Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
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Most politicians remind me of bungling bank robbers who get foiled in their clownish attempts to rob a bank. Rather than being sorry or changing their ways, they decide they’ll rob two banks tomorrow. Instead of robbing banks, though, they keep committing the greater crime of “gun control.” New Mexico’s governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham, seems to want to be on the Most Wanted list for gun-law criminals, right up there with the worst dictators in history. On one hand, how embarrassing for anyone to support such a politician. On the other hand, I...
When government clearly goes too far, someone may ask whether or not government has the right to do what it did. The honest answer is always “no.” Government has no rights. It’s not that government has no extra rights; government has no rights of any kind. Individuals who work for government have rights. They have the same rights anyone else has. Rights equal and identical to the rights everyone else enjoys, but no more. These individuals don’t magically get extra rights made up out of thin air because they work for government or wear a badge...
You can tell how seriously someone takes property rights by whether they support “code enforcement.” “Code enforcement” is a euphemism for government violating residents’ property rights. It’s an inexcusable justification for government to steal property or to violate other rights. Government has no rights and can never be a victim, so government isn’t owed anything for a violation. A “fine” is nothing but legalized theft used to punish. Yes, it’s a common practice but “common” can’t make it right. This sort of behavior has no place in...
Almost all of us want the same thing: to live in peace with what we need to survive and enjoy life, free to follow our interests. Problems arise when some of us think we can get there through socialism or legislation. I believe liberty is the only way to get there. Thomas Jefferson seemed to have been hinting at the same thing when he wrote: “Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others.” That sounds peaceful and civilized. He went on to say, “I do not add ‘with...
As seems to happen more and more frequently, the curtain is dropping on yet another year. Rather than looking back at the year as it winds down, I want to look ahead without trying to predict anything. I don’t know if the past year was a good one for you, but I hope it was. Either way, you’ve about made it through. This is no finish line; only a checkpoint. The good news is, you’re still here and you’re still going forward. If you want this next year to be an even better year, you’ve got to make it better yourself. Don’t ask politicians...
I’ve realized most people don’t understand freedom of speech. Not even experts. Having freedom of speech doesn’t mean you can force anyone to listen. It doesn’t mean you’ll escape consequences of your words. It doesn’t mean anyone -- other than government -- is obligated to let you speak. Of course, I believe corporations are an arm of government due to the cozy arrangements they share. Government puts pressure -- with implied threats of retaliation -- on corporations to ban speech government doesn’t want allowed. This violates the First Amendm...
Have you ever heard the term “beer goggles,” where the more you drink, the more attractive someone looks? Politics works the opposite. The more you see things politically, the worse everything looks. Once someone starts looking at things through the distorting lens of politics, there’s no telling what they’ll think they see. Even without politics, people see what they want to see, what they expect to see, or what they’ve been told to see. Politics make this effect worse. With politics, people see the worst possible interpretation of what’s in...
Governments don’t respect rights. Your rights don’t change when you cross a line; not a state line or a national border. Rights are the same everywhere. Only the ways in which your rights are violated differ by location. Rights don’t change over time or due to majority opinion, either. If something is a violation of your rights today, it was a violation no matter how far back in history you go and it would remain a violation into the distant future. No matter what else changes. Slavery always violated the rights of the slaves, even when it wa...
People are more alike than different. Even those who use politics against you want the same things you want. They want to live their lives the way they believe is best, and they usually believe their way would be best for you, too. The difference is they are pursuing a way you think is not going to work; for themselves or for others. They may prioritize feeling safe over liberty. You may think what makes them feel safe is too dangerous. Maybe they’d put green chilis on everything and you don’t want them on anything. You might be right or you...
After World War II, the American and Soviet governments entangled themselves in what became known as “the Cold War.” They lied about each other (and told some uncomfortable truths), used dirty tricks, and even killed each other’s people in ways that didn’t quite reach the level to trigger a declaration of war. It wasn’t a good situation and only ended -- if it ended -- when the Soviet Union collapsed. Now I think America is in a cold civil war. The conflict historically called “the Civil War” wasn’t a civil war. Civil war occurs when two factio...
After the election, I saw a few bitter Republicans on social media blaming the failure of Republican candidates to get elected -- the fizzled “red wave” -- on libertarians. It’s a silly complaint. Libertarian candidates don’t take votes from Republicans any more than they take votes from Democrats. Most people who vote for Libertarians aren’t going to vote for any of the other candidates no matter what. If I were a voter and I only had a choice between a Republican and a Democrat -- and both advocated policies I couldn’t tolerate -- I wouldn...
Why would anyone bother confronting politicians? Do they really believe politicians matter in their daily life? You protect your rights by exercising them -- by putting them into practice -- not by begging others to respect them. I’m not going to a politician’s office to try to convince them of anything. Not to beg them to stop violating my rights nor to ask them to violate someone else on my behalf. You won’t find me at a protest, a political rally, or in a voting booth for the same reason I’m not going to go to an inner city to beg the violen...
Politicians are always promising to do things politicians can’t do. Either they believe they are magic, or they want you to believe they are. Sometimes they promise things they can’t legally do -- things that violate the Constitution -- and other times they promise to do things that aren’t possible within the laws of physics in our universe. Do they believe you are gullible enough to fall for it? Probably. Often they promise to violate economic reality, which is nearly as immutable as the laws of physics. I’ve seen them promise to cap medicat...
It might surprise you to learn this, but I don’t like change. Well, that’s not completely accurate: I don’t like pointless change. I have tolerated uncomfortable situations simply to avoid the pain of going through a change I couldn’t see as improving anything. However, if something is broken and I can see a solution, I want to change it. This is why I try to save people from their addiction to political government and all its various manifestations, such as police, taxation, various prohibitions, and so forth. This would be a useful change....
Isn’t it better to not create a problem in the first place than to try to fix it after it happens? I appreciate those organizing a trash pick-up day, and those who took time out of their week to participate. I appreciate the people who don’t toss their trash around in the first place. and those who regularly pick up litter whenever they see it, even more. If there is a pre-existing problem, make sure any solution you try isn’t going to have the unintended consequence of making things worse. In some cases, much worse. Such as what has happe...
Being political leads to unfortunate outcomes. Politics never makes people act smart. I don’t think federal agents -- FBI or anyone else -- have any business digging for things over which to prosecute Hunter Biden. I don’t find federal agents credible. When someone is targeted for political reasons, whether Donald Trump or Hunter Biden, it makes those targeting them look unintelligent and corrupt. Maybe because they are unintelligent and corrupt -- as bad as their target, or worse. All politically connected people have done things truly wro...
It’s easy to focus on our problems; on what’s going wrong. It’s harder to notice what’s not going wrong right now. It’s good to find a balance between the two. I’m thankful we didn’t have a devastating hurricane blow through this area last week. I’m also glad we aren’t in the middle of a violent war, trying to defend our homes from the military of an invading government from a neighboring country. Not everyone in the world can say the same. Shouldn’t we be grateful for the problems we don’t have? Nothing is perfect. If you look hard enough...
Politics divides. If you distrust your neighbor because of political differences, it’s not your neighbor -- or you -- who’s at fault. It’s politics. Some would have you believe we are at war with each other, but your neighbors aren’t the enemy, even if they follow the enemy. Or if you do. Don’t let politics make you hate each other -- that would be a tragedy. I’ve heard people claim “everything is political.” This is not a healthy way of looking at life -- it’s not even a smart claim. Things are only political if someone makes them politi...
It seems it should be obvious to everyone by now: those who seek positions of political power can’t even run their own lives; they certainly shouldn’t be allowed to run yours. No one is less qualified to do so. Just look at the news. Locally, nationally, and internationally -- those with political power are drawn to criminal behavior like Junebugs to porch lights. They are not better than you. They are not smarter or wiser, more moral, or more expert. They aren’t entitled to decide how you should live your life. They shouldn’t have power o...
According to a recent poll, a majority of New Mexico voters approve of stiffer anti-gun legislation. This is why the U.S. Constitution exists, and why America was established as a republic, not a democracy: to protect individual rights from majority opinion. It places human rights beyond the reach of politics. You don’t get to vote on liberty. Whether or not this works in practice could be the subject for another conversation. Invariably, the anti-gun faction claims that “in spite of” all the legislation they’ve imposed, the crime rate remains...
Do you only care about some things because you’ve been manipulated into caring? There are many things you can’t change about the world. Caring too much about those is going to make your life worse. You could lose your mind obsessing over things you can’t control, even if they are important. Should anyone care that the president gave a more dark and divisive speech than usual? Will caring about it accomplish anything? Are there other things you’re being told to care about, but which you probably shouldn’t? If climate change is real, if it is cau...
Is it my imagination, or do many people run from responsibility as fast as they can? If you cause harm to a person’s life, liberty, or property you need to take responsibility. Don’t wait for someone else to hold you accountable. Step up and accept it. If it was an accident, it can’t be a real crime, no matter how bad it was or what government says. You still owe restitution, but government has no stake in the matter. It’s between you and the one you harmed. Punishment shouldn’t even be an option. It’s only if you refuse to take responsibil...
Do you believe you need to be governed? I mean you, as an individual. If you didn’t feel like government was watching over your shoulder all the time, would you steal, kidnap, or murder? I’m betting you wouldn’t. Neither would I. If you’re saying you would commit crimes if not for government, I’m guessing you commit crimes anyway. By “crimes” I’m not talking about the counterfeit “crimes” that are only called crimes because government made up an arbitrary rule that says so. I’m speaking of acts that have a specific individual victim who...
Have you realized yet that the U.S. federal government is waging a one-sided war against you? The IRS plans to hire around 87,000 new armed IRS employees -- the exact number is disputed; what they are being hired to do is not. The job posting, before they edited it, said new hires must be willing to use deadly force -- against you. Think about it: they will only be hired if willing to use deadly force against their bosses. They are being hired to “Sheriff of Nottingham” you into destitution. A government that is on your side wouldn’t do this....
An American basketball player was recently arrested and imprisoned in Russia for possession of cannabis. Some people are outraged over this; others claim she deserved to be arrested because she broke Russian law -- a “law” without any ethical basis; a fake law that goes against natural law, as does most legislation. The Russian government imprisoning an American for marijuana possession isn’t more wrong than the U.S. government encouraging local governments in America to do the same. Wrong is wrong. The basketball player may get more atten...