Sorry for the delayed comment Grant, but sometimes I need to mull a bit before I comment on controversial ideas (I'm not at the top of the intellect scale.)
Years ago I was nearly at the point you are today, so I aligned with similar thinkers and became active in our local Tea Party movement. We gained many, many supporters and held some very successful high turn out events. Then a very wise, very conservative and liberty minded elder gentleman invited me for coffee, and explained the brutal truth. In Florida (I freely admit to not knowing about other states, but I suspect it's similar), the two major parties, rightly or wrongly, are protected by legislation and Stale laws. Independents have no chance. This wise man described the path to reform should pass through the political system, and he advised us to join and "take over" our local county political parties. He pointed out that marching around wearing funny hats and carrying clever homemade signs, while fun, achieves nothing.
After a few years of playing the game, we won. We now control the board and all elected positions locally. Although it means very little in the grand scheme of things, at least now our local and State Legislators now have to take our phone calls and listen to us. This must, and in places, is happening nation wide.
Trump will be re-elected, but not because of his political genius. His policies had very tangible positive results. But more importantly, he is the face of the anti-establishment "leave us alone" pro freedom diehards. Think branding or marketing. And his follow on will be Ron DeSantis, a true genius and completely genuine family man. Good things will happen for our Country if we can make this happen and use the opportunity to slay the big government bureaucracy, deep state spooks and big government oligarch monopolistic corporations. Twelve years should provide enough time to make a big dent in the problem anyway. Perhaps I'm a foolish dreamer, but change must come peacefully. Bloodshed and revolution is a non starter for me.
Sorry to be so long winded. We can't agree on everything, but we can agree to hear opinions that differ from our own.
I have often considered the concept of working within the two party system to achieve the changes needed for a relative free society. In fact I used to embrace that concept. But we went in different philosophical directions on that because I saw no meaningful progress towards that goal. I will cite the "Tea Party" as an example of that failure. The GOP embraced them initially to gain power while always intending to purge the tea partiers at the first chance, which they did rather successfully. I would suggest that no progress is likely in dissolving the government granted monopoly by trying to use the parties that benefit from that monopoly. It's my opinion that competition is a good thing in politics as in almost everything else. The parties have failed me and most others who will admit it, no matter their political leanings. The founders never advocated political parties and it is found nowhere in the Constitution. So yes we disagree on the path to our goals while agreeing on the goals themselves, it seems. I'm happy that we share the goal to consider each others opinions that differ. I thrive on the concept since preaching to the choir is a useless pastime. I hope one of our favored paths is successful and I don't care which it is. But I'll continue to advocate for mine until someone can change my mind. So, Thanks for your thoughts, they mean a lot. I wish more people would engage as you do.
Good article, Grant. I felt like I was reading my own stuff. I’d use the cliché about great minds thinking alike, but every time I do, my wife reminds me that stupid minds also think alike.
I’m not sure which of those categories our minds are in, but I’m a fan.
I just had to read it twice and realized it made perfect sense. A comment if I may. 13 colonies revolted against a king for a lot less than what we're going through now. Where are we?
Sorry for the delayed comment Grant, but sometimes I need to mull a bit before I comment on controversial ideas (I'm not at the top of the intellect scale.)
Years ago I was nearly at the point you are today, so I aligned with similar thinkers and became active in our local Tea Party movement. We gained many, many supporters and held some very successful high turn out events. Then a very wise, very conservative and liberty minded elder gentleman invited me for coffee, and explained the brutal truth. In Florida (I freely admit to not knowing about other states, but I suspect it's similar), the two major parties, rightly or wrongly, are protected by legislation and Stale laws. Independents have no chance. This wise man described the path to reform should pass through the political system, and he advised us to join and "take over" our local county political parties. He pointed out that marching around wearing funny hats and carrying clever homemade signs, while fun, achieves nothing.
After a few years of playing the game, we won. We now control the board and all elected positions locally. Although it means very little in the grand scheme of things, at least now our local and State Legislators now have to take our phone calls and listen to us. This must, and in places, is happening nation wide.
Trump will be re-elected, but not because of his political genius. His policies had very tangible positive results. But more importantly, he is the face of the anti-establishment "leave us alone" pro freedom diehards. Think branding or marketing. And his follow on will be Ron DeSantis, a true genius and completely genuine family man. Good things will happen for our Country if we can make this happen and use the opportunity to slay the big government bureaucracy, deep state spooks and big government oligarch monopolistic corporations. Twelve years should provide enough time to make a big dent in the problem anyway. Perhaps I'm a foolish dreamer, but change must come peacefully. Bloodshed and revolution is a non starter for me.
Sorry to be so long winded. We can't agree on everything, but we can agree to hear opinions that differ from our own.
I have often considered the concept of working within the two party system to achieve the changes needed for a relative free society. In fact I used to embrace that concept. But we went in different philosophical directions on that because I saw no meaningful progress towards that goal. I will cite the "Tea Party" as an example of that failure. The GOP embraced them initially to gain power while always intending to purge the tea partiers at the first chance, which they did rather successfully. I would suggest that no progress is likely in dissolving the government granted monopoly by trying to use the parties that benefit from that monopoly. It's my opinion that competition is a good thing in politics as in almost everything else. The parties have failed me and most others who will admit it, no matter their political leanings. The founders never advocated political parties and it is found nowhere in the Constitution. So yes we disagree on the path to our goals while agreeing on the goals themselves, it seems. I'm happy that we share the goal to consider each others opinions that differ. I thrive on the concept since preaching to the choir is a useless pastime. I hope one of our favored paths is successful and I don't care which it is. But I'll continue to advocate for mine until someone can change my mind. So, Thanks for your thoughts, they mean a lot. I wish more people would engage as you do.
Good article, Grant. I felt like I was reading my own stuff. I’d use the cliché about great minds thinking alike, but every time I do, my wife reminds me that stupid minds also think alike.
I’m not sure which of those categories our minds are in, but I’m a fan.
Thanks for the kind words John, and thanks for subscribing. Welcome to my world.
I just had to read it twice and realized it made perfect sense. A comment if I may. 13 colonies revolted against a king for a lot less than what we're going through now. Where are we?
Thanks for reading and considering. And thanks for commenting.