I’m sitting here thinking about Election Days past when I considered myself a “good libertarian.” For many libertarian/anarchist/agorists Election Day is a holiday on which they virtue signal via social media about how intelligent they are (sanctimonious is a better term). “Why would anyone be stupid enough to think elections matter?” I used to think this way, so I have some inside knowledge on the “thought” process that goes into this. Allow me to mention a couple of my favorites.
“Voting is Violence”
OK, how? Just how is voting violence? Nope, that’s it. I don’t have an explanation.
“You Just Want to Be My King”
This one comes from a lovely group called agorists. I dabbled in agorist theory during 2020 when I admittedly couldn’t see a way past the COVID Regime. This ideology, which was “systematized” by an admitted Leftist (Samuel Edward Konkin III), considers itself the most consistent and moral branch of libertarianism. Its beliefs are peak “we just want to be left alone.” Of course, the problem with that is that the Regime won’t leave you alone. They will follow you into the woods (Randy Weaver), burn down your church with you, and your children, in it (Waco), and institute a plan to continue taxing you in case of a nuclear war. Agorists mostly keep to themselves but emerge on Election Day to be especially annoying.
“Voting Doesn’t Change Anything”
At this point I am willing to concede this for argument’s sake but only on the national level. At the state and local level? Nope. One example that I use is the 2018 election of Ron DeSantis in Florida. He won by just 32,000 votes. Had Andrew Gillam, the democrat won, Florida would most likely have instituted some of the most Draconian lockdowns in the nation during the COVID scare. As tourism is the number one industry in Florida, an extended lockdown combined with restrictions on vacationers entering the state, would have relegated Florida to third-world status. The result of the Florida gubernatorial election of 2018 may well have saved Florida’s future. I believe future elections at the state and local level will be just as important as the National Regime continues to fall apart. Individual states will need strong, intelligent leaders willing to oppose DC’s Regime. Ones with the know-how to conceive plans to replace any national support they receive as they start to expand the already growing soft secession movement.
Well, that’s enough for my election day musings. I still find myself embarrassed that phrases such as those above came out of my mouth but I’m growing just like everyone else is (hopefully). I voted straight ticket Republican this year (my first vote in 14 years) not because I think the Republicans are good, but because I consider the democrats to be enemies of the natural order. Maybe this will allow us to kick the can down the road a little (as Monica Perez likes to talk about). We’re still at war. But I think state and local politics are where the battles can be won.
Voting may be “violence”, but not voting when you have a chance to make obvious improvements is greater violence
I feel this, Pete. I had the same mentality. When you get right down to it, a lot of libertarian beliefs seem to just be ways of avoiding responsibility to current and future generations. I don’t claim to have all the answers now--nobody does--but community and responsibility are key moving forward. Ideologies are just ways of not dealing with reality and feeling the smug satisfaction that you have all the answers.