Remember: government programs are never really free. You pay for them, and pay much more than you would for the same "service" if it were provided by a private company or individual.

Follow your conscience where taxes are concerned, but if you don't pay up, do not be surprised when government throws everything it has into bringing you down. Judges know where their paychecks come from, so will rarely do what is right in these cases.

"Crazy for Liberty" Candidate Questionaire

Here is the "Crazy for Liberty" candidate questionaire. Presented for your amusement and enlightenment. I view these things the same way I view polls: entertainment. It is almost impossible to get a real feel for a candidate through a questionaire. I don't mind answering them, I am just not sure how useful they are. If you want to know how I feel on particular issues, either ask me here or email me privately at dullhawk@hotmail.com

Immigration

Guess what. I don't have the answer to "the immigration problem". All I have are some comments concerning what I think about the topic. So here goes.

Everyone has the right to prevent trespassing on their property. By anyone. So, if you do not wish to have aliens, or cops, or census takers, or me on your land, that is your absolute right. So if you owned all of America, you could keep anyone out that you didn't like, for any reason or no reason at all. No one owns all of America; certainly NOT the US government. So for the feds to pretend that they have any authority on the issue is a lie.

Why do people risk so much to come to America?
Part of the reason is the freedom that we are rumored to have here. The US government is working as hard as it can to remove this incentive for immigrants.
Another reason is welfare handouts. Since it is wrong to steal from people to finance any government program, the reasonable thing to do is to end welfare. No longer would anyone come here for government handouts. This would end the injustice of stealing from some people and giving it to others who did not earn it. At least for welfare. There are other taxes that still need to be dealt with, but that is another topic.
Jobs are another reason. The job culture is a screwed up mess, but if someone wants to work for another person, they have the right to do it. I do not believe that anyone is entitled to any particular job. You want a job, then earn it. If an immigrant is willing to do a job for less pay, or a job you do not wish to do, why should you whine? Either agree to work cheaper or look elsewhere. Or go the extra mile for your pay to make yourself worth more to the employer. Some immigrants go on to start a business of their own. This benefits us all. How does this threaten America in any way?
I hear people complain that immigrants do not adopt "American culture" as their own when they come here. Do these complainers live in a tipi or a wikiup? Do they speak the language of the nations who occupied this land before their cultures were overwhelmed by the immigrants who gave birth to most of us? Why not? If it is good enough to demand of immigrants now, why shouldn't it have always been the right thing to do?
All cultures have something to offer. Some more than others, but mixing with those who are different can be a very enriching experience. I do not wish to live in a land where a wall keeps out immigrants (and keeps us inside). I do not want to be required to carry proof of "citizenship" and produce it at the whim of enforcers. Closed borders seem to me to be the opposite of freedom and liberty. You are welcome to disagree, of course.

War

A recent misunderstanding demonstrates to me how wars can get started if the parties involved are not as calm and deliberate as people with "power" should be. I had found some mention of myself on a webpage where the comments seemed to be ridiculing me for the way I dress. I thought that they really didn't like me. I posted a comment simply pointing out that I had seen the posts. The person who had first mentioned me thought I was angry about the comments. After a few messages back and forth, we both cleared up the misunderstanding and I have great respect for that person as a result.
Why can't our "leaders" do the same? Why do we allow our country to be used as a weapon of retaliation by the government? I am a firm believer in true militias. Every person is a member of their local militia whether they accept the responsibility or not. The founders of America did not trust armies under the control of government. They had just endured a war with the most powerful government army on Earth, and did not wish to see that happen again. Army under government control is subject to be used for evil purposes which have nothing to do with defense. Personal vendettas become excuses for traveling to distant lands which were no threat to us, and killing innocents. In the process creating a new generation of people who hate the invaders and who will find ways to strike back. No one in the world "hates us for our freedom". They hate our government and mistake it for America. They hate it for meddling; for killing their fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and neighbors. For telling them how they must live.
Militias do not travel to foreign lands. Militias simply defend their homes and neighborhoods. Militias are not under the control of a megalomaniac. Or if one arises, he gets ditched and a sane leader is chosen. Militias can come to the local defense against governments gone bad as well. This is why governments try to distort the image of the militia. Make them out to be terrorists. Government needs to look in the mirror, but like Dracula, it has no reflection. Terrorists strike civilian targets to cause fear. Strikes against government drones and facilities are not terrorist acts. When government uses human shields to protect against strikes, it becomes the terrorist. I do not condone killing except in self defense, but we need to be clear on what terrorism is and what it isn't. In its current course of action, the US federal government has become the world's largest and most dangerous terrorist group, at home and abroad. Period.

Occupied America

I have said before that the United States is the greatest threat that America faces, but I think it bears repeating. In my view America is the country that we live in. It is a country defined by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It guarantees "liberty and justice for all" and says that the government's purpose is to secure "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness". The United States is the government that currently rules the country of America. It is a government defined by the beaurocracies and the "laws" it tries to force upon us, almost all of which are in direct violation of the aforementioned Constitution and Bill of Rights. It actively denies us our lives, liberties, and forbids the pursuit of happiness if ours pleasures are unpopular, politically incorrect, or "bad for us". When politicians are "sworn in" they pledge to uphold the Constitution, and then immediately break that oath. Their true loyalty is not to America, but to the US. Any politician who breaks that oath (and not necessarily as defined by the rogue "Supreme Court") must be immediately removed from office and never allowed to hold office ever again. Anywhere. Treason is serious.

Clarifications

I have read a few sites which refer to me as a "newcomer" to this race. For the record, I announced my candidacy on November 3, 2004. I chose to begin slowly and build on that foundation.

On another subject; I have noticed that some people are criticizing my style of clothing. If you cannot support me because of the way I dress, I understand. We can go our separate ways with no hard feelings. If, however, you understand that there are real issues, join me and wear whatever you want, for I will do the same. I am different than anyone who has ever run for president. I assure you, this is a good thing. We all need to laugh at ourselves sometimes, and if I can amuse some folks, then my life has not been a waste.