Whatever else it might accomplish, President Trump’s border wall has already divided America. I oppose the wall, believing it’s a bad idea, but mine isn’t a popular opinion–even among libertarians.
Tag: government
When So-Called Anarchists Look to the State as Savior
This is a crisis! Government needs to act! Look at all these scary stories about incidents of immigrants committing violence! Is that what you want?! If you oppose closed borders, you must approve of the violence going on! Sure, not all people trying to immigrate here intend to do nasty things, but some are going to, and the only way to be safe is to enforce laws stopping anyone from crossing the border, or at least requiring that people can only cross the border if they get permission from government first!
The Shifting Balance of Gender Roles in Rwanda, and the World
I’m listening to an Invisibilia podcast called “Outside In”. So far it is an okay podcast, but there are some underlying gender ideas that I find problematic, but that should be somewhat obvious in its own presentation to someone with a critical mind.
A Self-Advertised Hypocrite Attracts Attention
If you are going to be committing acts of law enforcement against your neighbors, you might want to consider not being a hypocrite.
Dissent Welcome – Prove States / Citizens / Governments Actually Exist
You have to prove reciprocal obligations of allegiance and protection were created and exist to be able to prove there are citizens; then you can prove there are states and governments. If you can prove that, then you need evidence that their rules, called “laws” actually apply to us and create obligations on us just because we’re physically in Arizona, or wherever.
Trump Assumes Command of the American Church
As Donald Trump demonstrated in his first address to Congress, no matter how loathsome a ruler may be, he can bring an assembly of politicians to its feet and disarm some critics simply by invoking the quasi-secular faith — Americanism — and eulogizing the latest uniformed war-state employee to sacrifice his life for it. Trump has indeed shown he can fill the job expected of any president: supreme head of what Andrew Bacevich calls the Church of America the Redeemer.
Finding Scapegoats
It is so much easier to blame someone else than to take responsibility for your own screw ups. Government and “laws” create drug problems and the gang violence that goes hand-in-hand with prohibition. So statists blame Mexican drug gangs. And gullible people buy it.
POTUS
I have come upon a new usage for the term POTUS. Actually, it is an old usage. It refers to the position but not directly to the incumbent. This works in the same way as does the juxtaposing of tyrant and tyranny. Is there a difference between the Emperor of Rome, Caesar, Nero, or Caligula?
Should Governments Even Try to Solve Problems?
Otto von Bismarck famously described politics as “the art of the possible, the attainable.” People who like politics love this sentiment. It suggests workable pragmatism rather than impractical principles, compromise over conviction, action rather than inaction. I find this sentiment both hypocritical and misleading.
Liberty: Enemy of Crony Capitalism
Most people now deeply distrust the government, quite understandably. And many of these same folks have become aware of the extent to which crony capitalism is messing up their lives. Up to this point, libertarians such as myself can only say “welcome to the club.” But here is where things oft go awry.