Hello all, and welcome to the 6th weekly blog post.
In this week’s blog, I will be going over politics, keeping an open mind, doing your research, and reading between the lines. This applies to every Minuteman, as we all need to be informed and make solid choices when voting. Marking “R” or “D” straight down the line will only further the divide at this point.
Personally, when voting, I take everything into account: political party, past history, moral compass, and how candidates treat everyday people. All of these factors help me determine what type of leader they will be and whether they deserve my vote. Millions of Americans have lost their lives protecting the right to vote, so we as a community and nation need to take it seriously.
America in 2026 seems full of voters with closed minds, only voting for people who have an “R” or “D” next to their name. I have met plenty of Democrats disguised as Republicans, and vice versa. Powerful Republicans have voted for unconstitutional gun control measures such as the Brady Bill, the 2022 Assault Weapons Ban, and the Bump Stock Ban. I could go on, but you get the point.
At the same time, multiple Democrats voted against the Brady Bill and the 2022 Assault Weapons Ban. No one voted directly for or against the Bump Stock Ban because it was enacted through executive action by a Republican administration. The evidence is clear as day: just because a political party leans a certain way does not mean every individual within that party will vote that way. Every candidate needs to be researched before earning a vote.
I have found On The Issues to be an invaluable tool for this. For local elections, I also find it useful to follow candidates on Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn. This allows you to hear what they have to say in their own words — not modified, not secondhand, but directly from the source.
If a candidate is running on a platform you support but makes statements to the contrary, eventually they will slip up and reveal what they truly think. I have seen it happen. Being an informed voter means watching candidates’ words and actions like a hawk. Remember: talk is cheap, but actions define people. Many politicians make promises they have no intention of keeping. Find the person who says they will “try” instead of making promises they cannot keep.
Locally, I have heard people running for office say they plan to make their position a career. To me, that is a major red flag. Politics is supposed to be a community service, not just a paycheck. Career politicians are largely responsible for the predicament we find ourselves in and, in my opinion, need to be examined more closely than others. Are they doing this for the right reasons, or have they simply become comfortable?
Fallout 4 character John Hancock said it perfectly: “No politician deserves to be comfortable for long.” That was the last thing I said before resigning my position with the Libby City Council. It is something I believe at my core.
At Minuteman Theory, we decided to interview all of our local candidates — from State Senate to Clerk and Recorder. If they were running in an election, they were reached out to and given the opportunity to say their piece unaltered, unedited, and uncensored, at no cost to them. Locally, people have come up to me and thanked Minuteman Theory for doing this. It is our public service.
This gave constituents a catalog of information to use when making informed decisions. There have also been live events hosted by local media companies where candidates were asked questions in a public forum. These events were livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube. The more open, uncensored media exposure there is, the better. When holding politicians accountable, this material can later be used as evidence: “You said this at the forum or interview, but now you are doing the opposite.”
If you are not happy with the current status quo, step up and run. That is what I am doing. I am unhappy with some of the current Sheriff’s ideas, so I decided to step up and run myself. Minuteman Theory is not a group of people who sit around and complain — we step up. We live the “hardcore life.” Accepting this lifestyle means taking action when you believe things are not going the way they should, whether that involves your fitness, firearms training, survival skills, first aid, or the political arena.
Until next week, I leave you with one of my favorite quotes:
“Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn’t mean politics won’t take an interest in you.” — Pericles
