...Is no longer a Libertarian.

Which, if I weren’t so damned tired, might lead me to write a post about how I’ve come to believe that none of the political parties are principled, but that their members most certainly can be. In the same way that a self-proclaimed Christian might also be a liar, a cheat, and an all around jerk, a person’s membership in the Republican (or Democrat or Green or Libertarian) party carries no guaranty of upstanding personal values.

Where does that leave me as a voter? Trying to make the best, most informed, and most ethically consistent choices that I can. It means voting for people that I think will take our national security, economic dangers, and personal freedoms seriously. It means that in recognizing that our elected leaders (and party leaders) don’t always act in a principled or intelligent fashion, I might have to do my part to pick up the slack.

Just kidding. Sort of.

I understand my friend’s disillusionment--and, in fact, I sympathize with it. It’s sad that it commonly leads to people who intentionally divorce themselves from our political processes (although I doubt that could ever happen with this gentleman).