The Grand Experiment of the 50 States has become "Pick Your Poison"

Freeman, Libertarian Critter reminds us that today is ol' Abe's birthday, and offers a fitting tribute. Reading through it reminded me of a thought I'd had the other day regarding the "experiment" of 50 states able to make their own laws. First, some setup.

We -- all the grownups sharing a house with me -- are getting restless. Reasons differ somewhat, but it comes down to a couple of things: although we're in a rural location, which we like, we're in a state that is probably low on any freedom-loving individual's list of places to be. Taxes are high, nannying's high, regs that choke economic development abound. We all agree that we'd like to be back west ... but when discussion turns to where out west, things get dicey. Montana? No sales tax, but state income tax. Wyoming? No state income tax, but the govgoons tax the bejeesus out of vehicles. The Dakotas? Even more under the thumbscrews of the statists (or so it appears). Washington? It's currently a political mess. There's precious little difference between the states any more.

And that really sums up the grand experiment for me. With the help of the expanding fedgov, what was intended to be 50 "experiments in freedom" has become 50 different poisons from which the freedom-minded person can select. I don't know of any state that I'd call sufficiently free enough for me to be comfortable there; even out west, some municipalities have zoning and/or "quality of life" regulations that govern house colors, parking of vehicles, clotheslines, and other such crucially important matters. Mineral and water rights are also issues in several western states -- as is the huge fedgov presence via "public land". And there's no state that doesn't regulate businesses, professions, and trades -- so there's no place I can go to set up a little bakery without needing permission slips.

I'm starting to think that the best option to live a free life in the U.S. might be to live a mobile life. Doing Freedom! has several articles on the subject, including one on the Escapees that I should probably re-read [not online at present]. I don't want to pick my poison and hope the dose is sufficiently low; I want to live free. If it takes such a drastic change in lifestyle ... well, I'm not yet ready to say, "Then so be it", but I'm getting close.


[For those of you wondering about the status of DF!, it's currently on hiatus again. The last editor found greener pastures; and, to be honest, I've lost much of my enthusiasm for the 'zine. My interests have led me in other directions; so, with no one around I can entrust the 'zine to, it's languishing while I think about its future course.]