I think we want the same things, but Sauron only ignores the hobbits for so long...

I grew up in the south. In my lifetime, I watched the agriculture industry shift to a corporate structure which employed far fewer people (especially locals) than in previous generations. Basically, farming ceased to be a viable career for locals.

We also had a robust manufacturing industry at one time (as labor costs increased up north, the south became a closer Mexico in many ways) but that only lasted for around 15 years or so, before NAFTA put the final nail in that coffin.

I want to live like you describe but ask yourself this: to what extent is your community subsidized by income form outside itself? This includes Social Security checks, pension, VA benefits... basically any money that comes in (to be spent on nephew carpenters, etc) that originates from the outside?

That is the degree to which you and your community are still economically dependent on THEM. If that money went away, would the local economy of preservatives and woodwork be able to support a lifestyle you would tolerate?

If someone gets sick or injured, would there be enough money to pay for healthcare? Would you really prefer a home trained homeopath / apothecary over a doctor in a modern hospital? ... even post COVID.

I don’t mean to attack your lifestyle but I just don’t find it a viable option for most of us. Furthermore, we PAID for this terrible system, we shouldn’t have to rebuild a parallel society! It’s not like we’re gonna our tax dollars back by opting out of their services.

At the risk of sounding entitled, I fought in a war for this country. I’ve been a fed for 15 years, 13 years of which were on the southern border, getting my hands dirty. I don’t think I’m being unreasonable when I say that I have a right to being well governed and enjoying the fruits of these efforts. Not just me, of course, but you too. We deserve better than this.