Who is Alex Astley?
My name is Alex Astley, and I think freedom is kind of a big deal.
I've been a Colorado resident since 2011, and I've lived in the northeastern plains since 2014. I'm a nerd. I have a tiny dog. I'm blind in one eye. I'm a registered Professional Engineer at a not-for-profit electric cooperative.
I'm a stubborn believer in both the individual rights and responsibilities of autonomy – namely the right to self-defense with the responsibility to not seek to cause harm, the right to free speech with the responsibility to speak honestly, the right to individual privacy with the responsibility to act honorably, and the right to earn a living with the responsibility to not harm others in that pursuit.
More important than all else, I'm a Christian saved by the grace of Jesus in April 2024.
Government in General
Governments have too much power over people, and I've never liked that. My voting history would reflect a frontier spirit, but as a long-time unaffiliated voter I didn't have much to do with government until recently.
I watched political activity from the sidelines, growing increasingly frustrated at political parties which seem to be little more than clubs that want to enrich themselves, build their clubs, legislate morality, and punish anyone they see as an enemy. I'd much rather see a smaller government seek to perform basic services, punish those who hurt others, and otherwise just stay out of the way of people.
In 2026, it's finally gotten to the point that I couldn't bear to sit on the sidelines any longer.
