Starve The Beast, Don’t Feed Off It

Mayberry, at Keep It Simple Survival, has a post up titled Where I Left Off…, which is an extension comment to this post, which was inspired by a post titled Revolution Weighs Heavy On My Mind, which is posted at The Elector Retards.

Mayberry’s primary suggestion, to take back the freedom wrested from individuals by the State, in the post Where I Left Off…, is to starve the beast.

“My suggestion, as always, is simply starve the beast. It’s the one thing we all can do that won’t make for a lot of unnecessary martyrdom. For now at least. Maybe concentrate on that aspect, starving the beast. What taxes can you minimize or avoid? What items can you make/grow/trade/barter for to avoid feeding corporate and government coffers? Reduce, reuse, recycle, it ain’t just for hippies anymore.Next, look for ways to circumvent draconian legislation. Think like a moonshiner. Bucking the law is a proud American tradition! Much can be simply ignored, but the most invasive laws require a little “creativity” to get around. Trust me, when enough people start doing this (besides CONgress, that is), the spark will be struck. CONgress hates “scofflaws”. They don’t like competition…. “

I have no argument with Mayberry’s suggestion, above, and I have reduced my feeding of the beast by reducing my income, over the past eight years, from over six figures, to just below 20K, in addition to other acts wherein permissions allegedly required from the State, are ignored.

Further into the post, Mayberry continues in this vein.

Emulate the government, steal all you can from them while you still can. Apply for every “program” under the sun. Cut every corner. Lie. Cheat. What the hell, CONgress does it! Get some of your money back. It will help implode the system faster. Use the collectivists’ Cloward Pivens Plan against them. Suck the beast dry, and use the proceeds to prepare. Bring the Ponzi scheme down by starving it of it’s fuel: your money. Our money.

This suggestion, which is discussed quite indepth in a Claire Wolfe post titled About those Cockapoos…, should be rejected.  I do not think the admonition to “emulate the government”  by “applying for every “program” under the sun,” is principled, regardless of the justifications offered by Mayberry.  In fact, I think that following this suggestion only further burdens and punishes each and every individual who actually desires that liberty, opportunity, and freedom be restored to America, and who may actively be working toward that end.

I know it sounds trite, but two wrongs do not make a right.

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 07/10 at 10:23 AM

  1. You and I have discussed this before.

    I agree with premise one.


    On to premise two.

    When was the last time you saw The Matrix (the first one)?

    Remember the scene where Morpheus is showing Neo the woman in the red dress?

    http://videosift.com/video/The-Matrix-Movie-Red-Dress-Scene

    FEDGOV is waging a low grade cold civil war against us (I self describe as an Anarcho-Capitalist, I would imagine you do as well).

    If people like you and me who crave the moonshiner life “unplug” from the system we can recognize our enemies as those who don’t.

    If someone is liberty craving like you and me, and has withdrawn both their consent via non-voting and their dollars via barter instead of taxable activities. How are THEY hurt?

    And if they don’t withdraw their consent aren’t they just cogs in the meat press against us anyway? 

    Keep in mind I’m not talking violence against them, only a “nudge” to quote sunstein in our direction.

    PS: I realize you could make an argument that the violence is from the state against the taxpayer and anything that increases the need for higher taxes and enforcement equals more violence. But according to premise one, all you have to do is withdraw.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  07/10  at  12:24 PM

  2. If someone is liberty craving like you and me, and has withdrawn both their consent via non-voting and their dollars via barter instead of taxable activities. How are THEY hurt?

    Chris, I cannot accept this argument in support of the “Cockapoo.”  Even if the “THEY” would not be hurt, I would be, through the subsuming of my principles.

    Posted by John Venlet  on  07/10  at  01:54 PM

  3. Regardless of your principles, if you don’t pay taxes, if you only barter, if you don’t vote. How are you hurt by those on welfare? How would you be hurt by fellow liberty seekers taking welfare?

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  07/10  at  02:56 PM

  4. Chris,

    I cannot hold my principles in disregard, nor can I, or will I, appeal to others to disregard principles which I think should be held in esteem.

    Posted by John Venlet  on  07/10  at  05:32 PM

  5. Thank you, John, for stating your position.

    Decades ago my elderly Buddhist mentor told me that evil was none of my business. She instructed me keep a warrior’s wary eye on the dragon, I must also ruthlessly sever all with its nefarious web. I was told neither to feed the dragon nor to seek or accept favors from it. Otherwise I invite deeper enmeshment with, rather than extrication from, its dark karma. Better to keep a fierce, simple-minded focus on the business of my own liberation and the humble setting of the best possible ethical example for my fellows than to think that I can outwit the adversary at at his own nefarious game and somehow hasten his downfall by indulging myself as a beneficiary of of his stolen bounty.
    l by .

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  07/10  at  10:44 PM

  6. John, because much of the text of my previous post was hidden from view on the right margin, I found it difficult to edit my post before submitting. Here is a corrected version of my second and third sentences:

    “She instructed me to keep a warrior’s wary eye on the dragon. She said that I must also ruthlessly sever all my ties with its nefarious web.”

    Thanks.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  07/10  at  10:55 PM

  7. The way I see it, the quickest way to starving the beast is by using it against it’s self. I don’t qualify for anything, being an employed white male, but others can take the resources offered and use them against the machine. I have no problem with that. The means justify the end. It’s a small thing, really, but every little bit helps. The fedgov wipes it’s arse with “principles”, we must respond in kind. You can’t win a dirty fight by fighting fair…

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  07/11  at  01:10 AM

  8. While I agree 100% with the first idea I cannot abide by the 2nd for personal/principle reasons.

    I don’t steal.

    Nor will I willingly have any unnecessary interactions with the state. If you play in their games they will burn you, hard. So I stay away from them.

    John, you said you have reduced your income from 6 figures to $20k. I hope you mean your taxable income and not your real income.

    That is what I have been working on for more than 20 years now successfully, so far. The nature of some of my work requires that I deal with the state as far as the taxes go. But I go right up to the line and even step over regarding how much of MY money I steal back.

    Steal is not really the correct term, but rather how much I prevent the state from stealing from me while using their own rules.

    Just one small example: Every gift I have purchased for others, christmas, birthdays, etc., and every musical instrument, tool, clothing, etc. are written off as business expenses.

    I conduct *cash* deals at every opportunity and use a whole realm of methods to do what I have to as an occupant of a land that thrives in thuggery on high.

    I am intelligent and realize what is going on all around me and have developed tools and methods to survive and flourish in spite of the obstacles.

    Yes, there are risks, extreme risks but the risks exist whether I follow their rules or not. The state can violently victimize any of us at anytime so therefore it makes sense to live your life as well as you can and do your best for yourself and your family and work incognito under the radar screen.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  07/13  at  08:51 AM

  9. John, you said you have reduced your income from 6 figures to $20k. I hope you mean your taxable income and not your real income.

    Don, don’t worry, I am taking care of myself.

    Posted by John Venlet  on  07/19  at  07:56 AM

  10. John, I’m not worried.
    Attach a pair of them Rainbows to an email, thanks! grin

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  07/19  at  08:36 AM

  11. “...others can take the resources offered and use them against the machine.”


    “Resources” is a euphemism for forcibly excised slices of other peoples’ lives.

    Posted by Matt  on  09/14  at  07:25 PM

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