Democrat vs. Republican vs. Conservative vs. Liberal - is all just Media Silliness.

 I have written about the ever diminishing difference in the different political ideologies but lets recap because after looking back through my post history... it's been a while (both since my last post and since writing about this specific subject. 

First - as a Libertarian I strive to look at politics and morality with a fundamental and principled perspective. What does that mean? It means that when asked a question I first look at the underlying, foundational principles of the question instead of responding quickly and with a likely emotional response. For instance, on the issue of a person's right to keep and bear arms, rather then saying "yeah that really is a common sense gun control measure" I say "of the people that this will impact, what have they done that justifies impinging on their rights?" I'm well aware of the huge barrel of worms that is the gun control debate, it's just an illustration don't get excited. I look at the underlying impact of the position or issue and do my best to frame my stance based on the impact of that stance on personal liberty. 

Lets look at another hot button issue - Trans-rights, specifically the use of pronouns. Everyone should be well aware of this discussion and frankly something is wrong if when someone says "pronouns" you don't immediately know exactly what is being talked about. Here's the issue, you have the right to use what ever pronouns you want, you have the right to ask others to use your requested pronouns, you do not however have the right to FORCE anyone else to use your requested pronouns. Me personally, if you ask politely I am going to pay more attention and do my best but guess what, people make mistakes and if my mistake makes you super sad, well that's on you. My words are just that, words and (with the exception of "fighting words") don't infringe on your rights in any way. 

Back to the title - at the end of the day there is no real fundamental difference in political groups in the US, there just isn't. Ultimately the stances that they cling to boil down to what specifically they want to regulate, how specifically they want to regulate instead of IF they should regulate. Looking again at transgender issues; a Liberal jurisdiction would pass a law requiring thorough education on the subject starting in elementary school and might even ban teachers and other school or mental health workers from communicating a child's interest in the subject to their parents. Naturally a Conservative jurisdiction would pursue the opposite, banning transgender education and requiring workers to inform parents that their kids are struggling with gender identity. 

A Libertarian says "why are we even making these laws? Why are we not letting people in these positions make the decisions that they feel are best for the child?"

Here's where the silliness comes in, this is a life and death issue and you are either on the right side or the stupid side. Oh and once you are a dummy head you are unredeemable and utterly lost to all things proper and holy. At least that is how basically all media has setup these issues; there is no time for discussion, no time for reflection, no time to gather perspective - you have to decide right now what side you are on and you are bound to that decision for all eternity. And little did you know that agreeing with one stance on one issue ultimately dooms you to compulsory consensus with a litany of other issues and stances. Can you even envision a world where a vegan would also support gun rights?  

Even worse is the MSM has everyone convinced that this is some sort of a battle as though fighting for your position was worthy of your time when really it just isn't especially on the internet. Great, your 10,000 followers on TikXtaGramBook are super mad right along with you - but what does that actually change? Nothing. No politician cares what the interverse has to say because none of your 4,000 followers are even in their district. 

Engage with people that matter with the power to make change and be happy with positive change you can see. That means engaging with local politics, talking with small people that make small changes. People that are elected by 500 or 1,000 total votes are the people that can actually make a difference, they are the people where it actually matters what one person thinks and lets face it they are the people with the time to actually listen when one person talks.

Trump wants Canada (and Greenland). Deep Dive Part 1

 Its been all over the news, everyone has heard about it... Trump wants Canada and has even declined to rule out "force" to make it happen. Trump aside what would it look like if it actually happened? Is it even possible?

Really I just want to take an in depth (or more in depth) look at what it would look like for a whole country to join the US. 

First issue is admitting a new state. Most recently a state was added in 1959 when Hawaii gained statehood. Basically Congress passed a law that was signed by the president and poof they were a state. BUT they had been a US territory since 1900 so the process or timeline for becoming a state was over 59 years. With Trump being limited to the next four years, that is the longest it could take for formal statehood to actually happen (since it is very unlikely that his predecessor will share this idea). Voters within the state of Hawaii also approved the move to become a state with 93% of voters casting a ballot in favor of statehood. While I am not aware of any laws in Canada that address the possibility of joining the US it is stupid to presume that a popular vote with at minimum a majority of voters agreeing with joining would not be required. And that would only happen after a bill to allow the option of leaving Canada and joining the US was passed. So Canadian Parliament would have to pass a bill to permit provinces to leave and (presumably) join the US then citizens of that province would have to vote and pass another bill asking to leave and join. At the same time US Congress would have to pass a bill to admit the new territory as a state.  

Canada would NOT come in as a single state. Assuming the current provinces all vote to join the US (and effectively dissolve Canada as a country) and that they come with the same divisions, that would add 10 new states (and a further 3 territories). Giving them the same representation in the Senate and Congress would mean adding 20 Senators (a very significant number of votes) but the seats in Congress would remain unchanged but with a redistribution of seats. Currently states get one representative for every 770,000 citizens (or thererabouts) but the total number is limited to 435. So that would mean changing that allotment such that each state would get one representative for every 864,000 (or thereabouts) citizens. Basically every state would lose one or two. California for instance would go from 52 to 45 or 46.

From an elections perspective it would be a nightmare and most likely a Provincial Body would appoint their number of representatives for the first term followed by a normal election process for the following term.

Numerous big changes would happen for Canadians, their health care system and taxation methods are big issues off the bat but very notably the currency would be one of the first "Canadian" identifiers that would be elimiated almost overnight. Basically the US Federal Reserve would set a fixed exchange rate and announce the currency as terminated. Production of Canadian notes would cease and banks would be given a reasonable timeline to convert from CAD to USD - again at a fixed rate set by the Federal Reserve. 

Trade would open almost immediately as buying and selling into Canadian Provinces would now be the same as trade between US States. Any Customs Duties or Charges would be gone as would any functional checkpoints as the border would no longer represent a location where searches are not Connotationally restricted. 

Issues concerning trade and commercial activities with cannabis would be impacted as that is currently banned at the federal level in the US but is legal across Canada. Likely each new state would have to pass and implement their own laws legalizing cannabis. 

Canadian equivalents of numerous departments would have to be absorbed into the US Departments. Department of Justice being a big one (I will talk about more in another article) but would also include FDA, FAA, FCC and several other alphabet groups. Just the change from following Canadian standards for medicine and medical devices will create near chaos for a long long time for basically all Canadians. 

Canadians would also see big changes in their retirement system and leave benefits with federally defined leave basically disappearing overnight. Maternity leave for example in Canada federally requires job protected leave for up to 18 months and pays a portion of the person's regular pay during a meaningful portion of that leave. In the US, job protected leave is much shorter and no federal benefits are paid while on leave. 

So far its all down hill for Canadians that voted to join the United States. Is there even an upside? Maybe - but that's for my next article.    

P-Diddy AKA the Diddler (allegdely) - From a Libertarian

 By now everyone with any level of internet access has at least heard of the allegations against Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs aka Puffy, aka Puff-Daddy aka P-Diddy aka Diddy aka The Diddler (allegedly). 

Summary time - Combs was arrested September 2024 on a slew of charges including racketeering, sex trafficing by force, and transportation for purposes of prostitution. After being denied bail three times he currently remains incarcerated in New York City. 

There has been a number of lawsuits filed against Combs starting in 2017 but he is facing (or has faced) allegations from as far back as 1991. Following his arrest a number of alleged victims have come forward and joined civil actions seeking punitive damages. He is facing allegations from both female and male individuals that allege he coerced performance of sexual activities. 

Raids on Combs residences have produced many meme inspiring items most notably 1,000 bottles of "baby oil and lubricant." Authorities also found illegally modified firearms and drugs including ketamine, ecstasy and GHB.

Now the question, What does a Libertarian think about all this? 

This is not easy. As a libertarian I fully support a person's right to lead the life that they choose to lead, including partaking of mind altering substances, and even engaging in prostitution. So if Combs had done those things on his own with consenting adults then frankly I have no problem with it. 

But that isn't what happened "allegedly". For brevity everything I am writing in this post are allegations and while some suits have been settled and dropped that doesn't prove the underlying allegations are true or that they would have been found true by a jury. Everyone deserves their day in court, even Combs. 

Allegedly Combs used various forms of coercion to get others to engage in sexual activities and either paid or promised to pay a number of the victims. Many of the victims claim they were given various drugs which impaired their judgement and resulted in them engaging in activities they otherwise would not have done.

Consent. For me consent is a big issue with all this. With literally the same series of events but all the individuals are fully consenting, you do you. Remove that consent or impair a person's ability to give consent and I have a big problem.

Personal responsibility is another crowing hallmark of Libertarians. While I don't think having and personally using ketamine, ecstasy and GHB should be a crime, if you have those with the intent to force another person to use them it should be a crime, 100%. If you get those drugs and someone gets access to them through you, and that person then rapes or sexually assaults someone using those drugs, you are responsible. 

Protecting the vulnerable. Everyone reading this should know what is meant by "vulnerable." There are further allegations that different people within Combs' sphere knew what was happening but did nothing to stop or prevent it. Criminally this becomes difficult to pursue because you have to prove ability, knowledge on and on. Civilly, those that knew what was happening and did nothing should live the rest of their life penniless, begging for socks. 

Ironically consent is going to be the only thing that Combs will be able to argue in court. "She consented to being given GHB (the date rape drug) and letting people have sex with her while she was unconscious." 

If Combs is guilty of these charges he deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison and his victims should be given every bit of his wealth, AND he shouldn't be allowed to spend every penny he has on lawyers to fight his victims. Further, if you knew about what was happening, if you participated in any degree, you deserve the same fate.