Uninformed voter

Logic dictates my rationale. I feel strongly about most of my premises and conclusions, as I have arrived at them after much careful thought and consideration. In the realm of political philosophy, I essentially have a single, simple dictum to which I subscribe.

I believe that an individual has the right to live in whatever manner they choose, so long as they do not forcefully interfere in any other’s right to live in whatever manner they choose.

It logically follows that a person who has the right to live in whatever manner they choose has 1) the right to life — the right to decide how to live it, what to do with it, who they wish to associate with or not associate with, what to put into it, and even when to end it; 2) the right to liberty — the right to perform any action they desire (excepting, of course, the coercion of others); and 3) the right to property — the right to acquire and use objects for whatever purpose they so desire. If you’re having a hard time with this concept, especially with the logical connection, please read The Law by Frederic Bastiat. It is a 100 page treatise covering what I just mentioned in the last two paragraphs.

And applying this guiding principle, a logical being could very likely deduce any political view or opinion I might have. For example, to some, it may inconsistent of me to be a huge gun rights activist while at the same time wanting to downsize/eliminate the army. This seeming inconsistency is merely because you don’t follow where I am coming from. Try to understand the premise. Then you will understand the conclusion.

I’ve had several people ask me who I’m going to vote for in the upcoming presidential election. Usually, I just say, “Nobody…” and prattle off something about all of the choices sucking. I don’t want to get into a long discussion on political philosophy with them, because unfortunately, most people don’t get it. Logic is a dying, lost art form. Sadly, I’m guessing most of the people reading this blog post won’t understand, either.

The real truth of why I am not voting is that I am an “uninformed voter.”

I haven’t watched any of the presidential or vice-presidential “debates,” nor have I studied the candidates’ positions on the issues. If the remote control is near me, I’ll try to change the channel if an ad comes on. I don’t listen to the radio. I don’t talk to the student groups on campus vying for their respective candidates. I just don’t really care. And why should I?

I know, from the little bit I have seen, read, or heard, that none of the candidates believe in the same political philosophy as me. They all wish to use force and coercion to some extent or another. They all wish to engineer society for some purpose other than freedom. Yes, some may wish to use force to a greater extent than others. But a vote for one would still be an endorsement, and I value my principles too highly to sanction any form of evil.