Government? I don't need no stinking government!

I'll try to make this first post as brief as I can.  My personal journey is of minimal importance, but I wanted to share a bit of it so you know where I'm coming from.

For the longest time, I couldn't figure out who I was -- politically, I mean.  I was emboiled in a constant conflict, sometimes agreeing with points from the left, and often agreeing with points from the right.  I would vote for politicians of both major parties, and proudly considered myself an Independent.  It wasn't very satisfying, but it was the best I could do at the time.

As I grew older, I tended toward the conservative side, yet was still uncomfortable enough with the Bushes, Doles, and  McCains to not identify with the Republicans.  I had a really bad feeling about the events leading into the Iraq War, and never bought into the idea that if I didn't side 100% with the War Party, I was unpatriotic at best, and "with the terrorists" at worst.

Although I have been a lifelong believer in Jesus Christ, I have also been uncomfortable with the so-called "Christian Right" from the beginning.  I do not equate Republicans as good and Democrats as evil, or vice versa.  (To be honest I think they're both evil).  I do not see how worshipping the military and the killing of Muslim civilians aligns with true Christian faith in any way.  Neither do I see how being a Christian means that I must believe whatever the Israeli government does is right, or that any criticism of them (or oppostion to foreign aid) is wrong. 

Neither do I believe that Islam is a religion of violence, or that all Muslims are terrorists.  I have friends in the Middle East who are Muslims, and they are some of the kindest, most generous, most hospitable and funny! people I have ever met.

In 2006 I subscibed to the daily newsletter from the Mises Institute.  I felt myself being drawn in that direction.  One of their articles was written by a US Congressman by the name of Ron Paul.  I couldn't believe what I was reading.  Where did this guy come from?  Why hadn't I heard of him before?  He seemed to me like the first breath of fresh air after being trapped in a garage full of fumes.  I Googled him and watched some of his speeches on the House floor.  I was staggered.  How can a politician be so honest, or so consistently saying the things that deep down in my heart I really believed? 

This guy was a constitutionalist, and said we'd all be much better off if we just followed that document.  I was totally on board.  I gave money and campaigned for Ron Paul in the 2008 presidential election.  I also wanted to be a champion of the constitution, and return our government to its constitutional limits.  This was the first time I felt good about my personal politics, and I thought I had found the political philosophy that would last me the rest of my life.  But even that didn't last.

About a year ago I decided I was no longer a constitutionalist, but in fact I was an anarcho-capitalist.  My epiphany came when I read somewhere the proclaimations of someone who had made the transition before me. I'm sorry I can't recall who said this, I'd like to give him credit. When I read them, it was like a floodlight went on in my mind, heart and soul.  But here is a paraphrase of (and expansion on) his words:


I don't need a Mayor

I don't need a Director of Parks and Recreation

I don't need a County Executive or County Commissioner

I don't need a state Representative or Senator

I don't need a Governor

I don't need a Federal Congressman or Senator

I don't need a Department of Education

I don't need a Department of Homeland Security

I don't need a Department of Transportation

I don't need a Department of Commerce

I don't need any "Czars" of anything

I especially don't need a President to "run" my country

That did it for me. After more than half a century not knowing who I truly was, I finally had the answer. All I need is my family, my faith, and my property. I will do you no harm if you will do me no harm. We can live together in peace as free persons, regardless of our race, religion or custom. I will call you friend if you embrace and defend my freedom. Likewise I will embrace and defend yours. Any contentions between people or matters of collective importance should be handled at the most local level possible.

I am confident now that I am "home", and there will be no more uncertainty and internal conflict in my political self.

Now an article by syndicated columnist Joe Sobran (find it here) has inspired me to start a new blog to promote the cause of anarcho-capitalism (definition here), delivered from a Christian perspective (see note below). 
 
Please read the article for yourself, but here are a couple of snippets that stood out to me and reflect my feelings exactly:

(Hans-Hermann Hoppe) "argued that no constitution could restrain the state. Once its monopoly of force was granted legitimacy, constitutional limits became mere fictions it could disregard; nobody could have the legal standing to enforce those limits. The state itself would decide, by force, what the constitution "meant," steadily ruling in its own favor and increasing its own power. This was true a priori, and American history bore it out."

and...

"In short, the US Constitution is a dead letter. It was mortally wounded in 1865. The corpse can't be revived. This remained hard for me to admit, and even now it pains me to say it."


I have come to the same conclusion.  The US Constitution does not work and can not restrain the Leviathan.  So I have followed a similar but more convoluted path to anarcho-capitalism than Joe Sobran. 
But we have arrived at the same place.  Join me as I comment on these things and more.  I hope you enjoy the journey.

Note 1:  About the "Christian Perspective":  This blog is from a Christian perspective because that's who I am, and I'm confident that's who many of you are as well. But being Christian is not a prerequisite for reading this blog. And I'm not proselytizing here. Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddists, heck, even atheists are welcome. My comments will sometimes conflate with Christian subjects but I think you can handle it. Skip over those if you want, but I think there will be good things in there for you too.  Anarcho-capiltalism allows for the free observance (or not) of religion. You don't have to be a Christian to be my friend, and I hope my being a Christian is not a problem for you.

Note 2:  I still love Ron Paul , and believe that deep down he is really a Christian anarcho-capitalist like myself.  But he is also a very practical person, and seems to have made the right choices to get the ideas of limited government, non-interventionism, and sound money on the national stage.  Certainly a political system true to the original intent of the constitution would be far superior to what we have today, and I would trade that system for the current one in a heartbeat.  But for me it would be just a starting point.  The Constitution still gives the Federal governement too much power, and even if we returned to it the slide toward tyranny would likely begin anew.  I much prefer the arrangement under the Articles of Confederation.