As I reflect on Tuesday's election and Donald Trump's victory, I felt a heavy weight lift from my shoulders – a dark mass of dread, anger, and grief that I'd been carrying for four years. This same emotional burden had become my fuel, my driving force in the fight for freedom here in Montana. But to understand how I got here, I have to go back to the spring of 2020, when my journey toward liberty began in the most unexpected way.
In South Lake Tahoe, California, my hometown became ground zero for some of the nation's most draconian lockdown measures. In a single City Council meeting, our local leaders, gripped by fear and panic, transformed our community into something unrecognizable. Second homeowners were banned. Neighbors were encouraged to report on neighbors. $100 fines were issued for not "social distancing" outside. We could only drive to pharmacies or grocery stores – anywhere else meant risking a fine and being sent home like children.
The Moment Everything Changed
The surreal nature of our new reality hit home just 30 minutes after that fateful City Council meeting. Heavy footsteps approached our front door, and I opened it to find two police officers – officers I knew personally – responding to a neighbor's report that we were "hiding" out-of-town visitors in our garage. My heart pounded as I led them to see what was actually happening: my daughter and her friend having a makeup party.
That moment crystallized everything. Standing in my own home, being investigated because of a neighbor's false report, I felt like I'd woken up in a different country. After the officers left, our family made an immediate decision: we would leave South Lake Tahoe for our friend's ranch in Montana.
Montana offered a breath of fresh air – literally and figuratively. Restaurants were open, stores were operating, and masks weren't universally required. Yet even here, the shadows of authoritarianism lingered in the form of social pressure, sneers, and attempts at public shaming for those who questioned the narrative.
Finding My Voice in Liberty
The rage and fear didn't disappear when we reached Montana – they lived inside me like a constant reminder of what we'd fled. But in the winter of 2020, I discovered voices that would change everything. Through podcasts like Clint Russell's Liberty Lockdown, Dave Smith's Part of the Problem, and The Tom Woods Show, I found kindred spirits who shared my fury at the destruction of American freedom.
As a lifelong progressive Democrat, this was uncharted territory. I had never voted for anyone but Democrats, yet here I was, questioning everything I'd believed. These alternative voices helped me realize a fundamental truth: freedom and liberty would always matter more to me than the false promise of safety that my former political allies were selling.
Then came a pivotal moment. Clint Russell mentioned something called "Mises" in one of his podcasts. Having no idea what it meant, I searched for it (spelling it like "Reese's" at first). This led me to the Montana Mises Caucus social media pages, and suddenly, I felt like I'd found my country again. Here was a bright light in the darkness, a community of people who understood.
From Theory to Action
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| The MTLP and LNC 2022 in Reno, NV |
The journey from that terrifying day in South Lake Tahoe to becoming an active voice in the liberty movement has transformed me completely. This transformation culminated this past Tuesday on Election Day, as I stood in the voting booth, feeling years of rage, fury, and grief flowing through my pen into those little black circles on the ballot. I felt defiant and full of hope that the people who were responsible for every lockdow, every mandate, every sneer of "anti-vaxxer" would pay with despair on Wednesday morning.
A New Chapter
For the first time in my life, I voted differently. Beyond the few Libertarian candidates on the Montana ballot, I filled in the spot for Donald Trump. I was voting not so much for Trump as I was for RFK's stance against the Covid lockdowns and mandates, Tulsi Gabbard's stand against War, Vivek Ramaswamy's call for "Libertarian Nationalism" – not because I agree with everything they say, but because they represent a decisive stand against the authoritarianism I experienced firsthand. This vote wasn't just political; it was deeply personal and patriotic, perhaps the most emotional civic act I've ever performed.
When Wednesday morning came and we saw the Democrats' defeat at the ballot box, it felt like a referendum against everything that had driven me from my California home. It was a mandate against the policies that had turned neighbor against neighbor and transformed peace officers into enforcers of arbitrary edicts.
Reaching the Remnant
Looking back, I now understand that I was part of what Ron Paul calls "the Remnant" – those who instinctively resist tyranny and seek true liberty. I just didn't know it yet. The Montana Mises Caucus helped me find my voice and my community, showing me that I wasn't alone in my convictions.
Now, our task is clear: we must reach further into the darkness and lift others who feel as lost and angry as I once did. Every person who stood against the lockdowns, who questioned the mandates, who felt that deep unease as their freedoms were stripped away – they are the Remnant, waiting to be found.
This is why I'm sharing my story today. If you're reading this and feeling that same fire for liberty burning inside you, know that you're not alone. The Montana Mises Caucus is here, holding the light of freedom high.
Join us.
Share your story.
Help us reach the Remnant.
Because in the end, that's how we win – not just at the ballot box, but in the hearts and minds of those who know, deep down, that liberty is worth fighting for.
