I've been victim to some attacks recently of my property and my social life that has made me reflect a lot on the political climate and the hostility I've experienced over the years because of my views. It's funny, conservatives think I'm liberal and liberals think I'm conservative - I'm neither!
I started my early political life, as many of us do, as a liberal thinking individual, a byproduct of circumstances from being educated by the polarized educational system and influenced by polarized entertainment industry.
Along the way I recognized that I want people to be free to choose whatever life they see fit but without the financial burden of having to take care of people that have less than avid dreams for their life through taxation.
Enter Libertarianism!
I often parrot the mantra of Libertarians - "Taxation is theft!" but even get into disagreements with Libertarians because I do believe in some taxation. Notice I said "some" and would actually prefer a flat tax on all consumption meaning you don't tax my earnings, just my purchases.
In my personal studies I've noticed problems in both major political parties, but social issues aside there are two main differences between the major political parties.
Liberals prefer large central government paid for by higher taxes.
Conservatives prefer small center government through slashing taxes by eliminating many social programs.
The main similarity between the two is control. They seek to control your lives through forced coercion via taxes and laws to confiscate private property and or rights if you don't comply.
Social contract seems to be the excuse for both parties that you live in this environment so are indebted to it through taxes to maintain it. This is where I have issues with both parties and my own to be quite honest. Let's face it though, your ideas aren't as good as they say if they have to be enforced by the state.
I do recognize there are some expenditures that cannot be avoided like Veterans services, Transportation, etc. but if you look at the budget for 2017, 2.56 Trillion out of our 4.2 Trillion dollar budget (more than half) goes to Social Security, Unemployment, Medicare and Medicaid. That money almost all solely comes from your wage taxes.
If you lack the natural will to survive and be self-sufficient then I don't think it's my legal responsibility to help you.
I am cool with property tax though, which pays for roads and schools, and feel if you can afford property then you can afford property tax. Other than that I think it all needs to go. Even the Department of Education I feel like is very overvalued. Private enterprise always does it better or people wouldn't be begging to have their kids put into charter schools.
All in all, I'd say I'd like to see about 75% of the budget slashed and returned to our pockets but this is dangerous thinking that's met with hostility and I've experienced it a lot in my life.
These views have made me subject to a lot of scrutiny but none more hostile than Liberals.
The other night, I wasn't even discussing politics with a woman. We were discussing buying real estate and how I was hoping to purchase rental property in the next year or so to propel me into the success I desired. She went off on a tangent about how that's a horrible idea and how her friend bought a house twenty years ago and it's decreased in value and the government should step in and pay her friend for the money she lost.
I told her that's ridiculous, my heart goes out to her friend but the people should not have to pay higher taxes for her friend's poor decision.
She lost it! She stood up, started cursing me out, putting hands in my face and threatening to punch me for "being a conservative, racist, sexist, piece of shit". I'm paraphrasing but Liberals always recite their mantra of judging anyone that doesn't agree with them the same way so you get the picture.
I stayed calm, polite, excused myself and returned to the bar. A half hour later when I went to leave my tire was slashed. I looked back in the bar to see her shit eating grin smiling back a me.
This was not the first time that a liberal has done something like this to me. I've had coworkers admit to throwing food on my car, I've been threatened with a beating, and I've actually been shoved by Liberals for disagreeing with them.
Conservatives don't give a shit. I tell them I agree with legalization of all drugs, gay marriage, and many social issues championed by the left and they shrug their shoulders and ask if I need a beer.
It would be nice to recieve the same treatment from liberals especially when I agree with half of your message like I agree with half of the conservative message.
I actually think they're on the same side. Conservatives are only conservative when there's a liberal running the country. This budget plan recently proposed would have been protested by conservatives last year, but neither conservative or liberal voters take the time to see where their money is going.
"The American Republic will endure, until politicians realize they can bribe the people with their own money."
-Alexis de Tocqueville
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