Virginia has gone very deep blue. Possibly forever blue.
Leftists – this idea that there are still “Democrats” in a party controlled by Leftists is just silly – control the state legislature, the governorship and the attorney generalship. The majority of the state is still red, but has that made any difference in Washington or Oregon or California? It is not likely to make much difference in Virginia, either.
So – what is to be done?
One option – to leave the state for some other state, where the situation is said to be better – is often suggested. But is it actually – meaningfully – better in any other state? To some extent, yes. For example, the cost of living in adjacent West Virginia is considerably lower and having to spend less on necessary things means having more money to hand over for mandatory things, such as taxes. West Virginia is also more rural than Virginia, which is a real plus in that the farther you can get from any major city the more likely it is you’ll have more everyday freedom if only because the enforcement apparatus is more diffuse in such areas. This is something I’ve enjoyed – in Virginia – just by moving from a built-up part of the state – the blue hive in the Northern part of the state to the southwest portion, close to North Carolina.
But that was 22 years ago and Northern Virginia is catching up with me. My part of Virginia is still rural but less so – and the blue taint can be smelt and felt. Northern Virginia-ites control the local county government now and so my county is bit-by-bit becoming more and more like another Loudoun (and eventually, Fairfax) county. Fancy government buildings – paid for by property taxes that have doubled since I moved here – and proposals for more “amenities” to be paid for by people who don’t necessarily want them. A huge annual circus called FloydFest – which brings thousands of people not from Floyd to Floyd – brings big-money acts and big dollars, which is what’s really wanted. Never mind what it costs the locals who came here and live here precisely because they want to be far away from such things.
Still, it’s home. I have friends here of long-standing and that is not a small asset, especially if things go bad going forward. Knowing your neighbors – and having neighbors who know you – might be the difference between making it and not. Moving to West Virginia or some other place would mean being the outsider again. It takes a long damn time to get to know people and for them to get to know (and trust) you. It is possible we do not have that kind of time anymore.
Besides, when all is said and done, what is moving to another state if it is not another retreat? How do you win by serial retreating in the face of an enemy that is always and relentlessly advancing?
It is perhaps true that retreating would buy me (or you, if you are considering this) some time. But how much? This is not possible to say. What is more possible to say is that so long as the enemy is given ground, the enemy will take more ground. Eventually, there will be no ground left for retreat. Our backs will be up against the wall at that point and when that point arrives, the enemy will have grown even more formidable than it is at the moment.
Maybe this doesn’t matter – in a cynical way – if you, like me, are already well into middle age and thus another 20 or so years of relative freedom and peace in some less blue-tinged place would be enough to get you to the finish line, as they say. But maybe you have kids and care about the next 50 years. I don’t have kids and I still for some reason that is hard to articulate care about the next 50 years, too. I think it’s the principle of the thing, which has always mattered to me. The thing that makes me stubborn and irritable about things that affront principles.
So, I’ve decided to stay – even though I probably could enjoy more day-to-day freedom in West Virginia or some other state that hasn’t as yet been turned from red to blue. It’s the as yet part that seals it for me. And the annoyance that wells up thinking of that happening again, no matter where I go.
I think it is better to try to hold our ground and maybe even regain some.
I grant it might be foolish to think so and perhaps even suicidal. But so be it. I dislike tail-tucking and running.
. . .
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Time to move…..
Virginia Democrats have not wasted time in moving the state to the far left after taking control with Gov. Spanberger. A new bill requires teachers to describe Jan. 6th as “an insurrection” and bar descriptions of peaceful protests or election fraud.
Jonathan Turley
Eric, there is always a spot in New Hampshire for you.
While there are always setbacks, we have been successfully moving forward, two steps forward, one back, instead of the other way around, over the last 20 years.
It is now becoming uncomfortable for the leftists to stay here, they are often the ones finding themselves packing up and moving away, instead of “us”.
And by every metric you care to look at that ranks liberty, freedom and quality of life issues, we are consistently at the very top, if not number one, in all the nation.
I don’t view it as a rear guard retreating action, but rather a natural and proper sorting out and separation.
Unless and until we’re just utterly overrun by two billion Africans and Hindus anyway.
Thanks, AF –
Might be worth looking into. I spent about six years of my early childhood in CT so I am a little hip to the Northeast. How are property taxes in NH? That is a big one for me.
Reading your article, it seems, you’ve become, a Native American.
All who resist – Empire – are so.
Many people, are having a difficult adjustment about that fact right about now.
You are in, “The Far Blue Mountains” where else is there to go to?
‘Iron Maiden – Run To The Hills (Official Video)’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86URGgqONvA
Jeff Thomas et al may argue otherwise, but, IDK. Seems the world is awash it tyrants and ever spreading octopus of tyranny, er whatever b.s..
I moved; Life is much better.
True that there is no utopia, but you buy yourself time. If you move to some of the less-regulated areas; ones that are still populated almost entirely by people who have been there for generations and are not too likely to give up their freedom (as opposed to many states which now have large segments of their population made up of people from other places- especially those from big blue cities who are primarily there to get away from very high taxes and cost of living, but who are still blue-staters at heart, -the quality of your life; your finances; and peace of mind will be much better for at least another decade or two.
There are still many parts of some states, like Arkansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma….. (The Dakotas and Wyoming, if you can handle the weather) where there is less governmental infrastructure; Counties with no zoning or code enforcement; only state police and a sheriff (Maybe a city police force in the largest town in each county, just for that town). Places where you are still quite free, especially on your own property, to do what you want without interference; and where if you live rurally, your only sighting of a cop might be on a rare occasion on a main highway.
Places where your neighbors might not be actual libertarians, but they likely are defacto libertarians, in that they mind their own business and ask that you mind yours- and don’t want to know any different.
It’s a different culture; a different mentality; a different life, than in states that have had long-enshrined intrusive government due to having one or more large blue cities within their borders.
And why do people(commenters) keep mentioning Florida?! Florida only seems more free to those who are used to the biggest bluest cities- because it has no state income tax, and is somewhat more friendly to 2A rights. But make no mistake, Florida is a big-government state, with layers of heavy government encroachment. It is becoming very crowded (Mainly with blue-staters); land is very expensive; there are cops EVERYWHERE (And FL does seem to represent a disproportionately large chunk of the abusive hut-hut-hut stories we hear in recent years); and THE WEATHER SUCKS!!!! FL is no freer than VA- and in-fact, may even be less so.
All I know, is that by moving, I am much happier and much freer, and am enjoying my life much more and not fretting as much (Ah, I should dust off the old guitar 🙂 ). Will it stay this way forever where I am? No. But for the foreseeable future it largely will, as it takes time to erect big government on every level where there isn’;t dense population and the tax base to support it. And I’ll be an old man or dead by then. Do we see inroads of encroachment? Yes- but they are relatively small compared to many places. Only recently got no hand-held cell phone use while driving laws. It’s so much easier to keep the government out of your business in such places- and when you do have to interact, you don’t get the feeling that “they’re out to get you” or that they hate your guts. You’re not automatically treated like a criminal. It’s pretty easy to not get stopped by the swine when driving if you use any common sense, and although we have permitless concealed carry, it is not an issue- they don’t ask if you’re carrying a weapon, yada yada. In short, choose wisely and you’re basically going back in time several decades. It is WELL worth it.
The sad thing is, it seems that more of the people are doing things to wreck it, than the state or it’s workers are- by sending their kids to these disgusting colleges; by inviting Zio-Hollywood media into their homes, etc.
I don’t subscribe to the “I’ll stay and fight” idea. Fight for what? We’ve already lost. We pay property taxes, and get driver’s licenses, and fink on ourselves to the IRS. It’s just a question of if the fight will come to your door; and if it does, you will lose. I’d rather live out my life and enjoy doing so. A wise man runs for shelter when he sees a lion. It is no shame to flee from the lion.
Always have a plan B and plan C…
Plan B may involve owning some small bit of rural land/dwelling in a more sensible state/territory…
Plan C will probably include the same, but in another country…and you’ll need to “habla” the local lingo or be prepared for suspicion/persecution as being non-indigenous…
YMMV….
Absolutely, Saxon. Things can change overnight without warning or reason- as we saw with the “Corona” circus. Look how much more precarious the climate is now. Not only have they already done a practice run of forced masking and vaccination, and ‘contact tracing’- but now we have Palantir and data centers and S.S. troops in the streets, practicing dragging people away; People clamoring for ‘papers, please’ (Without the ‘please’), and a special emphasis on ‘borders’ and coming and going, via any means. And now, since the “no wars” president just started another war, they’ll no-doubt be another round of “terrorism” paranoia, while at least 75% of the dopes around us go on a “patriotism” trip [Nothing like a war to garner support for the bastard in charge…guess that’s why they have no compunctions about starting them).
So yeah…we never know what conditions will be like tomorrow, even it what seems like a freer, more sane safe hide-out today.
Morning, Arthur –
Yup. Imagine what is likely yo happen if the “Iranians” (probably the Israelis) manage an attack on U.S. soil. The outcry for measures will be immediate and deafening. We have to protect the Homeland. Gawd almighty. A three day hike in the woods sounds like the thing to do.
So true, Eric. Government always increases and perpetuates itself. The pricks do the very things that you voted for them not to do; attack innocent people, and then make it seem like those victims are somehow terrible for having the nerve to retaliate; and then they punish US…
So they win no matter what, and we, and everyone else loses.
Yeesh, with a bit like THAT, why didn’t you say where you thought almost-paridise was?
While you offer, “There are still many parts of some states, like Arkansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma….. (The Dakotas and Wyoming, if you can handle the weather)”
Mang, there’s STILL a whole lotta Police State in each and every one of ’em. Esp., back in The Plandemic Days.
I.M.H.O. there ain’t no such thing as a, ‘Free State” in America.
They are all owned. Some, all little less distributed, than others, BUT they are all owned by the Empire. No One, is Free.
Hab a nice Day.
“Mang, there’s STILL a whole lotta Police State in each and every one of ’em. Esp., back in The Plandemic Days.”
-Helot
Yep. I don’t think there’s a place in the world where one can totally escape, except perhaps for deep in the Amazon…and even there, you’d have other problems- people being what they are.
But the amount of government and nature of that government can be drastically different from oine state to another, and from one part of a given state to another. Small rural areas with not even a building department, much less “codes”, in a few of the mentioned states where the state and county governments don’t hate your guts can be quite liberating.
The only place you’re likely to encounter a cop is if you go into a fair-sized town; Very rare to even see one on the highway. (I mention this because driving is the one activity where you are most likely to encounter the bastards).
It is SO much easier to avoid any entanglement with government and their goons; Mind your own business, and don’t make yourself a sitting duck when driving, and you’re left alone.
And in many of these areas, the goons are much more well-behaved. They’re not over-the-top roied-up paranoid dicks. They seem to actually possess common sense. The ladies at the DMV or county clerk ofice are not just some functionaries…but actually reasonable people from the community who still possess some humanity (Albeit sometimes incompetent- which can actually work to your advantage).
In short I now live freer here than I did 45 years ago in Surfland. Heck, a few miles from here, the cops showed up at this guy’s house (I think some idjit relative of theirs called for a “welfare check” or something). The guy, not knowing what was going on, emerged from his home pointing a gun at the intruders. Anywhere else, he’d likely be dead. They didn’t shoot him; they didn’t file any charges on him, they all just had good laugh and flatfoots left.
Oh, and the scamdemic wasn’t even a thing here. Cops and sheriffs said don’t bother calling, they’re not enforcing. Some random people did the kabuki, but by no means a majority. Most businesses were cool, unless you went to a bigger town and went to a corporate store- and even then, you could literally laugh at them, and there was nothing they could do, unless they wanted to assault you. I never even owned a mask….
Lots of comments, have not read them yet as I have many thoughts on your article Eric:
You said you decided to stay. I have not read anything previous that you were considering moving. A few thoughts about jumping state lines but nothing serious enough to consider crossing a big river. As you have admitted, most of your responses to people who have said “hey Jed, move away from there” have been stubborn responses, at least, that is the jest I get from you.
If your thoughts of moving are purely political, then I would say your motivation needs to be checked. You should be moving for your own peace of mind. Period. I cannot tell you where that is, but if you are not living peaceably, standing your ground means nothing. As I understand it, you have a sweet spot in Appalachia. I had one too. I miss it and the good neighbors I had there. It seemed like the kind of family that one earns and is not born into. However, I was not blood and when the neighbor had a stroke, lost his job and home, I lost as well. My advice Eric, if SHTF, expect that the fan already took out your neighbors. You are on your own. Plan accordingly.
Once you realize you are on your own, except your lady by your side, then you will think more critically. Mental exercise: leave politics completely aside and think about the positives of a move outside Virginia.
What is your home worth? Can you sell it, buy something comparable for less elsewhere and put cash in the proverbial bank? I do believe that answer is “yes”. So the question is “where is it better than here?” Maybe it is a short drive over the mountains to WV. I cannot say as I cannot envision where your peace of mind resides.
Given that you already have a “work from home” setup already, it would not be hard to do it elsewhere. I suspect you would essentially be tethered to the furthest distance you can get from a press pool of cars. If you were a specialist in some sort of rare field, then I would expect you to be tied to a big city, but you live pretty rural as is, i suspect you can be more rural and have more peace of mind politically as well.
What I can say is that I left my beautiful and wonderful Southern state I was born in, raised in, and happily lived in a home I bought in the hills of Appalachia for what I thought was going to be my place until I died.
I am happy that I left. It is a world of difference here. You literally have more mobility here with a side by side than a pavement pounder (excepting the big city). This state HAS elected libertarians to office and would likely do so again if opporunity presents itself. And good neighbors find each other quickly here. No need to be so clannish as in the South.
Most people cannot or will not move here, and that is why I love it so. It is not utopia, but I have become a winter lover. Never thought I would say such a thing.
RE: “This state HAS elected libertarians to office and would likely do so again if opporunity presents itself. ”
Why in the Hell would you not say which State this is?
You come across as a liar. Or, a Bot?
J is in Alaska, helot. He moved from Georgia to Alaska.
I do have a question for J though. By chance did you work as an engineer for a large auto plant while in GA? I feel like I know you from a past life. 😉
Hi RG, closest to an auto plant worker was my grandfather who worked for GM in Cincinnati and then Atlanta. His son met my mother in Atlanta and this butthead was born.
Not a liar. RG is correct. Current tempurature as I write this is -17°F. Not for everybody.
Your handle tho, it is repulsive. You are a slave? Or is there anpther meaning to your name?
Pfft, so what? You have not even begun to know what cold is at that temperature. Compared to how Winters used to be up here, this is quite tropical.
Are we in a competition? You dont know what my coldest has been.
Nah…life is too short for that. Now the hottest temperature? Yikes! I do not know how my Aussie friends cope with their heat and humidity
Well, I dont know much about the Aussies except I had a coworker move there. 2 years later, he was back in the States and not praising Australia. He was part of the LGBT community as well. I suspect he got a rude awakening, as well as getting kicked to the curb by his Aussie boyfriend. He was also disfavorable about how they treat non citizens after a short period of time. There is a bit of a free ride at first, but if you are gonna stay, you are gonna pay.
I would not mind visiting my friends there, but would not want to live in Aussie Land. Too hot! For when their idea of “cooling down” is near-90 (from 115 F, but in C. of course), that is when hell came for a visit, and decided to stick around. They also willingly gave up their guns without a fight or a whimper, or name calling, even. As you are in AK, now, you will often glean a much better reception when you travel overseas somewhere. Countries that normally hate the U.S. treat Alaska travelers differently. For some reason (and wish it was true), they do not view us as being part of the lower 48. Aaah, but one could dream, I suppose.
Hi Eric, et al,
Pushing for totally screwing the working people in this country in support of Israel has actually turned more folks against both political parties than you may know…..when you see asshats like Bondi screeching about the market at $50K while working people cannot afford to thrive regardless of how hard and smart they work, the horizon for the parties in power is limited. What the Western oligarchs have done is to have driven all the upcoming power to unite in the east, central and western asia areas and we have become irrelevant in the world economy…..I think the young people are going to wake up and put an end to this malarky. In the interim, we old farts can refuse to participate in their madness. The best thing you can do for your own health is to ditch the sick care system and learn how to eat and be healthy…..none of us need the thousands of new procedures, pills and nostrums the medical industrial complex is pushing on us. Raider Girl is correct, running and hiding will not work, and by the way this is MY home. I ain’t running…..
Well said, Giuseppe. There does seem to be an uprise in eye opening when it comes to political parties. There are still a few die hards out there that will support either side no matter what, but the younger generations don’t seem to suffer from the same attachment issues…Gen Z May end up surprising us all.
Die hards…not die yards. 🤦♀️
It is 4:30 on a Saturday morning…what can I say?
Fixed it, RG – I’m up also!
‘It is 4:30 on a Saturday morning … what can I say?’ — Raider Girl
STOP THE WAR
Too late, Jim –
And we all knew it was coming.
And hide your children….
As Eric mentioned, we knew it was coming. A country doesn’t send over two aircraft carriers just for the fun of it.
A war in this country isn’t going to fly. No one wants a war, the public sentiment is against it.
RE: ” No one wants a war, the public sentiment is against it.”
I guess, you’re going to find out if…
You may THINK it’s your home…and I’d agree…
But our (((government))) and eminent domain would say something else…
be prepared accordingly…
YMMV…
We won’t vote our way out. 1964 Reynolds v Sims the US Supreme Court destroyed republic state government. So, state government districts now had to be roughly equal population. What they didn’t do, is limit that to state house of reps, the state senates got sucked in too. Your rural county, like mine here in WA, is powerless now that the major population centers have all these districts and we share one as a spillover into our rural neighbor counties. Even if this was magically overturned, there is no way the D controlled states would return power to the counties via “one county, one state senator”. King County WA has many ( 8 or more) state senators we have 1.
Well, enjoy the suck Eric, you’ve been moved to Washington State politically even though you’re physically in VA. Your governor is a Ferguson clone and just wait for the continuing insanity coming your way. And they wonder why we ALL drink.
Not so OT: Looks like Ilsa the She-wolf doesn’t like gestapo tactics being used on her. She can dish it out, but can’t take it.
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/kristi-noem-says-dhs-staffers-put-spyware-her-phone-and-laptop-record-meetings
Meanwhile, Trump is doing everything possible to eliminate any Republican stronghold in Colorado. Pulling his endorsement of Jeff Hurd (who barely won the seat after Lauren Boebert cut and run away to CO4. All because he’s not licking his ass when it comes to tariffs. The vitriol over Trump in the mountains is thick enough and it’s extremely hard to get the rich f***s and fools in ski country to vote Republican, yet here we are watching him kill the party.
https://www.skyhinews.com/news/trump-pulls-endorsement-colorado-rep-jeff-hurd/
We are looking for liberty and individual rights. Sorry, those qualifications are not accepted in any state of this Union, which means none of us will find our utopia. So where are we running to? Does any state not tax our homes? Nope. Does any state not have some form of taxation whether it be sales tax, income tax, or a boatload of fees disguised as taxes (e.g. cigarettes, alcohol, cars)? Nope. Sure, one can run to South Dakota, or Florida, or Alaska, but there is no guarantee that your neighbor isn’t some nagging safety policing commie that will make your “free state” some form of Hell.
Running may buy time, but it fixes nothing. Find similar thinkers, good neighbors, and small communities who are willing to help each other when needed. It doesn’t matter if it is a “red state or a blue state.” We all remember COVID. There was no free state, just sane people who were able to beat back the fear mongering and refused to take a knee, watching as the other 80% ran around looking like idiots.
Florida Republican political power is currently centered in The Villages, the poster child for fascist HOAs, and the association governing statues, FS720, has been changed in small increments over the years to the point that the homeowner is very much at the disadvantage to the boards.
The upside of Florida is that it may well be the last state which will resist the income tax, and the state’s Democrat party blew itself apart running a known meth head for Governor in 2018. Avoid the Orlando and Miami metros with county executives known as “Mayors” (similar to a “Judge” in Texas), and the political situation is unlikely to change for at least a generation.
The Orlando “Mayor” Jerry Demings is running for Governor, but his wife, Val, was Little Marco’s last opponent, and even funded by Disney with the backing of every major news outlet in the state, Val Demings lost 60-40.
Hi Roscoe,
I don’t expect Florida to hold herself together very long. Personally, I think DeSantis has been an excellent governor, but you are giving too much credit to the American populace not to destroy themselves.
The last several years the state has seen an uptick in mass migration from the North and California. South Florida will likely convert into the new Wall Street as businesses flee their high taxed states.
Commies don’t vote for liberty, they vote for subsidies.
Many people of the former East Germany also decided to stay for the same reasons (friends, family, work, home) until the Wall went up. Then it was too late.
One potential problem with moving out of where you are now to another state is that some states are better than Virginia (and my home state of Oregon) in certain areas and worse in other areas. Oregon is a beautiful state and is overwhelmingly red geographically, but is DOMINATED by a few insane blue hive minds such as Portlandia. Also, there’s currently only a handful of states where residents are REQUIRED to have REAL ID (NO opt-out option), and oddly enough, ALL of them are Republican states.
There’s someone in my family who wants to move out of Oregon and lately is floating moving to Alaska. However, it’s constantly cold in that state, and part of the year is constant darkness, while another part of the year is constant daylight. Not only that, I’ve even read that Alaska is pushing Digital ID, which is a wet dream of the globalist elite pushing Technocracy. This push for Digital ID is likely to spread to BLUE AND RED states if it’s not already.
Alaska is expensive as hell, full of drunken natives, and is largely a government-welfare state. I think Alaska is one of the highest (if not THE highest) per capita recipient of government money. It also has what is basically a female Democrat senator, Murkowski, even though she calls herself a “Republican” she is always one of the few defectors to vote with the Ds.
I though about Alaska at one time, but didn’t do it. Yes it is very “free” because it is so immense and the population is so small, but it can also be very harsh and remote. It’s not for everyone. If it was it would have a lot more people then it does. I am more of a Midwestern small-town USA type.
The expense isn’t the most important factor for me. Climate is king. If my house gets destroyed by an earthquake, Fire, Flood, landslide, or other type disaster, I don’t want to survive only to be out of doors and shortly freezing to death. Heat kills as well, but, the worst heat, as long as I have water and shade, I can survive it. Arctic tundra, not so much.
If Americans demanded an end to election fraud perpetuated in so many ways by the Democrats – none of this strategizing would be necessary.
Bingo and many up votes.
Back to libertarian view on car issues:
https://libertypen.substack.com/p/the-truth-about-dui-checkpoints
It’s easy to move if you are young, don’t own a house, aren’t married, don’t have kids, and have a transferrable skill. Or if you are in the military and have a guaranteed job, paid housing allowance, and paid moving costs.
Not so easy for the rest of us.
Beyond that, however, the Red/Blue problem is much deeper and more complex than almost anyone admits. First, there are a LOT of Red states that suck. Mississippi, anyone? North Dakota? Very nice people and very rural, but cold as FUCK. There’s a reason only a half-million people live there.
Same thing can be said about West Virginia. Yes there are some really nice places in it, as there are in any state. There are also some of the poorest, most inbred white trash you will find anywhere. Ever hear of McDowell County? Charleston is a shithole in my view, and there are a lot of other shitty, run-down little towns in that state. Wheeling sucks, it’s shabby and run-down. The population of both Huntington and Wheeling has been in continuous decline since the 1950s.
I’ve driven through West Virginia a lot and can’t say I like it. Every time I go through the Walker Mountain Tunnel on I-77 and cross the state line into Virginia the terrain becomes noticeably nicer — almost instantly. The weather is better, too.
Yeah, their guns rights are phenomenal, but that’s about it.
The problem goes far beyond the red state-blue state electoral maps. The problem is that the feminized shitlibs are in positions of power, influence and money in this country, and they colonize ALL the nice places and prosperous places. People who are rural, traditional, independent and gun-owning are second class citizens and second-class economically. Basically, rural white people (unless they are large landowners on ranches or farms) are the new niggers of the 21st century — we are segregated culturally and geographically from the nice places and the centers of power.
Miss Abigail says you don’t need no gun, Boy. Smile while you shine her shoes and she might give you a watermelon and a nickel.
Moving is a temporary solution at best. Yes, it CAN buy you some time and make a difference on some things, especially guns, but when the shitlibs take over all three branches of the federal government you’re going to get fucked over no matter which state you’re in.
“Moving is a temporary solution at best. Yes, it CAN buy you some time and make a difference on some things, especially guns, but when the shitlibs take over all three branches of the federal government you’re going to get fucked over no matter which state you’re in.”
We have this discussion what seems like once a month and this is the conclusion we usually come to.
Here in NJ, we are pretty well tapped out. Can’t really get much more out of us. These types of politicians will soon spread into other states who haven’t been raped yet. Are your teachers averaging almost $100K a year? Can your local cops make well over that with overtime? Can a state worker retire at 55 with a full pension and medical for the rest of their life? These are the things they want to bring to your area. And it ain’t cheap!
Also, it does not matter if you move, or where. States such as Colorado (and to an extent Montana) are examples of how, if you run, it does not matter because these demons follow you. The concept of being left alone is not something they ascribe to.
If you have a trade you can live anywhere in the world and make a decent living.
Make it happen.
Good for you, Eric. Stay and defy the bastards.
Although… you’d be surprised what your accumulated Virginia assets could afford you in an area such as the one I’m in. That 600k house would buy you a got-damn mansion around these parts… or a bunch of land and a smaller house, even better.
Well said, I left beautiful California in 1990 after they banned my guns and stuck me with the bill for a welfare case. It was a retreat but it was a tactical retreat. Had I been older and more established, I would probably have stayed and fought.
Just as a side note, one of the successful strategies for the vicious, evil, hate filled left, is to implement gun control since it is absolutely intolerable to free men, and a lot of them will leave, shifting the electoral balance. None of the things they push are designed to better society, they are all to consolidate power. They crave the one ring.
Having said that, put your emotions aside and consider, what can you do short of armed guerilla resistance that tangles their plans? It starts with V, and you do it roughly once a year, which rules out vasectomy.
It is no more effective than any other guerilla tactic- spiking the tires of cop cars is a nuisance which entails a lot of danger. Likewise blowing up a railroad bed or bridge, or any of the other hundreds of things our ancestors and the resistance fighters of WWII did. But if you do it enough times and get enough people to do it, it forces the tyrants to react and drives more real people away from them.
What are the first steps the Virginia democrats are taking? They are gerrymandering and rearranging to take away the vote, and they are trying to make you hide your guns because they know they are a weak minority and they will lose if they try to come and take them.
Perhaps just not exercising the tiny power that is your vote is not a viable strategy?
BTW, all that gun control and redistricting have already been disallowed by the 9 gowned clowns. One of the most recent decisions was Varial(?) vs Texas which is leading into a major defeat for the voting rights act (redistricting by racial discrimination against whites). Not to mention Bruen.
So buck up, stand firm, and do vote.
Maybe a little OT but regarding leftists as opposed to Democrats, I watched a clip of the SOTU where OF asked people to stand and clap if they wanted to prioritize the safety and well-being of citizens over illegal aliens. I think every “Democrat” stayed seated and quiet. Today, I saw a piece on ZH where OF is floating the idea of requiring banks to require proof of citizenship to open accounts and transact.
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trump-admin-planning-use-banks-enforce-immigration-laws
The amount of teeth gnashing and alarm being emitted by the banks makes me think banks are a serious linchpin to the leftist replacement strategy. This requirement might “fix the glitch” and end the bad optics ICE raids.
Doc, democracy IS communism. We only allowed democratic voting as a veto and a chance to change the management, since the governments are legally constrained by the constitutions to very limited and well defined powers. That framework still exists, but the people have allowed their liberties to be ignored.
Many times a tactical withdrawal is better than total capitulation!
‘Virginia has gone very deep blue. Possibly forever blue.’ — eric
On Wednesday I attended a State of the Rural State address by Governor Katie Hobbs, Arizona’s analogue to the ‘Spanberger’ entity. There was an inherent tension in the room, because the county hosting the event is governed by Republican supervisors. Likewise, its state legislative delegation is all Republican. But this was a nonpartisan event.
The Democratic governor answered a series of scripted questions. At one point, she nodded toward the district aide of Rep Eli Crane, acknowledging the R-party Congressman’s help with a FEMA aid application.
The only point at which she seemed to veer off script and speak from the heart was in regard to Arizona’s school voucher program, which her teachers union constituency hates. This billion-dollar-plus program is out of control, she asserted. It’s eating up the budget, killing the public schools, and sending thousands of dollars to rich folks in Paradise Valley [richest suburb in Phoenix] who don’t need it. The room filled with 300 people was quiet.
My take: the governor is pursuing a rational strategy (from her point of view) of picking off swing voters in Republican-leaning rural counties to win another 4-year term in November. This wouldn’t represent any change from the status quo. The dangerous aspect is that if Katie Hobbs has any ‘coattails’ this year, the narrow R-party majority in the state legislature could tip Democrat, removing the structural restraint on her political goals and turning Arizona overnight into ‘another Virginia.’ 🙁
With the ‘America Last’ Orange Flake remaining as the titular head of the R-party, our state is in grave danger, as are many others. Trump is our misfortune.
I’ve tried my very best to give the things that you need
But the blues they seem to follow me I never succeed
— The Smithereens, Blues Before and After
Hey Eric,
It basically comes down to you can run but you can’t hide, I am way too old to start over, plus my life is here so ef them, no way are they pushing me out. I do hope my kids and others will push back against the creeping dystopia but it’s not looking good so far.
“Red” states are not necessarily more libertarian either. A state such as WV much actually give you more freedom as the state just because they don’t have the money to constantly harass you, but “Deep Red” Utah just might be the most insufferable controlling nanny state of them all (thanks, Mormons), ditto Texas with its sky high property taxes, and “social conservative” and anti-BDS laws (thanks, fundamentalists).
There is some hope that people are waking up to the concentration of power at both the state and federal levels is a very bad thing, and that the people in power are a level beyond corrupt. The Epstein files have exposed a lot about this if people look beyond the sensationalist headlines.
Yeah, a lot of red states, counties, and cities like to legislate morality.
All legislation is about morality. You just mean a morality you don’t necessarily agree with.
Libertarianism is explicitly a moral claim. You should not initiate aggression. It’s just a moral claim that, given almost any other choice, very few wish to live under.
The majority of “conservative Christians” who claim they vote for “morality” support endless war and the genocide in Gaza. So their “morality” is bullshit. Also that they want the strong arm of government to enforce their view of “morality “ makes them no different than the SJWs they hate.
You are definitely an example of the above point.
Again, it’s just a different meaning of “moral” than you. I do agree that killing is usually immoral, at least by modern standards, but definitely not all killing. Pedos should be impaled in public as a warning to anyone even considering being a minor attracted person.
But Gaza? Depends on when you want to start the clock. If you accept that things were going reasonably smoothly on 6 OCT, despite Hamas turning plowshares into swords, then what happened there is not genocide but retribution.
Steve the avowed Zionist gives us a lesson in relative morality. That makes perfect sense for a Zionist.
An excellent example of this difference in morality is abortion. Most libertarians are, if not OK with it, consider it none of their (or the state’s) business. This has a death toll of around 600k innocents annually. These are the people you consider monsters because of their acceptance of around a tenth that figure of innocents being killed over a 3 year period in Gaza.
You really don’t understand that they think anyone who looks the other way over abortion is the immoral one?
“But Gaza? Depends on when you want to start the clock. If you accept that things were going reasonably smoothly on 6 OCT,”
The topic here is “moving to escape” conditions in VA with Eric concluding he is going to “stay and fight.” Now imagine he had been run off his property in 1948 by European yahoos who took over his country and forced him into a refugee camp. Then 20 years later, in 1967, they “pre-emptively” occupied his refugee camp and East Jerusalem. Over the years the occupation just kept getting worse and worse as these yahoos blockaded him by sea, by air, and land–and kept trying to move in and own his refugee camp too! THEY control the crossings. THEY control the water, electricity, and food. THEY don’t let him have cigarettes, prosthetic devices or infant formula. THEY don’t let him get cancer treatment or allow his maimed child to be evacuated for medical care. THEY spy on him, imprison him and shoot him whenever they please and account to no-one. His land (refugee camp) is surrounded by walls and barbed wire. Do you think Eric would belong to Hamas? What about yourself?
Israelis are now considered monsters because they are monsters. Is it worse to rape a child or maim/murder them? What penalty for men who murder children for throwing rocks at them? For crossing a (imaginary) yellow line? For no reason at all (like Hind Rajab)? Just for target practice?
https://truthout.org/articles/israel-using-children-in-gaza-as-target-practice-uk-doctor-says/
Who but monsters would call an AI program “Where’s Daddy?” designed to kill a man not when he’s committing a crime but when he goes home to his family–to kill/maim his wife and children and destroy his home. Wounded Child No Surviving Relatives (WCNSR) that’s Israel’s contribution to the world.
https://www.972mag.com/lavender-ai-israeli-army-gaza/
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/father-intensive-care-after-nine-children-killed-israeli-strike-gaza-2025-05-25/
https://abc7.com/post/gaza-pediatrician-mother-loses-9-children-israeli-strike-hits-home-hospital/16552196/
IDF could hear and had heat imaging scanners when they shot 5 year old girl Hind Rajab after authorizing an ambulance to rescue her–and then they shot the ambulance drivers and destroyed the last ambulance in N Gaza.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Hind_Rajab
https://gjia.georgetown.edu/2025/09/26/infanticide-in-the-name-of-proportionality-gaza-as-a-world-order-problem/
The IDF denied this atrocity on ambulances until video surfaced.
https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/israeli-soldiers-tel-sultan-gaza-red-crescent-civil-defense-massacre-report-forensic-architecture-earshot
Journalists (no reporting allowed of IDF “RETRIBUTION” (right, Steve) no accountability for Israeli war crimes)
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/25/israel-has-killed-more-journalists-than-any-government-on-record-cpj
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/chef-jose-andres-says-israel-targeted-his-aid-workers-systematically-car-by-car-2024-04-03/
P.S. Jews are over 80% in favor of abortion. Can’t outlaw abortion in the US because it violates Jews’ freedom of religion. “Not All Religious People Oppose Abortion”
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/18/opinion/abortion-rights-judaism.html
It’s fine for the state to use abortion to exterminate those populations it doesn’t want (palestinians/blacks/poor): ““Yes,” Ginsburg said, “the ruling [Harris v. McRae] about that surprised me. Frankly I had thought that at the time Roe was decided, there was concern about population growth and particularly growth in populations that we don’t want to have too many of. ”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2009/07/16/ruth-bader-ginsburg-and-a-question-of-eugenics/
https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/ginsburg-makes-controversial-racist-comments-on-roe/
Well, first, I guaran-damn-tee you that someone with Eric’s drive and potential would still be sitting in a refugee camp.
But more finely, you want to start the clock in 1948. Fine. That was the beginning of the Arab-Israeli war. Which was started by… Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq and a few others I’m not remembering attacking Israel. The camps were set up by the belligerents to keep them out of danger, with the promise that they would go back after they wiped all the jews out.
Is that the ideal point to start the clock?
Oops. Obviously, Eric would not still be sitting in the camp.
Steve, Israel was founded in terrorism.
https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/terror-out-zion-irgun-zvai-leumi-lehi-and-palestine-underground
1948 King David Hotel bombing that killed 91 and injured 46, where Jews “disguised as Arab workmen and as hotel waiters, members of the Irgun planted a bomb in the basement of the main building of the hotel” is considered the 1st terrorist incident — and the MO of the Jews hasn’t changed to this day. Still fomenting terror and blaming it on Arabs, vide 911 and no doubt 10/7 (ask Charlie Kirk).
Same year they assassinated Fokke Bernadotte, the UN rep sent to Palestine.
Even the Jews acknowledge the Nakba
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-02-27/ty-article-magazine/.highlight/terror-was-needed-to-make-arabs-leave-what-israels-army-did-in-48-revealed/0000019c-9a4b-d930-ad9f-feffd8c80000
Steve: Abortion is immoral. There’s simply no debate. It’s killing a life.
And don’t give us your BS fallacious argument of relative privation in order to justify the Israeli Gaza genocide by claiming it pales in comparison to abortions. To that line of argument all I can say is fuck you. It’s clear you’re a paid Hasbara shill of some sort.
I mostly agree with you, Eric. Especially the conclusion. The time to move is when you can be a boon to the community — starting a business, hiring the locals, becoming one of them, and eventually become one of the respected. You can maybe stretch that into your 40s, but its mostly for a young man.
The question for all of us who are staying put is what can we do to become a bulwark against the blue flush of Ty-D-Bol. L. Neil thought the answer was to be a spoiler — vote Blue if Red failed your purity test. Turns out that’s not it, or Colorado would not be in the mess it is. Not voting has also proven to be a losing strategy. As awful as John McCain was, he would have been an improvement over Obama.
If you have some good ideas for stopping the blue, I’m all ears. That’s one of the most important things we can do going forward.
As awful as John McCain was, he would have been an improvement over Obama.
What would McCain done any different from Obummer?
You sound like my late New Dealer aunt, who back in 96 made Bob Dole out to be some ogre, while Bill Clinton was a saint. I asked her, “What’s Dole going to do that’s any different from Clinton? And saying one is going to increase Medicare by 6.2% and the other is going to increase it by 6.1% isn’t an answer.” The silence was deafening.
Have you looked at your health costs lately? Insurance for me and mine is now $47k per year. Yeah, we will be leaving traditional insurance once I sell my business or retire, but until then, just the damage from ObamaCrap costs more than an unskilled laborer makes in a year.
Forgot to mention that the payment before Obama was a tad over $500 a month, and I was covering one more kid than I am now.
Let’s be clear. Those are not “health costs.” You choose to pay that $47k per year “premium,” and you get virtually nothing in return from it, other than to assuage your fears that if you do not, you will be bankrupted by the absolutely corrupts medical cartel in the US.
The root cause, of course is licensing. Allowing an anointed priesthood to have privileged control over any aspect of your society has always been a bad, nay deadly idea. It also fails the constitutional test as it becomes a title of nobility and dreams away from the requirement for constitutional republican forms.
What does that have to do with whether McCain would have been any different than Obama?
Hey Zio-Steve, I don’t have a crystal ball to tell me what might have been and neither do you. They’re all controlled by the oligarchs anyway. Tom Woods brilliantly coined the phrase “No matter who you vote for, you end up with John McCain.” If you really pay $47k per year, you’re a damn fool.
Obama care was invented by the Heritage Foundation, and first implemented by repug governor Mitt Romney. But yeah. It would be completely different because your $47K insurance bill would be called McCain care.
Oh wait. I’m wrong. The repugs would do it better. Your bill would only be $46,999 per year.
Heritage’s involvement was complicated. Initially, they were trying to come up with ideas to avoid single payer that was the left’s wet dream, absolutely convinced that Repugnicants would cave. When, despite the odds, Repugnicants didn’t cave, they switched sides, opposing ObamaCrap, and even being a key player in the push to repeal it. Not repeal and replace. Repeal.
But McCain was never a Heritage devotee. Heritage was always too big government Rockefeller Republican for him.
They voted “no” when the demonrats had enough votes and didn’t need their votes, but they can tell rubes like you that they stood up to the democrats. Notice that when the repugs have all 3 branches of the government, there’s no repeal, no repeal and replace, nothing.
And to suggest that anyone is too big government for McCain is pure comedy.
But congratulations. You’re a winner
No. The Repugnicant’s stood up during the Clinton administration. You know, back when Heritage was thinking a mandate similar to ObamaCrap back when Hillary was in charge of trying to get single payer.
You were the one who brought up Heritage. You should probably be aware of when they thought that was a good idea. Please try to pay attention.
You could try to have an intelligent discussion. I suspect you are capable. Don’t be such an asshole.
Blah, blah, blah, blah. Shut your trap for a change, Zio-Steve. You’re making a fool of yourself.
Why is it that you think that attacking the messenger works to change minds? You seem to throw insults around at people a lot. So much so that when I read your posts now, I do it in Trump’s voice. Makes much more sense when I do that. “You know that Steve, he’s a real loser. A huge loser you know. Steve wouldnt be anything without my help. Steve came to me and asked how he could be a winner and I told him not to be a Zio-cuck. But Steve didnt listen to me, oh no, because he is a loser. I wish Steve well as he is not well.”
Just admit it, dude. If you accept that there may be a difference, it means there is a point to voting. You would rather die on that hill.
Big S,
Health care cost??? What is?..
I blew that off in 96….I signed up for that VA thing…When Clinton opened up to “Vietcong Era”
Veterans eligible for “relatively inexpensive” healthcare..
Good night and good luck…..
Nice article Eric,
I live in the Tahoe area, tiny rural town, in Cali. I fucking cannot stand the political environment of this state. The mentality of them is absolutely insufferable. Fortunately, we are right close to the NV border and so we do all our town stuff in Nevada. I have, and still do, think about moving there but as you pointed out, how much better would it be? The clover hive is everywhere.
Nevada is a strange one too. Get whatever gun you want, pick up some good weed at the dispensary next door to the brothel across from the 24 hour liquor store behind the casino in your 800 hp modded Camaro no problem. But… you want to build a house on your property? Drill a well? Have fun with that as the apparatus of .gov is very strong.
Anyhow, here we are. I just do my best to keep chugging along and ignore all those pricks.