Tag: Libertarian

Once more into the breach – U.S. Politics

Posted on by Karac Avalron

So I am going to try to keep this short but I want to be clear I will be ranting slightly. Biden has announced his bid for reelection and as many of you know Trump is running as well. So once again the U.S. voters have a choice between bad choice A or bad choice B. I am not interested in arguing the pros and cons of either, I have heard it all. From mean tweets to cognitive decline on and on and on and on. So we are going to get another round of this B.S. it’s been over a decade now.

In the U.S. the 2 party system has largely failed. We are in extreme debt, beholden to antiquated international organizations that have little to no benefit for the American people. The 2 parties have created a polarized citizenry that is at each other’s throats. There is no middle ground anymore and the fault for this isn’t exclusive to one party or the other they are both culpable.

You see this is how they stay in power. They pit you against the other side you are compelled to vote not because you believe in the candidate or that they will do a good job, but because you cannot allow the other side to win. U.S. voters go along with this decade after decade stuck in a fog of apathy that is undermining our social constructs and keeping us entangled in global institutions set up after WWII, nearly 80 years ago.

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Regardless of who you vote for, please vote !

What we need is viable 3rd, 4th, 5th parties that consume parts of the voting bloc. As many of you know I am a libertarian but as the largest 3rd party in the U.S. we can, at best, command 3% of the vote in any given election cycle. My hope is that will change in my lifetime. I would like to see a viable green party, a constitutional party, a more robust libertarian party. This would finally break the strangle hold of the 2 party system that is driving the U.S. into the dirt.

Not in 2024 sadly, we get more of the same. Horrible choice A, or Horrible choice B and the loser here will be the American people. More division, more anger, more resentment and the hole we are in gets deeper. Maybe this will be the year you break the cycle? Maybe this year instead of voting for a democrat or republican you start supporting other candidates.

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Supreme Court to overturn Roe vs Wade? – My take

Posted on by Karac Avalron

This blog rarely delves into politics, sadly politics has invaded nearly all aspects of citizen’s life. As many of you probably know a draft decision was leaked from the U.S. supreme court that reads as they are going to overturn the landmark decision of Roe v Wade, effectively ending federal protections of abortion. This is a big deal. This is one of the most controversial laws in the U.S. for the last several decades. I am surprised that they want to overturn this, and even more surprised that this was leaked. First to the leak, whoever did it REALLY stuck their neck out because that in of itself is unprecedented. They could face serious time in jail for that, best of luck…

So if this happens (it is not set in stone that it will) then effectively abortion becomes a state issue. That means every state in the U.S. can set up their own laws. This doesn’t preclude congress from passing a new law pertaining to abortion but the immediate impact will be states get to decide. So depending on where you live, abortion might be outlawed completed. Now keep in mind any state legislation that is proposed to affect abortion law will likely be challenged legally.

This is a polarizing social issue (like we need more of those). You will see protests, maybe riots it won’t be pretty. There is a lot of speculation that this was done for political reasons to invigorate democratic voters. Look that is plausible but I don’t know. Long term this is a good outcome because what this means is states will be responsible for abortion law. This puts it one step closer to the actual voter base. A state senator in Michigan is much more beholden to Michigan voters then the federal senator for Vermont.

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Liberty is paramount

The bad news is in states that do not want abortion, this will affect women in those states disproportionately and that was the underlying strength of Roe v Wade, it protected women’s right to choose in states that would otherwise remove that choice. Now for wealthy Americans you could always go “over the border” and get it taken care of but what about low income individuals who don’t have those resources? Tough questions are ahead for sure.

My take: I am a libertarian. So for me I believe in the liberty of the individual. I believe that government should be excluded from the matter. To be clear, I believe a woman should have the right to decide if she wants to carry a child to term or not. As that child is reliant on her body to sustain the child it is her conscious that has to deal with the reprocusions of the choice.

I believe that governments job is to ensure the health and safety of its population. This means that government should be supporting the woman’s choice with reasonable accommodation. Reasonable accommodation, to me means, not creating obstacles for that woman when she makes her choice. Roe vs Wade achieved this to a degree, it wasn’t perfect but it minimally provided federal protection against a state legislature prohibiting this action.

Ideally, neither the state nor the feds would be involved. A woman who is pregnant consults whom she wishes too on the matter (ideally the father) and then once the decision is made she purchases the service (the abortion).

I concede fully that this issue teeters on many social, spiritual and religious issues. I can’t tackle them all here, what I can do is proceed with my value system of liberty. Some might say “god provides your liberty” fine, you are entitled to believe that. At the end of the day, if Roe v Wade is overturned this will have a profound effect on the social construct. I’m going to lean to the side of a woman’s choice here. I think the best outcome is to have individuals responsible for their individual circumstances and governments should help them achieve that outcome not hinder it.

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Enough

Anxiety issues – It’s about to start again – U.S. Politics

Posted on by Karac Avalron

Many of my readers reside overseas. I can never thank you enough for your support, truly thank you. I am U.S. based and a lot of my readers are in the U.S. As many of you know the U.S. has 3 distinct branches of government, Executive, Judicial, Legislative. I’m not going to rail on and on about politics here, but there is a reality if you live in the U.S. everything is very political. It stems from the very origins of our country, it was literally a political revolution and centuries later many of us in the U.S. have very deep rooted political beliefs.

Now for those of us with anxiety? It’s another thing we have to deal with and in 2022 it’s a mine field. You see cancel culture is real, mob mentality is real, identity politics is real. It’s all abstract of course if you happen to be on the right side of the current narrative. Until you aren’t, and then it all goes to shit fast. This is why it’s an anxiety mine field because many of us, tens of millions don’t fit into a simple definition. You might be in favor of let’s say gay marriage but the notion of abortion may make your stomach turn.

Where do you fall then? There is less and less flexibility within the U.S. culture. There is extreme vitriol and empowerment to many bad actors on both sides. This is not an exclusively left or right issue. Alas those of us with anxiety, we have to navigate this mine field of correctly assessing the people in the room and what they might think if a particular issue comes up.

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A two party system doesn’t have enough options

Let me give you an example. What if you are at a bar having a drink with a few friends. The place is packed, people are chatting and one of them says “So do you think Trump should run in 2024?” Or maybe you are asked “So do you think Hilary should run in 2024?”. No matter where you are now seemingly easy questions based on you personally feel can become social land mines. Your answer, depending on who hears it could result in someone physically assaulting you. It could result in people buying you a drink.

The point is politics in the U.S. has become so divisive that we are nearly (and in some cases are) at each other’s throats. So what does this have to do with now? In the U.S. we have something called the “mid-term elections” basically every 2 years we have some form of state and local elections that affect the federal landscape. The terms of our elected officials are staggered so we always have something….

In the U.S. and likely abroad you are going to start to hear more and more about these and the potential outcomes. Villains will be trotted out, Hero’s exclaimed etc. The end of the world might even make an appearance “If this many seats change hands we are doomed” (something along those lines). So for those of us with Anxiety it’s just more B.S. we have to deal with. Very little changes in a two party system anyway. Democrats and Republicans are not vastly different, if we look at the ACTUAL RESULTS PRODUCED.

What they say of course are remarkably different but really not much changes day to day for average Americans. Sure media outlets and your favorite commentators on social media will get more clicks and they make more money but hey, who said the business of politics is clean? So hang in there, it will pass but the volume will be turned up this late spring into summer. The regular shenanigans will occur, you have survived it before you will make it this time too. Just remember, do your part and vote.

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“What’s your position on the whole LGBTQ movement”

Posted on by Karac Avalron

I was asked this question recently in an email and I had to think about it longer than I anticipated but likely not for the reason you think. I had to think about the word “movement” and what that meant, in context. You see I don’t look at it as a movement per se, I look at it as a reality more pronounced than before. I’m not going to profess to be highly educated in all the nuances of the LGBTQ community you would see right through that. I can however tell you what my “position” is, keeping in mind that I am a heterosexual middle aged white male….

1.4 Personal Relationships

“Sexual orientation, preference, gender, or gender identity should have no impact on the government’s treatment of individuals, such as in current marriage, child custody, adoption, immigration, or military service laws. Government does not have the authority to define, promote, license, or restrict personal relationships, regardless of the number of participants. Consenting adults should be free to choose their own sexual practices and personal relationships. Until such time as the government stops its illegitimate practice of marriage licensing, such licenses must be granted to all consenting adults who apply.”

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This means Everyone

This is literally a regurgitation of the Libertarian Party platform but it accurately encapsulates how I view LGBTQ issues. I am baffled at some of the angst we see on all sides. Adults have the right to pursue whatever it is that makes them happy as long as it does not adversely affect others. If you are screaming in my face that I am a Nazi because I won’t fly the rainbow flag at my house, that’s a problem. On the flip side, why would I ever want to deny someone their right to say be a Naval Officer?

If the individual conducts themselves in a respectful legal way, what possible rational could I have to deny them anything? The question on the title was posed to me by someone who is deeply religious, which I am not. To them it was an affront to their religion that someone would engage in behaviors outside of their belief system. It was at that point that I had to conclude that I could not actually provide an answer that would make sense to this person because they were irrational.

What exactly was irrational? The notion that their belief system should be applied, in judgement, to others who do not believe the same. Now the flip side happens too, I’ve seen hundreds of examples of people calling others Nazi’s online because they are religious but this was the question that was asked to me, below is my response.

“I believe law abiding adults should have the ability and right to pursue whatever it is they decide makes them happy. Isn’t that why the gods gave us free will?”

Now the conversation went off on another tangent here because I used the term “gods” not “god” that’s another post for another day. The point? Life is very short and using your time to make yourself happy should be a priority. There is no reason to harm, block or chastise others because you feel differently about their choices. If they aren’t harming you leave them alone.

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Libertarian principle – Personal Relationships

Posted on by Karac Avalron

As many of you know I am a Libertarian. For the non U.S. readers the Libertarian party is the third largest political party in the U.S. Don’t let that lofty (but accurate) claim fool you. The Democrat and Republican Party dwarf Libertarians, it’s like comparing Jupiter to the other planets. None the less it’s a viable 3rd party and I have been a part of it for nearly 20 years now.

This post isn’t going to be a political piece. I’m not going to rail against dems, republicans etc. The purpose of this post is I was witness to a discussion on discord (yes I am a gamer) about how this individual wanted to adopt but was unable to get support from their family as they identify as Trans gender. It’s complicated, but it struck me as troubling. So I want to take the opportunity to give an alternative point of view, in my small platform.

Here is a link to the Libertarian Party. Here is a key part of the platform

1.4 Personal Relationships

“Sexual orientation, preference, gender, or gender identity should have no impact on the government’s treatment of individuals, such as in current marriage, child custody, adoption, immigration, or military service laws. Government does not have the authority to define, promote, license, or restrict personal relationships, regardless of the number of participants. Consenting adults should be free to choose their own sexual practices and personal relationships. Until such time as the government stops its illegitimate practice of marriage licensing, such licenses must be granted to all consenting adults who apply.”

“Consenting adults who observe the law and conduct themselves in a manner that is not harmful to others should be able to enjoy all the trappings of society. There should be no limitations on what consenting adults chose to do, assuming there are not underlying cognitive issues. Marriage licenses, adoption criteria… it’s all arbitrary based on assumed best practices and it unfairly denies others their pursuit of happiness.”

The most important thing is to vote !

We need laws to help govern and nurture desired social constructs. We don’t need laws that prohibit accesses to classes of citizens. It’s a very similar argument to homosexuals in the military. If you are a U.S. citizen and want to serve your country you should be afforded that privilege. “But that can cause problems in the ranks for hetro-sexual military members” that’s a fair observation but I would put forth that it is they who have the problem. Meaning if the homosexual is not using or making their sexuality an issue what’s the problem?

Libertarians aren’t perfect. We assume, sometimes foolishly that the rights of the individual are paramount as we assume individuals are equipped to make behavior choices that don’t negatively impact other people. If someone is uncomfortable with a transgender parent that’s a separate issue entirely. We simply can’t be held accountable for every emotion someone else has based on our conduct. Egregious and ridiculous conduct? Okay fine.

Is raising a child as a transgender egregious conduct? I guess it would depend on your point of view. The issue here isn’t that the transgender is behaving poorly or not, it’s the notion that they are given obstacles to get by PRIOR to having the opportunity to display a good or bad outcome. Essentially that’s what libertarianism is, you aren’t penalized for what you might do, or how you make other people feel. You are penalized, or rewarded based on how you act and those actions outcomes.

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Just Vote

A brief indulgence on politics

Posted on by Karac Avalron

I don’t normally wade into politics on this blog, for a good reason. Many people get very ugly very fast when you don’t agree with their point of view. Otherwise reasonable people lose their poop over politics, they become very unkind and have citations of “well they do this” or “he says that” as if the rest of us are supposed to believe that two wrongs make a right. Mini rant over…

AS some of you may or may not know I am a libertarian. I have voted libertarian nearly exclusively since the late 90’s. In the U.S. we have two dominate political parties and it is my belief that a 3rd viable party will help reign in some of the partisanship and angst we see year after year.

It just so happens that I do identify pretty closely with libertarian ideals as well. You can read about those here if you are interested. Last week the Libertarian Party nominated its candidate for president, her name is Dr. Jo Jorgensen. You can read more about her here

I think its great news that she has gotten the nomination. She has been in the front lines of the libertarian party for a long time and has definitely earned it. Much will be made by the fact she is a woman and while that is absolutely noteworthy, more should be made of the fact she is qualified to hold the office. Many Libertarians like myself are very realistic about the prospects of our party.

We understand the two dominate parties have built massive entertainment and news industries around the political process to support their agenda. Places like CNN and FOX news are mouth pieces for politicians. While that might be cynical to say, it’s imperative to look at politics with a critical eye. Politics is a road to power and power corrupts.

I understand the likelihood of Jo winning the presidency is nearly zero. That doesn’t mean that she can’t garner enough support to impact the U.S. political scene. 5-10% of the vote would do that. You would have a lot of news outlets cover this, and they would all be asking why. Voters in the U.S. are tired of “Democrat vs Republican” it’s been this way for decades and decades.

We just want politicians who will do a good job and get things done. Is Jo Jorgensen the answer? I don’t know, I do know that if we keep doing the same thing over and over again (voting democrat or republican) and expect a different result we are fools. In the end the most important thing we have to do as Americans is vote. November will be here before you know it, no one vote is inconsequential, your vote matters. Consider an alternative approach, maybe we will get a different outcome other than the tired status quo.

Just Vote

A quick indulgence on politics, my politics.

Posted on by Karac Avalron

I was asked via email by someone who follows my blog what my political affiliation is. Let’s be honest, politics invades all our lives in some form, its everywhere. I vowed to not use this blog as a platform to pontificate about my politics, and rather take a general overview when I do talk about it. I have a you tube channel where I talk politics almost exclusively (link above). I recognize that with the 2020 U.S. election right around the corner politics are on people’s mind.

I will never beat people up for their views, I will not censor people (unless they go after, harass and insult others) and I will not go issue by issue on what is going on in politics. That said let me be clear, I am a Libertarian, I used to be democrat/liberal. I have voted Libertarian the last few elections and while I don’t agree with 100% of the party platform I found many things about the party that I do in fact identify closely with.

Libertarians believe that the equal rights of all people matter all the time. Your gender, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, make you unique and that uniqueness should not exclude you from the rights and privileges others enjoy. We believe that individuals should be judged by their actions and held accountable as such.

The core beliefs that have drawn me to the Libertarian Party are:

  • Protect freedom of religion, association, speech, press, and assembly.
  • Reverse the militarization of law-enforcement agencies.
  • Restore Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches and seizures.
  • Restore voting and gun rights for those convicted of non-violent drug offenses.
  • Fight against federal overreach and government spying programs.
  • Restrict law-enforcement use of general surveillance technologies.
  • Protect internet freedom & privacy.

This is found under the “civil liberties” section of the Libertarian Party official website. Since I was a young man I have always believed that the rights of the citizen far outweigh the powers to be afforded to the government. In the U.S. we have drifted further and further away from this principal under the two-party system, infiltrated and influenced by large multi-billion-dollar corporations.

Libertarians rally around the definition of Liberty: “the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s way of life, behavior, or political views.” We believe that law abiding citizens who are good neighbors and productive community members should be allowed to live in peace and pursue their own interests as long as this does not conflict with others liberty.

I used to be very liberal, I find more and more as I age the system, regardless of what side you profess to be on works less and less for its citizens and more and more for a small minority. That’s it in a nutshell, if you want to engage me deeper on politics I would encourage you to visit my You Tube channel or contact me via email (contacts on this page).

Your Pagan Friend,

Karac