Agreed that GARM going away does not end the push to control free speech. But, free speech occurs in everyday spending decisions and through this society has already spoken with what occurred to Bud Light, colleges dismantling their DEI programs and even this last week's Harley Davidson boycott at the annual Sturgis Rally. Individuals ar…
Agreed that GARM going away does not end the push to control free speech. But, free speech occurs in everyday spending decisions and through this society has already spoken with what occurred to Bud Light, colleges dismantling their DEI programs and even this last week's Harley Davidson boycott at the annual Sturgis Rally. Individuals are making their preferences known in their spending and companies are backing off. If I cannot buy something without a social credit score at a major store I will go to a local supplier and use cash. I am willing to spend a little more to be able to exercise my right to choose. If they attempt to block Internet communications through censure, we will find another route of communication. I read volumes from the Internet every week, but I love books for their non-electronic delivery. I can read by candlelight if necessary and be just as happy. The point being is that we have many routes to be who we are and these people will fail at control!
I boycott, buy physical books and use cash whenever possible, stay informed and "plant seeds" that may at least get people to question and to think. I stop there. The rest is up to them. It's not possible to control anyone unless they allow it, but they must first be aware that they are being controlled. I think you are correct. We have intelligence, integrity and courage on our side. I agree that it will be a long 'battle' but I have no doubt that we will prevail in the end.
One can posit that overarching the lust by the "elite" for absolute control of freedom of speech - and thought - is the factor of MONEY and how the 'masses' SPEND their money.
As Von Mises (and) Rothbard have made crystal clear in their MANY works on economics, that the CONSUMER is SOVEREIGN over ALL who produce goods and services. Von Mises said the consumer is "GOLDEN" - in that by the INDIVIDUAL choices that daily occur millions of times to BUY or NOT to but ANY product.
NO one is forced to buy anything; but the producer is forced to provide the best products at the cheapest prices - lest the consumer shop elsewhere and the producer becoming bankrupt. THAT is the essence of free market capitalism. ONLY "government" interference can distort that free-exchange (typically by SUBSIDIZING ) unprofitable (government approved) business' - with TAXPAYER money!
Unfortunately, the penchant for governments in (supposedly) free nations is to distort the free market - for the "common good", or to be "fair"; or to control "profits" or any number of reasons given by any number of agencies, bureaus and departments run by UN-ELECTED "do-gooder" bureaucrats.
The present federal government is so BLOATED with "good intentions" has escalated to multi-TRILLIONS of dollars in DEBT that realistically can NEVER be paid for with fiat paper dollars the "value" of which is rapidly approaching ZERO.
As free "consumers" have already shown, MEGA companies such as DISNEY, BUD LITE and Coca Cola can get whacked monetarily when consumers disapprove of their actions.
So, if "we" the people can even semi-organize ourselves - maybe by an ON-LINE platform that
exposes and spotlights Big business - or BIG sports, or BIG entertainment, or BIG - WHATEVER that are misbehaving by their hiring practices - such as DEI over MERIT -
or any number of things that infuriate those who CONSUME - technically EVERYONE on planet earth - "we" can make a POSITIVE change for our families and future families too!
I’m in favor of a more direct approach: withhold our tax dollars until given the right AND the responsibility of assigning our personal tax dollars for or not for every proposed spending bill and every government funded agency, every year with every tax return. Let us imagine for a moment how different the FDA or CDC or even international organizations we send money to like the WHO would be IF over the last two years, citizen taxpayers could have impacted their budgets simply by not agreeing to funding them!!!
I like that idea, Barbara - in addition to withholding INDIVIDUAL monetary purchases of "WOKE" or out of touch companies (and) demand that our CONGRESS DE-FUND - or severely reduce taxpayers $$$$$ to the FDC, CDC and STATE Department - in addition to passing legislation that PROHIBITS ANY U.S. federal government agency, bureau or department from "granting" or in any way giving taxpayer $$$$$$$$$$ to ANY so-called tax exempt "NGO" who now receive taxpayer money.
Agreed that GARM going away does not end the push to control free speech. But, free speech occurs in everyday spending decisions and through this society has already spoken with what occurred to Bud Light, colleges dismantling their DEI programs and even this last week's Harley Davidson boycott at the annual Sturgis Rally. Individuals are making their preferences known in their spending and companies are backing off. If I cannot buy something without a social credit score at a major store I will go to a local supplier and use cash. I am willing to spend a little more to be able to exercise my right to choose. If they attempt to block Internet communications through censure, we will find another route of communication. I read volumes from the Internet every week, but I love books for their non-electronic delivery. I can read by candlelight if necessary and be just as happy. The point being is that we have many routes to be who we are and these people will fail at control!
I hope you are correct.
I boycott, buy physical books and use cash whenever possible, stay informed and "plant seeds" that may at least get people to question and to think. I stop there. The rest is up to them. It's not possible to control anyone unless they allow it, but they must first be aware that they are being controlled. I think you are correct. We have intelligence, integrity and courage on our side. I agree that it will be a long 'battle' but I have no doubt that we will prevail in the end.
I agree. You do what you can and reasonable. No one can force behavior on me and not on you either.
They came to bury us.....never really realizing we were good seeds.
We "will return and in even greater numbers".....Hahaha Obiwan knew the game.
One can posit that overarching the lust by the "elite" for absolute control of freedom of speech - and thought - is the factor of MONEY and how the 'masses' SPEND their money.
As Von Mises (and) Rothbard have made crystal clear in their MANY works on economics, that the CONSUMER is SOVEREIGN over ALL who produce goods and services. Von Mises said the consumer is "GOLDEN" - in that by the INDIVIDUAL choices that daily occur millions of times to BUY or NOT to but ANY product.
NO one is forced to buy anything; but the producer is forced to provide the best products at the cheapest prices - lest the consumer shop elsewhere and the producer becoming bankrupt. THAT is the essence of free market capitalism. ONLY "government" interference can distort that free-exchange (typically by SUBSIDIZING ) unprofitable (government approved) business' - with TAXPAYER money!
Unfortunately, the penchant for governments in (supposedly) free nations is to distort the free market - for the "common good", or to be "fair"; or to control "profits" or any number of reasons given by any number of agencies, bureaus and departments run by UN-ELECTED "do-gooder" bureaucrats.
The present federal government is so BLOATED with "good intentions" has escalated to multi-TRILLIONS of dollars in DEBT that realistically can NEVER be paid for with fiat paper dollars the "value" of which is rapidly approaching ZERO.
As free "consumers" have already shown, MEGA companies such as DISNEY, BUD LITE and Coca Cola can get whacked monetarily when consumers disapprove of their actions.
So, if "we" the people can even semi-organize ourselves - maybe by an ON-LINE platform that
exposes and spotlights Big business - or BIG sports, or BIG entertainment, or BIG - WHATEVER that are misbehaving by their hiring practices - such as DEI over MERIT -
or any number of things that infuriate those who CONSUME - technically EVERYONE on planet earth - "we" can make a POSITIVE change for our families and future families too!
Food for thought.
I’m in favor of a more direct approach: withhold our tax dollars until given the right AND the responsibility of assigning our personal tax dollars for or not for every proposed spending bill and every government funded agency, every year with every tax return. Let us imagine for a moment how different the FDA or CDC or even international organizations we send money to like the WHO would be IF over the last two years, citizen taxpayers could have impacted their budgets simply by not agreeing to funding them!!!
I like that idea, Barbara - in addition to withholding INDIVIDUAL monetary purchases of "WOKE" or out of touch companies (and) demand that our CONGRESS DE-FUND - or severely reduce taxpayers $$$$$ to the FDC, CDC and STATE Department - in addition to passing legislation that PROHIBITS ANY U.S. federal government agency, bureau or department from "granting" or in any way giving taxpayer $$$$$$$$$$ to ANY so-called tax exempt "NGO" who now receive taxpayer money.
Absolutely!!