Obligatory when you’re talking about The Smiths.
I’m listening to the discussion between Dave Smith and Joshua Smith on Part Of The Problem.
This is sort of on the heels of Dave’s debate with Eric Brakey a few weeks ago.
What Eric is doing is within the Republican Party. Eric is trying to work within the duopoly.
But will it even matter if HR 1 is passed by Senate trickery? The Clearly Canadian Texas Senator, Ted Cruz, calls it the “Corrupt Politicians Act.” (Maybe he took that from Heritage….but that’s what turned up in my first DDG search…)
In the state where I reside, the Democrats have turned the Commonwealth blue, just as the Byrd Organization intended.
So, for many people in many places, will a takeover of a small portion of a party legally-prohibited from winning even matter?
Do I agree with many of the things the folks in the Mieses caucus are saying? Certainly. Should I spend any significant time on it? If I’m living in a place where a Democrat is always going to be elected with a plurality, does it matter?
So, what can I do?
Exercise my Generation X indoctrination, and Just Say No.
Virginia has “open” primaries. Much of my adult life, I’ve lived in a locality where there is zero chance where my party affiliation would actually affect who gets elected.
In Norfolk, essentially whoever won the Democratic Primary in May was going to win the general election in November. It was pretty much a foregone conclusion.
So. I find myself in a situation where I vote in one of the duopoly’s primaries just to prevent a certain candidate from winning.
In the Presidential elections in 2000, 2004, 2016, and 2020, I voted intentionally against one of the duopoly’s eventual nominees.
I can’t think of a single duopoly candidate I voted for during the primary who got my vote in November.
Just Say No.
So does it even matter what happens?
Hmm.
Other reax from the episode, and a lot of what’s been going on….
I do like most of the organizations specifically on the unwritten enemies list from the folks in the Mieses Caucus.
Maybe someone there disagrees with part of the messaging, but they generally do agree with you. I agree with taking on the woke brigade who aren’t at all concerned with any principles.
If that means I have to vote in the Party of the Klan/Jim Crow/The Tuskegee Experiments/School Segregation/implementation of a South Asian caste system in the name of equity, so be it.
To terrible candidates, I will Just Say No.
As for the LP, no, Dr. J, the party doesn’t need to be anti-racist. No, I don’t agree with a private company exercising the same sorts of tyrannical decision-making as a government might.
But they’re not the government. I can get a chuckle out of The Hoteps. I can buy their wares if they’re of interest to me.
If someone is using government to enforce whatever standards they’ve adopted that I might find to be misguided, I can just not spend any of my money with them.
I’m not going to evangelize to you about it. I’m just going to choose something different.
It’s not that difficult. It’s kind of what Harry Browne was writing about before I was born.