I was really proud that the turn out numbers have been so high in the primaries here in the US. I think it’s the first time in about 40 years that people have candidates they feel strongly about. Give us something real to vote on, and we do.

I think my decade younger blogging peer huffb1 explains why turnout is low, “None of my classmates are interested in politics.”

Most of my age-peers aren’t interested to the extent I am either. I grew up around it though, and grew up watching Mike Duffy’s QP, listening to As It Happens once a month, and reading the newspaper and watching the 6:00 news nightly. Most families apparently don’t value having politically active children. They are certainly gung-ho about activity in sports and/or music, but not governing. There may be positives from this shirking tendency, but I think it leaves us mostly with politicians who are above all else, in it for the power of being in charge and not for the good of their countrypeople. And it makes it damn hard for those of us interested, yet not skilled enough (at lying) at politicing, to watch such a shallow pool of talent running our governments.

There are so many levels to be involved in where they need our knowledge of history and kindness, yet each of us can only choose one or two areas to really apply ourselves if we hope to be effective in putting a dent in the problems of apathy and misappropriation of power.

“Even though some such individuals have served me notice that my continuance will result in lawsuits.”

Another fearless balbulican prediction, for the record: No blogger in Canada will every be charged in criminal or civil court with libel, slander or defamation for having called someone a fascist or statist.

TH, you don’t think making certain political thoughts illegal is fascist? You don’t think having government tribunals that may bring me before them, and demand I answer for my thoughts, and be subjected to a reasonability test, is fascist?

You may think that it’s a soft, reasonable, measure in the name of social cohesion. But you forget that I’m a fairly radical libertarian when it comes to freedom of expression. I consider any abridgment of that right, as it pertains to political speech, to be absolutely beyond the pale.

For example, it’s illegal to state publicly you’re a Nazi sympathizer in Germany. There are mandatory jail terms for that. I understand the social context, both my grandfathers fought on the killing fields of Western Europe. One in France, and the other in Italy.

I had a neo-Nazi skinhead at my high school, which made my blood boil. In fact, he got me so angry, that I cried. I literally had tears, for how he offended me.

But if the government showed up, arrested him, and charged him with “offending me”, I’d become his advocate. Not for his ideas, but for his rights.

He represents something that I despise. But I refuse to become him, in order to defeat him.

I do not believe in fighting fascism with fascism. I do not find it reasonable. I find it sad. No do I support watering down individual liberties, and privacy, in the name of “security”. That’s fascist too. I considered John Ashcroft to be quite fascist.

I must say, I have been thoroughly impressed that SL himself has taken the position, erring on the side of unbridled political speech. I wish other left-leaning individuals would do the same.

“No do I support watering down individual liberties, and privacy, in the name of “security”. That’s fascist too. I considered John Ashcroft to be quite fascist.”

I don’t think he is a fascist. He is higher on the authoritarian scale than most without question. Expand your horizons beyond the traditional right - left political spectrum. It doesn’t work anymore. See this

I commend you for that Mike.

My extended point is that if you want to win that fight you do yourself and the “movement” you support a disservice by labeling opponents with absurd generalizations like “Fascist”. Don’t fall for the Levant trap; if Ezra doesn’t quit being such a drama queen he will be remembered not as the martyr personae he is trying to manufacture but as a boob.

Also, directly supporting any of the political party options that exist in this country today and trying to be a Libertarian or Anarchist is pure hypocrisy.
They are all the same and none of them have individual rights at heart. They care only about power.

Individual rights can only reign supreme in a very different political system than we have now.

Mike, it was just a suggestion. Feelings, as you know are not logical. Governments as we know them today pass laws in their own interest. It’s about opinion polls and elections, some ideology, but in the end about gaining or maintaining power.