Dempocalypse Now

The current world order was founded on the concept of nation states.

Whether we like it or not, we are all subject to the will of states to some degree or another.

Nation states dictate where you can work, what financial instruments you have access to, and where you can travel.

Understanding how nation states operate is the first step to understanding how you as an individual can achieve more freedom from the will of the state.

That is why when renowned international relations scholar John Mearsheimer speaks, I listen.

Mearsheimer is the most prominent proponent of "offensive realism" which holds that for the sake of perceived security, states constantly seek to maximize their power.

How do states maximize their power?

Through a combination of population and wealth.

Notice that the only way for governments to get those things are through its citizens.

States can serve important functions for their citizenry such as national defense, internal order, and court systems.

But when not kept in check, states will always seek to maximize their power through the exploitation of its citizenry—that's you.

There's no need to do anything irrational (like protesting) to attempt in vain to change the intrinsic nature of states.

It wouldn't work anyway.

Instead, simply having options will take you a long way.

If you have a right to reside in multiple countries, when one of them becomes too burdensome, you can opt for a less burdensome option.

Some nations, especially those that don't have much in the way of population and wealth, even create special incentives to attract the wealthy and talented.

It is wise to consider these options, and in the words of Andrew Henderson, "go where you're treated best."

Of course, that’s part of the plan here at Libertas and you’ll be hearing a lot more about what we’re doing to minimize the role of the government in our lives. ~ West

It’s trite, but it’s true: without your health, you’ve got nothing.

This series of articles from Consumer Reports helps us understand just how widespread the issue of plastic in our food chain is.

But, unlike the authors, we simply cannot place any faith in the government to save us. The FDA and their regulations are a joke. By the time these chemicals are banned, everyone will have been consuming their equally toxic replacements for decades. In fact, it’s already happening.

The answer is the same as it ever was: if it’s important to you, you’ve got to take matters into your own hands.

Luckily, the market responds to demand. So, if you want to influence supply, skip the processed garbage. Grow what you can, support local farmers, and get a big freezer.

And seriously, don't store your hoardings in plastic!

Here’s how deep this rabbit hole goes. Read this excerpt from another installment in Consumer Reports’ series:

Open your windows. Because phthalates can be used in furniture, shower curtains, and flooring, they can accumulate in household dust, which you can then inhale. “Ventilation is important,” says Akhgar Ghassabian, MD, PhD, at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. “And if you’re vacuuming, make sure you do that with the window open.”

Read that again. This is a mainstream publication literally warning you to open your windows to reduce plastic inhalation.

The problem is everywhere. It’s synthetic fabrics. The packaging for almost everything you buy from the store. Plastic bottles. Shampoo. Salt. The list goes on.

This isn’t trivial. These nanoplastics accumulate in our tissues, reproductive organs, even our arterial plaque. And they’re inflammatory.

In fact, this study found that people with plastics in their carotid artery tissues were twice as likely to experience a heart attack, stroke, or death from any cause within 34 months.

It’s no wonder cancers are on the rise among younger people. And while I’m not ready to completely give up on participating in everyday conveniences, it’s prudent to limit your exposure. ~ Zak

Milei's "Radical" Economic Policy Working

For those of you who are unfamiliar, Javier Milei is the current president of Argentina.

If you follow the news, you are probably not used to any stories about the Argentine economy being filled with sunshine and rainbows.

The country suffered from hyperinflation as a result of decades of economic mismanagement.

Until December 2023, that is - when Milei took office.

Since then, Argentina has gone from deep monthly fiscal deficits to suddenly posting surpluses.

Economics can be complicated, I don't discount that, but what Milei is doing is not complicated at all.

In fact, it is so simple that even a non-Ivy League plebeian like myself can understand it: spend less money.

It should come as no surprise that spending less money leads to more savings.

In fact, if my goal was to save more money there are only two ways to do this: spend less or make more.

This fundamental reality seems lost on the majority of mainstream economists and news pundits who can't seem to stop declaring Milei and his policies to be "radical."

That said, Milei is a strange fellow.

He's the lead man for a rock and roll band, has cloned his dog multiple times, and wielded a chainsaw as a campaign prop.By the appearance of his hair, his barber failed out of lawn care school.

He may one day become corrupt with power, be ousted by a left-leaning electorate, or maybe even assassinated.

But in the meantime, what he is doing is working, and will continue to work if not tampered with.

Don't let a bunch of PhD-holding, debt laden midwits convince you that saving money is a “radical” economic policy. ~ West