Why in the world would a libertarian vote for Donald Trump? As Ron Paul wailed on CNN on Super Tuesday, Trump “represents the opposite of Liberty!”
I don’t disagree.
Donald Trump also represents the opposite of Washington.
When I first started my career in D.C., I was a young and naive idealist wearing a uniform and serving as a United States Marine.
During my last year on Active Duty, working in the Judge Advocate Division, I was in charge of reporting cases of officer misconduct . . . and boy I had my hands on countless salacious stories that the media would have drooled over.
At night, I was able to comb through the original Service Record Books of the most notorious Marines . . . from Charles Whitman to Lee Harvey Oswald.
But the biggest scandal I witnessed during my time was the scandal that took place in the White House.
As I tracked and reported cases of misconduct, I kept a tally. Over 75% of my active cases were for the offenses of adultery and fraternization . . . the exact offenses our Commander-in-Chief at the time was guilty of.
As good officers were literally doing time in the brig for their lack of judgment, Bill Clinton was kicking back in the White House.
Following my time in the long hallways of Headquarters Marine Corps, I ended up working in the lobbying office for one of the nation’s largest oil companies.
One day, my boss asked me to sit in for him at a meeting with the other oil lobbyists and I arrived the next morning to a scene straight out of Hollywood.
Not long after I entered the dark, wood-lined conference room filled with a variety of “old boy” characters sitting around a massive table, the leader of the discussion crowed, “Who is going to put money into Hastert’s pocket?”
His tone shifted to urgent as he cried, “We’re falling down as an industry guys!”
As one lobbyist after another pledged to divert funds to buy influence, I sank further into my seat.
Knowing how Washington works is one thing, seeing it take place before your eyes is another.
As I made it back to my office, I shot off an email offering to stuff envelopes for a government watchdog group and weeks later, they hired me as a director which started my lengthy career in fighting government for a living.
Since I made it to D.C. twenty-three years ago, I’ve had a front row seat to witness an endless parade of corruption and hypocrisy, not just within government, but within the consultant and political class that surrounds it.
As Marty Huggins would say, “Folks, bring your brooms, ‘cause it’s a mess!”
And that’s a gross understatement.
Washington is a freaking cesspool filled with pseudo-intellectuals and con men looking to buy and sell each other. The smart ones do it for money; the dumb ones do it for social standing that they define as “power.”
The scandals that are buzzed about from time to time about law breaking or ethics violations are nothing compared to the legal corruption that takes place daily . . . and it involves just about everyone that’s inside the beltway, not just the politicians who are the target of our anger.
That’s where Donald Trump comes in.
Trump is not part of the political class and never will be. More importantly, the success of his campaign has made complete clowns of the candidates, consultants and election experts who were previously held in high regard.
The brash billionaire is able to accomplish something that no one has been able to come close to since Washington left office . . . he’s breaking down the political machine, and more specifically, the Grand Old Party.
In his farewell address published in 1796, George Washington warned the nation of the “baneful effects of the spirit of the party.”
Few listened to him and the tools in power today from Mitch McConnell to Lindsey Graham to the neo-con clowns of the National Review, have clearly not taken a moment to sit back and understand that political parties do not deserve loyalty . . . principles demand loyalty and the GOP along with so-called “conservatives” have no firm principles.
When it comes to ideological grounding, the GOP, the conservative movement and, yes, even Donald Trump do not know who they are.
They have not explored the principles of Liberty to set aside party lines and trust in individuals rather than government.
When an individual lacks a foundation of beliefs, they quickly sink into the quagmire of mass opinion and outside influence for gain.
When beliefs are formed on a foundation of Liberty, there is never a doubt. The only question is “how do we get there?”
Liberty is a mountain made of granite. Mere men can’t break, move it or ignore it. When your eyes are open to these principles, you can’t even really argue with yourself.
As one libertarian activist, Ernie Hancock, says, “Freedom is the answer. What’s the question?”
So when an opportunity comes about to destroy or at least change the Republican Party and the Washington Establishment, hell yes, I’m taking it.
Make no mistake; I have high confidence that when Donald Trump takes the GOP nomination, he will be able to beat Hillary Clinton . . . despite what the polls may say.
But my decision was not based upon the outcome of the election; it was based upon the devastation Donald Trump will lay upon various arms of the government, the Washington Establishment and Congress. “President” Trump will serve as a spark to burn the whole thing down, and a controlled-burn is long overdue.
As for me, I’d rather take a shot at starting over then endure another eight years of ruin due to spineless and self-serving elites who demand our respect.
I’d rather hand the reigns of government over to a drunk monkey with a butcher knife than allow another bullshit politician to sit in our White House.
Today, Donald Trump was my drunk monkey. I’ll bring the butcher knife.
