Lions and Eagles

Every election, I try to do some sort of voting research, and write up my opinions on the coming races. This time around, we have a simple election with just municipal races, and I did something new. I met individually with each of the candidates for my town council, and sat down for a conversation. It was an interesting experience, definitely enlightening, and I hope that I gave each of them some new food for political thought even as I learned about them.

I've gotten into an interesting Facebook conversation on rights. It started with an event invite to an upcoming meeting of local Libertarians on gun politics. A curious Facebooker asked a question, and I found that my answer was getting long, so, here it is in blog form:

Last night I went to a Q&A session with a couple of members of the school board for parents and members of the community. (I'm both.) Very nice event. Very glad I went out, and it was very encouraging to see the good turnout in the room. Steve Brown did a fine job of moderating, offering up questions gathered from parents via Facebook, and live audience had a number of questions as well. I have a few reactions to their questions.

I admit it: I’m a huge fan of sci-fi. From Mary Shelley and H.G. Wells, Ray Bradbury and Isaac Asimov, to Gene Roddenberry and every single superhero movie to come out in the last decade, I just can’t get enough. The imagination, the spectacle, the endless possibilities of hope… and, of course, utopias and dystopias that teach us about the best and worst of humanity.

To : The Honorable Derrick Jackson Re: House Bill 191 , by Representatives Kendrick of the 93rd, Stover of the 71st, Stovall of the 74th, and Jones of the 91st Dear Representative Jackson, My name is Danny Dolan, and I am a voter in your district. I am writing to ask for your support for GA HB 191. This bill would bring much-needed reform to Georgia's ballot access laws. Ballot access is a civil rights issue. This most recent election spotlighted the importance of making sure every eligible voter has the right to cast a ballot. Unfortunately, many of our ballots have a shocking lack of choices. A ballot with no options does nothing to give the voter a voice. Georgia's ballot access laws are commonly regarded as the most onerous in the nation. These laws keep independent voices out of the conversation. Even when they have no chance of winning, independent candidates can perform an important role in raising the quality of political debate. An independent candidate can simul...

“...And our roads would be private toll roads as government would  not build roads across private lands, so that nice interstate system we have today,” wouldn’t have existed under Libertarian rule.” Roads and Infrastructure It’s predictable. Every election, every two years, four years, eight years, you can count on political candidates campaigning on the promise to fix the nation's “crumbling infrastructure”. Those are the exact words that they will use. And no matter what they do while in office, we'll hear that exact same tune at the next election. Another certainty: Every couple of years, we are asked to vote a new tax onto ourselves. A SPLOST. A penny sales tax for education. A tax on certain items for senior services. A special trust for firefighters and first responders. An allocation for environmental protection. We are always told that if the tax doesn't pass, essential projects and programs won't be funded. The taxes pass, and still the money isn't al...

“...Of course having “recreational drugs” be legal is a great selling point I’m sure for some folks….” Drugs For some folks, recreational drug use may be a selling point. For myself, I have no desire at all to use drugs recreationally, and I only reluctantly use them even under doctor's orders. But I still support the Libertarian position on the drug war. Namely, that it is ineffective, unfair, and immoral. If you read what I had to say on prostitution, you shouldn’t be surprised by what I have to say here, either. When you make the sale of any given thing illegal, you don’t end that sale. You drive it into black markets, where bad people profit because bad people are the ones selling. People who might actually want help out of their situation are scared out of seeking it, because they are afraid of being thrown in jail. Theologically, I believe that careless drug use is a sin against the self and against God, but I do not believe it should be treated a crime. The body is a...