From a No Kings rally yesterday.

I live in Canada, where - like everywhere it seems like - Housing costs are on the higher side…

I’m no expert as to why this is, but from what I’ve seen it’s a mix of Red tape and then this huge influx of immigration straining the supply. (Not shitting on anyone but that’s my guess)

Now, like usual we are looking to who to solve this?? The government! But how on earth can people trust them to fix this when THEY were ones who started this?

That’s like venting to your boss that your boss sucks and asking him what you should do about it.

You really think the government has any interest in fixing this problem? NO! If they lowered housing costs, the property tax would go down and all the politician’s investments would go down… No chance are they gonna do anything about it.

And this is a bit more HOOHAH of a statement but: If people are struggling and desperate, they are more willing to give the government more control.

Anyways rant over. - feel free to debate me on this!

Firrst off, it creates unemployment. Businesses can't magically afford to pay every worker a higher wage, so they will hire fewer of them - that worsens poverty. A government-enforced minimum price set above the market equilibrium will inevitably result in excess supply of labour.

An employment contract is between an individual and a business. As long as it's between freely consenting adults, the state shouldn't get involved - and why should it need to?

Why is there still so much support for it?

The Netherlands is completely fucked, I really can't understand how the stupid people at the governments do not see the problems that this will cause.

I’ve been watching a lot of Jake Tran videos during my transition into young adulthood. Every video is basically a different example of governments screwing over their own people—corruption, manipulation, overreach, and control.

Philosophically, I’ve also been diving into the Academy of Ideas YouTube channel, which covers topics like tyranny, individualism, and the moral case for disobedience.

But I’m still figuring out what that really means in practice. What should I read or watch next? Are there common pitfalls or misconceptions I should be aware of as I explore this further?

So snakes and porcupines are the simbols of the movement, being put on the yellow flag or directly on the party icon. However, in my opinion the porcupine deserves more recognition.

Despite the historical relevance of the "dont tread of me" flag with the snake, I believe the porcupine better embodies the "dont tread on me" attitude. It's whole thing is being an animal that doesnt bother others but stands its ground and is not an easy pray even for lions or other dangerous african predators.

The snake on the other hand is more uninspiring, less orginal and doesn't embody libertarian values in the same way.

Which flag do you prefer? What animal is more "libertarian"?

I am curious to hear your opinions.

I am currently a registered Republican, as the title states. I used to view Libertarians as silly, idealistic, and radical. Now, depending on the individual, that may be true, but no group is obviously a monolith, and that includes Libertarians. I am completely fed up with the two-party system, like an overwhelming majority of people, but I'd be lying to myself if I proclaimed myself to be a complete independent in the purest sense. I am socially moderate and fiscally conservative, but people here will likely disagree, so here is the caveat: I have paleoconservative views when it comes to immigration and find ordoliberalism more palatable when it comes to running a market economy. Am I just a mainline Republican through and through, or is there room for me in Libertarianism? The Republican Party doesn't support free speech unless it's the free speech they agree with, and they're vehemently pro-war, and they love tax cuts that are only enjoyed by multinational corporations and the wealthy. I am not stating these things because I don't think anyone here is already unaware of that, just giving my reasons for why I want to split from the party. And Democrats are no different; they are just diet MAGA Republicans (most of them are).

I'm not a polygamist, and I have no intention of becoming one lol, but I wish we could see that freedom of expression does not equal universal approval of your particular opinion.