Sunday, March 22, 2020

Gun rights decent political X-ray

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for February 19, 2020)

Whether or not you vote or otherwise pay attention to politicians, do you wish you had a way to see inside their minds to know what they think of you?

Libertarian science fiction and nonfiction author L. Neil Smith has pointed out that you can know what a politician thinks of you and your rights by examining his or her opinions on gun rights. Smith says it's as good as an X-ray into politicians' minds.

It works whether the politician is a Republican, a Democrat, a Libertarian, or something else.

Don't make the common mistake and assume the "R" by a politician's name on the ballot means they are a supporter of your rights and liberty-- most aren't.

Smith observes that any politician who is uncomfortable with the idea of you or anyone else walking into a store, plopping down the cash and walking out with any gun you want without showing a scrap of identification or signing even one form, is not pro-gun rights.

If a politician doesn't recognize your right to own and to carry, openly or concealed, any type of firearm you wish-- handgun, rifle, single-shot, "high-capacity", or fully automatic-- everywhere you go without asking permission, this politician is not a supporter of your gun rights and probably isn't a fan of your other rights, either.

Politicians may talk a good game about supporting rights, yet cling to the belief that rights can come with government-approved limits, licenses, and legislation.

They are wrong.

A right doesn't come with any such requirements, and anyone claiming they do is not respecting your rights. They're probably hoping you'll be fooled into confusing rights for privileges as people often do.

Any politician who doesn't fully respect your gun rights is likely to also believe you need permission or a license to marry, to drive a car, to open a business, to travel the world, or to consume certain plants. Such a politician will probably believe you owe a portion of your property to government. They may quibble over how much you owe, but they won't doubt you owe something.

I understand the argument for voting in self-defense. I don't believe it works, and I think there are better ways to defend yourself from politicians and their opinions. It's still good to know which politicians are worse than the others. Using their stance on gun rights is a convenient and accurate shortcut to find your sworn enemies. I suggest you use it.

Thank you for helping support

Fake economics in action

What do all those political folk who are promoting the idea to send everyone $1000 (or more) have in common? They are experts in fake economics.

Yes, I would love some money, but they can only "give" it to me now by stealing it from future me. And future you.

I don't know what my future financial situation will be like. I might be even worse off when that piper needs to be paid than I am now. I might be even less able to afford it then-- and this coronavirus "stimulus", with its devaluing effect on the currency, might even be the reason.

Fake economists, with their fancy degrees and such, are a stupid lot.


Writing to promote liberty is my job.
YOU get to decide if I get paid.
I hope I add something you find valuable enough to support.