And here we are folks! My final column until autumn. (I’ll explain at the end of this piece… we got a lot of stuff to cover). Between the heartache of libertarian division, the idiotic Democrat-lite mentality of Tony Monetti and a 2018 midterm that is shaping up to be (mostly) a big fat fucking shit-show… perhaps said hiatus is warranted – if for nothing else than to cleanse my wretched soul of this obnoxious negativity. So let’s start!
While libertarian division pre-exists myself and many elder millennial libertarians, it does seem (to me) that it has gotten progressively worse ever since the 2016 Presidential Election. Not because we ran Gary Johnson over here on the LP side of things ( a decision I still firmly stand by), but because there now seems to be an eagerness to prove “how libertarian” one is. And this can be seen in the way many LP libertarians shun liberty GOP members like Justin Amash, Rand Paul, Thomas Massie and Austin Petersen. And Nicholas Veser actually summed it up best with this Facebook post.
And before I got to this point in my life, I have to admit I was one of those counterproductive libertarians also. (I even called on the Michigan LP to run a candidate against Justin Amash when he voted for the healthcare bill). But as I get older, I find myself prioritizing. While I admittedly want freedom for all, I must vote accordingly with what I want to get (freedom) – even if (in the eyes of some) that means denying another their freedom. (Comes back to that whole “defense” thing, I’ll get to that in a sec). And while I identify as a “theoretical Rothbardian”, I also identify as a “pragmatic classical liberal”. That’s because I have learned to separate my beliefs from my voting practices. While I can acknowledge the fact that voting can be a type of force, it can also be explained as a type of defense (see above) against the force initiated by the votes of others. Ultimately, until the government (both in the US and abroad) is reduced to significantly less than what it is, I am left confused as to why we cannot unite around liberty candidates, get them elected and begin the work of actually reducing the government. (And no Trumpkins, that doesn’t include supporting your war mongering pseudo-deity). Once that happens, then we can break off into our little factions (at which point I will be a full-blown Rothbardian/Anarcho-Capitalist).
Tony Monetti does not know how to defend his positions of conservatism (probably because defending welfare is as conservative as wiping your ass with recycled, redistributed Bernie Sanders toilet paper).
In a social media shit storm – libertarians and other Austin Petersen supporters rained fire on Mr. Monetti for his blatant hypocrisy, virtue signaling and vehemently anti-conservative stances (in light of his supposed “conservative” identity). Coupled with his inability to live up to the deal they (Petersen and himself) made, I find his confidence that he will actually win the Missouri GOP Primary as a laughable as Rosie O’Donnell on a treadmill. (Or as laughable as Monetti thinking that anarcho-capitalists aren’t a branch of libertarianism).
Before we conclude, I would like to reflect on my disappointment in what is shaping up to be a terrible midterm election. While there are certainly a few races that I am enthusiastic about, the struggle to get the win is exhausting. (Just writing two quality pieces on Larry Sharpe and his gubernatorial run took a lot of research and livestream watching). So when this combines with a renewed sense of state-dependence that I started to see shrink ( at least within public sentiment), it makes my heart hurt. What is it about responsibility, accountability and facts that creates such division? Is it an intrinsic sense of entitlement that most humans are simply born with? I hope not, but with the liberty movement not growing at a rate good enough for my liking, it certainly is hard to remain positive about the prospects of said movement.
And finally, here we are… the end.. for now! While I have enjoyed penning my opinions for these last few months, it is hard to put out a quality piece every week when you are exhausted from your “civilian” job. While initially only looking to work part-time so that I might concentrate on my writing, my desire to leave the leftist shithole of Vermont in my rearview for the greener (and more arid) pastures (and deserts) of Colorado or Northern New Mexico has consumed me to the point that I am concentrating much of my energy into that. Combined with a new sense that I must “cut loose” every now and then to avoid going bat-shit crazy(er), I have been listening to the call of the wild. I find myself in the woods more, and in society less… and it feels great! So that is it in a nutshell. I want to concentrate on making money for the summer and see where I am at by then. I am also working on a novel (about a guy from the east who moves to Colorado… go figure) and that is a “three page a day” commitment that doesn’t requite research as well. Cuts a lot of time out of my writing.
So that is it folks! I will still submit the occasional piece here, as well as a certain other website I am known for submitting work to. I will also be opening myself up for speaking engagements and podcasts/livestreams… so I will still be very visible in the movement for a freer world. I have every intention of reviving this column in the fall, but until then… live free, brothers and sisters. God Bless you all, and thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your support has meant the world to me.
