30-Second Answers

Sample short answers to tough questions

WHAT IS LIBERTARIANISM?

Libertarian values are American values. It's America's heritage of liberty, personal responsibility and working to build a future for your family. That being free and independent is a great way to live. That each of us is a unique individual, with great potential. That you own yourself. You have the right to decide what's best for you.

Americans of all creeds and colors built a great country with these ideas. Let's use them to build America's future.

WHAT IS THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY?

Libertarians are the only ones who respect you as a unique, competent individual.

We want you to be able to make your own plans and keep what you earn. To live, work and play your own way. Your imagination should be your only limitation.

The Libertarian Party is the only political group working for everyone's liberty on every issue, all the time.

ARE YOU LIBERAL OR CONSERVATIVE?

The libertarian way gives you more choices in politics, business, personal life, every way.

Today's liberals and conservatives have rejected America's Heritage of liberty and responsibility. They want to put us all in their straitjacket. Americans built a great country without shackles. It's time to take them off again.

Break free of the useless left-right spectrum. Think freedom on all issues. Think libertarian.

WOULDN'T THE POOR BE WORSE OFF WITHOUT WELFARE?

Private charity works, government welfare doesn't.

After 30 years of big government welfare, poverty has increased. Government employees take more out of welfare than the poor. Private charity delivers much more for much less with money compassionate people give voluntarily.

We can do more good for the poor and cut federal taxes by hundreds of billions by replacing the government welfare plantation with voluntary community programs.

IF DRUGS WERE LEGAL, WOULDN'T THERE BE MILLIONS OF ADDICTS?

Our history with legal and illegal drugs proves that relatively few people are unable to handle addictive substances.

All the hard drugs were legal before 1914 and there were few addicts. Studies show that addicts can be productive and don't commit crime when they can get inexpensive drugs. Law enforcement admits that the drug laws can't stop drug use.

Let's decriminalize drugs and save the billions of dollars wasted harassing peaceful drug users.

WHAT IS THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPER ROLE IN EDUCATION?

We need competition in the education business so that the consumers can control it.

Today, one out of five teenagers is functionally illiterate.

Colleges must teach reading and writing. Private schools educate better at half the cost.

I propose a tax credit for anyone, or any company, who pays for the education of any child in any school, public or private. This will bring competition into education and put the control where it belongs, with the students and their parents.

AREN'T LIBERTARIANS UTOPIAN AND IMPRACTICAL?

Utopia is not one of the options.

First, is the status quo. Big, expensive, intrusive government. The second option is to make government even larger and more socialistic. Third, is the libertarian option. Cut government, cut taxes, get the politicians out of your business and personal affairs, and let you solve your own problems.

Upon reflection, most Americans prefer the libertarian option. Its not Utopia, but its better.

WHAT ABOUT POOR PEOPLE?

First, remove laws that prevent work. Second, privatize welfare.

Permits, licenses, zoning, labor laws: They all stop people who want to work. Especially minorities. Repeal those laws. Private charity is more compassionate and delivers the goods better than the government welfare plantation.

We can't make a perfect world. We can help the poor by replacing inefficient government programs with voluntary assistance.

YOU WOULDN'T REALLY LEGALIZE DRUGS, WOULD YOU?

Threats of jail won't stop drug use. They do make it harder to help people who need it.

Prohibition created organized crime. The drug laws keep it alive. Drug dealers corrupt the criminal justice system, paying off cops and courts. Before drugs were illegal, Americans handled them with few problems.

Let's respect the right of people to control their own bodies. Decriminalize drugs, help those who need it, and have the police protect us from real criminals.

WOULD YOU LIBERTARIANS LET ANYONE OWN A GUN?

The poor in high crime areas feel the need for guns to protect themselves more than anyone. The police don't provide security. No one should be denied the right to own personal protection. Outlawing guns only creates an underground market with problems like those in Prohibition.

Let's have stiff penalties for the negligent or criminal use of guns and leave peaceful, responsible gun owners alone.

HOW DO LIBERTARIANS STAND ON THE IMMIGRATION ISSUE?

People have the right to travel anywhere -- so long as they do it at their own expense, without violating the rights of others.

Economic studies show that most immigrants want to work short periods and return home. They stay longer because illegal border crossing is dangerous and costly. The same studies show that immigrants are productive. They don't take jobs, they add to the economy.

Respect for human rights and compassion for the world's poor require that we relax immigration restrictions.

ANY THOUGHTS ON THE FEDERAL INCOME TAX?

We had no income tax before 1914. America was prosperous. It wasn't trying to be a world policeman -- nor nanny to everyone. If we limit the federal government to national defense and protecting our constitutional rights, we wouldn't need the income tax.

Replacing the income tax with voluntary financing methods for government should be our goal, and we should begin now.

[By David Bergland]