Every time I think about it, I am more and more convinced that leaving the US was the correct decision. Sunni's last three posts are indicative of the direction the country is moving in. Add to that the fact that the US imprisons a larger percentage of its population than any other county in the world (see Prison Brief for United States of America), and many other gross violations of rights that occur on a daily basis.
However, sometimes it is the little things, those that have a direct impact on one's day to day life, that add to my conviction.
There is currently a bill pending in Congress, the "Pet Animal Welfare Statute" of 2005 (PAWS), which would, among other things, define anyone who sells more than US$ 500 per year worth of animals, living or dead, as a commercial operation making them subject to a whole bunch of fedgov regulations. In the case of dead animals, directly subject to the USDA. This come to a bit less than US$ 10/week. In other words, if we lived in the US and the bill becomes law, my children's chicken and rabbit business would have to be regulated by the USDA. Of course, the fellow who we financed so he could start a pig business would also be subject to the USDA. This bill will put several people out of business in the US. Small rabbit and rodent breeders, dog and cat breeders, etc.
Another example presented itself when we were watching Elton Brown on the Food Network. The topic was cheese. He stated that the reason the Europeans produce better soft cheeses such as Brie and Camembert, is that they use fresh, whole milk, which is illegal in the US. Apparently, in the US, if the milk is fresh it must be pasteurized, which kills a good deal of the flavor. No wonder US dairy farmers can't compete in this market. No wonder we have to pay a ridiculous amount of money for a European product. There is no reason that people in the US could not make an equivalent, or superior, product (witness wine). No reason except for law.
They can't seem to leave people alone. Be it for health care, food, security, you name it. The fedgoons feel it is their business. They feel compelled to mess up everyone's life in every way imaginable.
I am glad I do not have to deal with this.
The little things
freeman says:
Yep, those are some absurd aspects of the country that we live in (and you used to live in).
By the way, not only does pasteurization kill off much of the flavor of milk, but it also eliminates most of the nutritional qualities.
Billy Beck says:
I am an American. No matter how bad it gets, I will never leave. This fight, in this place. There is no place else to go. This is it. If this light goes out here, it could be a thousand years before it ever strikes again.
I would die in an American prison before I ever left my home.
Jorge says:
Billy,
I certainly understand that sentiment and wish you well in your battle.
I was never attached to the US as a place. To me it has always been the idea, the founding principles of the country that appealed. That idea has been betrayed. Perhaps betrayed is not correct. Forgotten, abandoned, forsaken, rejected, neglected, unattended, castaway, discarded, jettisoned, junked. Maybe these are more applicable. I feel that the light of Liberty is out in the US, and has been for a while. I do not know how to turn it back on.
Given that what I was attached to was not there, I saw no point in staying. Where we live is now based on personal utilitarian considerations. Where my family and I can live free. Or more accurately, freer.
Eric says:
I think, though, that I agree with Billy. If the ideas that were part of the creation of America go out for good in America, then humanity may well face a dark age, at least as far as liberty goes, for a long, long time.
Personally, I'm not so sure that we can save this culture now. My hope is that we can "export" the ideas, so to speak, before it's completely gone.
Kirsten says:
I think there are a couple of reasonable strategies here depending on what your goal is. As with the case of a ticking bomb, you can get the hell away from it as fast as possible to try to minimize the effects you will feel from it, or you can go in close and try to render it harmless (or at least less harmful in the case of the government). Either goal is legitimate, but whichever way you go , it's still a pretty big gamble as to whether you've optimized your freedom.
As for me, I'm staying put for the indefinite future (though I'd probably leave if the circumstances were sufficiently dire and I was still able). I don't see any advantage to be gained over my present circumstances in influencing the direction of the United States government- which governs not just the United States, but also the rest of the world to a great degree- by leaving the country.
Eric says:
Nice post Jorge. It prompted me to repost this entry, which talks about the same issues, just in a more theoretical fashion.