The world is in shambles. The drug prohibition has failed and causes more problems than it solves. The “PATRIOT” Act, the TSA, and the militarization of the police – us trading freedom for security – has resulted in a massive loss in our rights. We hold a foreign policy that acts not in our defense, but in nation-building, pre-emptive war, and foreign aid that costs us billions in taxes and contribute nothing to our security. Corporate bailouts Federal Reserve’s control and printing of our currency so casually at will has devalued and destabilized our dollar in a form of taxation and has shown that the vote of big corporations are greater than the people. Property taxes show the sad truth of the situation – we are not free and we cannot own property, for if we could there would be no threat that men with guns could take you from your home and seize your property if you didn’t pay their fee; if it was your property, you wouldn’t have to lease your property from Uncle Sam. The problem is not singular; it is a problem of political philosophy and the role and nature of government.
Our rally cry is that of liberty. We believe that governments are often the cause of problems, not the glorious saviors we are taught to believe. Our organization is made up of people with differences, but we fundamentally agree in the innate right that all individuals are sovereign individuals and that we can achieve a free society through peaceful non-aggression. These two principles validated our belief that coercion is wrong in all it’s forms, be it a individual person or a larger entity, like government.
Our goal is to foster political and social changes around the world that supports less government, civil rights, sound economics, and efficiency in human progress. The LiveFreeOrDie.Com project aims to make progress to a truly free society – one the U.S. founders envisioned.
There are many atrocities in our world. A child might starve, a man will go homeless, people resort to violence. Men are wrongfully convicted. Corruption is a reality. Racism and sexism are real. Children become addicted to drugs. The elderly go abused. All these problems – governments may try to solve them. However, society overlooks the greatest monstrosity of all – coercion, in all its forms. We also overlook the tragic unintended consequences a government with good intentions can create. Governments are inherently coercive; without aggression, governments would not function. It is in their nature.
Does this mean we should turn to anarchism and abolish government overnight? Of course not – this would lead to chaos. Rather, we must collectively reform policies that harm the people or are the largest restrictions on freedom. Perhaps one day one hundred, five hundred, a millennium from now a truly governmentless, free, voluntary, and peaceful society will exist. Maybe it won’t. Regardless, humanity can never make true progress – evolution of thought – when coercion and civil disagreement are so rampant. Before we can make true leaps of societal evolution, we must conquer the greatest roadblock of all – human slavery, manifested in the form of governmental coercion.
Note to those who think this is extreme: A free, voluntary society is an ideal, and we acknowledge that. It’s something to strive for, not something that can be accomplished through overnight change. The mindsets of the masses must be changed, the role and nature of government questioned, and timely political reform must happen if we ever want to get past the stumbling blocks of humanity and progress towards our full potential.
it’s important to remember that most people only want change when driven to it by pain. i long ago concluded that while i could make a good intellectual case for pursuing democracy, if you grow up without it and have no immediate reason to act, you accept the prevailing oligarchy as ‘good enough.’
it’s not good enough for endless reasons, but the damage oligarchy does is commonly slow, and ‘natural,’ inescapable. like cows they stand uncomplaining in the rain of war without reason and financial collapse without necessity.
libertarian philosophy is a dead end, an adolescent fantasy of freedom from adult control. we are too many now to live without supervision and rules. more constructive is to accept that we must have rules, but make sure that we all participate in making them. indeed, most of modern homo saps’ problems arise from the binding of national activity to the career goals of a few alpha males.
I will kindly disagree with al loomis. I do not think for a second that what restrains me from killing or robbing you is the police or government, I just don’t want to. Why is the argument against a free society that all of us will revert 100 000 years and become cavemen? I am not a child and I do not need the government to mother me. If you want to support the government telling you what to do and how to do it, let alone all of the ways they waste our money, be my guest. As a libertarian I support your stance as if you are a decent human being support mine. Libertarianism is nothing more than simple self respect for each other. So when you make such a sweeping statement as you have about it being a dead end, you really have failed to comprehend it, I fear.
Most Libertarians know we will not see a perfect world come about over night. It took a long time to get us to this place and it will take longer to get out of it. The overreaching, overbearing governments of today will take a long time to streamline into something which truly represents the people they works for. But this does not mean we should not try.
So how could we make some small changes that may bring about big impact. First, I decide on my tax form where my money is allocated. Sure 10-20% can be for the running of the government and defense, but the rest should be my call. As your taxes al would go to whatever bs programs you wish to support. Myself, as all of us Libertarians are sooo selfish, would put all of mine towards paying down the national debt. But if you want to support welfare and healthcare, have at it; after all it is your money and only you know best what it should be spent on. No, you really do. I know this is hard to believe after a lifetime of being told your government knows best, but it clearly does not. Mine here in Canada doesn’t either, and to tell you the truth it is much worse here. Better not cough without first getting permission. Soon we will need a permit for such outdoor activities as….leaving your house. Well we cannot let just anyone drive around polluting the air and making people sick adding to the cost of our universal healthcrap system. But, I jest. So back to the point – i decide where my tax money is spent and you decide where yours is. Pretty simple, oh and no more borrowing money for the government the amount we give them is what they have to work with.
Second and probably way more important would be electronic voting. Yes there have been many issues raised around this, but like with anything that threatens a governments power, what else would an intelligent person expect. They let me pay my taxes and bank over the computer; I think it is safe enough to vote with. I am not just talking about elections, I mean voting on ever single piece of legislation I choose to. Our representatives should voice the opinion of their constituents but get only one vote, just like you and me. Yes we would still need some politicians to argue the different views or opinions on a bill, but ultimately the people would decide. And we would need them to oversee and implement our decisions. I am not talking about putting all the poor politicians on the welfare line; I am just saying we should take away there power.
To support this point I would look at the current condition of the US housing market. How do all the banks screw up so bad that they needed government bailouts(corporate welfare), meanwhile your country is in insane debt and all the folks lost their homes? I think I have a good idea of what went on and some guy who bought two or three properties without the proper backing is not who I am referring to. It is the individual home owner. What I do not understand is the justification the government used to convince the public the give these morons running the banks your money? Why did the public not insist it go to the home owners, who then could have paid the morons who caused the mess and we would have a win/win. But instead so many folks have lost their homes while the morons get bonuses and get to keep their businesses? If I screw up as a business owner it is on me, not my neighbor. Anyhow my pint here is if the people had the right to decide to give the money to home owners or the banks who caused the mess which do you think it would be? And would you country be in better shape today for it?
So two pretty simple solutions to start some government reforms. Let us allocate how our taxes are used and let each of us vote on the rules and laws that government our country.
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