From libertarian to Libertarian

Since about 2005, I've considered myself a libertarian.  The lower case "l" designates that ideologically I am in the camp but not necessarily a member of the Libertarian party.  Since I could vote, I have always been a registered Republican.  It's not that I was hedging my bet or being indecisive or using the libertarian title as a way to be a conservative without being written off as a Republican during the Bush years, it was simply that as a registered Republican I could vote in their primary whereas the Libertarians had no primary.

Recently I moved to Delaware and had the pleasure of going to the DMV to get my license, registration, title, and inspection transferred over.  As I walked through the doors of the dingy government building, a emotionless bureaucrat mumbled "3 hour wait" as he handed me a number.  I got back into my car and drove around the previously unexplored area for an hour, picked up lunch, cleaned out my car, and even thumbed through my car manual a few dozen times.  As I returned to the lobby and watched the numbers tick away (still 100+ from my own), I couldn't help thinking about how some states had allowed the private sector to compete for government contracts to provide services.  I couldn't think of any time in my life where a restaurant had told me they had a 3 hour wait but somehow when government gets involved, it's not only accepted but expected.

Finally my number is called and I approach the stall.  "What do you need today?" the bureaucrat asks.

"Everything," I reply, "just moved from New Jersey and I need my  license, registration, title, and inspection transferred over."

The bureaucrat smiles as if he knows I might try to reach over the stall and throttle him in the next few seconds, "I can help you with your license," he starts, "I would normally give you another number to start in the title line but it's 4:45 and we close at 4:30.  I'm not allowed to issue any more numbers after closing time."

Incredulously I reply, "But I've been here since 1 PM."

The bureaucrat's smile became more strained, "I'm really sorry but you'll have to come back.  Let's take care of your license though.  Please look into the camera but don't smile"

"No risk of that," I deadpanned.

"Would you like to become an organ donor or register to vote?"  He meekly asked.

"Yes to both," I curtly responded.

"Party affiliation?"  He inquired.

"Libertarian," I said with no hesitation.  I hadn't planned to change from Republican but as I looked around the DMV and wondered why the hell anyone would trust government to register vehicles, or even more surprisingly run a national health care system or write tax law or run the school system or run the park system or do any damn thing, it was clear I had moved beyond the bounds of the Republican Party.  

I collected my license, left the DMV cursing and got into my still unregistered-in-Delaware car and drove home.  A few days later I received a voting card in the mail:

I couldn't hardly believe it except that I should have expected it, they misspelled "Libertarian."  I guess I am a "Libertarin" at least until my license expires in 5 years.  Yeah, I truly believe government cannot do anything right.  That's why I went from a libertarian to to a Libertarian...or a Libertarin depending on who you ask.