By: Gary D. Barnett
“Any excuse will serve a tyrant” ~ Aesop
Apologists abound it seems, but their words portray only lies and deceit. During this era of Trump, excuses and blame override sanity, and every ill is the fault of others. This is pathological at its core, and regardless of one’s so-called base beliefs, it is time for anyone claiming to be libertarian to jump off the Trump bandwagon.
Trump holds the most powerful position in the world, but blames others for his ills. His supporters also blame others for his failures, and this is exactly what Trump desires. He can do as he wishes or is instructed, while blaming others when these policies fail. His defenders, including those claiming to be libertarian, support this ruse by alleging that his appointees and advisors are at fault, when in fact Trump is the very one who put them into this position in the first place.
Those who call themselves libertarians and vote for and support the lesser of evils are as I see it, either dishonest or lacking integrity. Compromise is not possible in this situation if truth and honesty are sought. When men are willing to accommodate deception by tempering their principles to suit the moment, and supporting this position by the argument that it is simply better than the alternative, then they have lost all credibility. Any defense of this position with an argument of degree should be met with contempt. As Leonard Read put it:
“Principles do not permit of compromise; they are either adhered to or surrendered… To trim is to ignore the dictates of higher conscience; it is to take flight from integrity.”
The notion that voting is anything but a fool’s game should at this point not be argued. Voting is an admission of acceptance of this corrupt system, and a required acceptance of all results of this same system. Voting for the lesser of evils in a word is shameful. Not that it matters which trimmer is elected mind you, as evil is evil. Those pretending to be men of freedom, calling themselves libertarians, cannot justify their complicity in elections and their continued support of the trimmer elected, given any critical look at history. The continuous and long-term degradation of this country due to a corrupt political system should be evident, and therefore continuing on the same political path and expecting different results is insane as Einstein’s quote clearly shows.
Considering the current prevaricator in office, finding integrity is impossible. This statement is not meant to endorse any other politician you understand, but instead is meant to expose the corrupt nature of the current beast in power. That beast is a product of the system at large, and if this is the best we can do, then societal sanity is severely lacking.
I see articles and news broadcasts by conservatives and “libertarian” types almost daily attempting to give cover to Trump. This is a right/left preservation phenomenon. If only he would do this, or if only he would do that, then he could gain respect and be a good president. Invariably, these things sought by his protectors are things he promised long ago, but never even considered actually doing. It isn’t his fault of course, but is the fault of Bolton, Pompeo, Congress, or his political enemies. And there are many other of a myriad of reasons and excuses given for his failure at every level.
It is not possible to go into Trump’s promises here, as there have been hundreds. But so far as president, Trump has escalated war, threatened and sought nuclear war, warned entire nations that he would wipe them off the face of the earth, and has continued and vastly escalated brutal sanctions that harm innocents around the world. He has attempted to affect regime change, he has interfered in other country’s politics, and he is levying monstrous tariffs that greatly harm U.S. citizens, and innocent citizens of other countries as well.
Economically speaking, he has been an unmitigated disaster. I am not speaking of the manipulated and fraudulent stock market, but the reality of economics. National and personal debt have skyrocketed, tax collections are at all time highs, spending is massive, savings are still non-existent due to forced near zero interest rates, and the bubble economy is ready to explode. All the hype by Trump concerning positive markets and economic prosperity is simply propaganda.
Threatening everyone, sanctioning countries around the world, fake jobs reports, tariffs and trade wars, regime change policies, support of terrorist countries, blind aggression, war, and extreme protectionism do not a libertarian make. What are these fake “libertarians thinking?
Political society initially gravitates toward one side or the other while both sides eventually meet in the middle. This phenomenon exposes the sameness evident in the human condition, a condition that is loathsome at best. Without individual thinking and responsibility, all is lost in this transition to the center, a crowd transition that is inevitable, but always dangerous when complete.
What possesses people to rely on others, especially those who pose as leaders, instead of relying on themselves? Why do supposedly normal people latch on to any false savior who promises the moon when in fact he delivers nothing but false hope? “Make America great again” means nothing, and is simply a campaign slogan meant to fool the masses into supporting a political lie. Instead of worthless hopes and dreams, it is time to take a good healthy dose of reality. Accept the truth, face it, and then embrace it. That is the only solution to this collective nonsense that seems to have consumed this nation, and destroyed it in the process.
“A certain type of person strives to become a master over all, and to extend his force, his will to power, and to subdue all that resists it. But he encounters the power of others, and comes to an arrangement, a union, with those that are like him: thus they work together to serve the will to power. And the process goes on.
~Friedrich Nietzsche
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