Gary Johnson — Libertarian Party candidate; Former Governor of New Mexico
Mitt Romney — Democratic Presidential Nominee; President of the United States
Barack Obama — Republican Presidential Nominee; Former Governor of Massachusetts
Ron Paul — Declared 2012 Republican Presidential Candidate; U.S. Representative from the State of Texas
Why Is It The Truth-Tellers Always Get Canned?
Some news stories give me pause about whether those in government have any concern at all for the rights of the American people. The detention of Bradley Manning is one of those stories. If he did what authorities claim he did, he most certainly broke some serious laws, and for that, there should be consequences.
Regardless of his guilt or innocence, the seriousness of his actions, or whatever, one thing is clear: No American should be stashed away in the brig, under questionable conditions and treatment, without a timely day in court.
An American accused of a crime should be innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This basic principle has been firmly established in our laws since the Founders, and has been hailed by Americans of all political stripes as a staple of a free society. If Bradley Manning is guilty of a crime, he will have to deal with the consequences of his actions. His guilt, however, is a matter for the judicial system. The rule of law works only as long as the government has to play by the rules set forth in the Constitution and proves its case in the judicial system. This case is no exception.
Last week, P.J. Crowley, a State Department spokesman, called Manning’s treatment, “ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid.” Three days later, the Obama Administration asked him to step down– so much for this administration’s promise of transparency. A government spokesman who tells the truth, or even his own observation, about what the government is doing shouldn’t be the one to ‘take the fall’ for yet another embarrassing example of Federal arrogance.
We have a judicial system that works pretty well if we actually use it and make sure all have access to it. This case is no exception. If the facts and the evidence can’t stand the light of day, then we have a much bigger problem than WikiLeaks. It’s a problem that that involves a lack of transparency, too much secrecy, and a general disregard of civil liberties.
It is clear that freedom and individual rights still have to be fought for every day before an overzealous government swallows them. Sadly, the Washington insiders and political commentators in the media, whom have all been silent on this scandal, will not do it for us. We have to fight for our rights ourselves.
Good governing is simple. I practiced it for 8 years while Governor of New Mexico. Government should protect us from individuals that do us harm, but should be out of our lives otherwise.
The government should protect the value of individuals and their civil liberties. The government should not intervene in the private lives of individual citizens unnecessarily. Personal liberty and freedom from unwarranted governmental control or regulation should allow law abiding individuals to pursue their own desires as long as they are not causing harm to other people.
There should be less government, greater liberty and lasting prosperity for America.
Transforming these simple ideas into the guiding principles of government is what the Our America Initiative is all about. They are the motivation behind the fact that I have spent the past year and a half traveling to 32 states and appearing on countless news programs. And our message of truth and freedom is resonating.
This week, I am in California meeting with folks from all political persuasions – and they all agree with us that government is out of control. This weekend, I am headed back to Washington, DC, and next week on to Chicago. At every stop, heads are nodding in agreement that we can no longer stand by and watch as the government strips our freedoms, spends us into bankruptcy, and robs our potential for prosperity.
I can’t do this alone. Our America is growing every day, with more and more like-minded Americans signing up to help. But we need YOUR help to keep the momentum going. Your contribution today, of any amount, provides the resources we must have to keep spreading our message and put the pressure on Washington to get out of our daily lives.
One of my most important goals is to continue defending the rule of law and the civil liberties that you and I hold so dear. The Our America Initiative is growing every day, with more and more like-minded Americans signing up to get involved. Our message is one that needs to be heard, and there has never been a more important time for our fellow citizens to hear it.
Thank you for all of your support. It is truly humbling to know that so many people are united in defense of freedom.
Your energy and support is what motivates me every day to stand tall as a spokesman for liberty:
http://ouramericaInitiative.com/donate
In Liberty,
Gary Johnson
Garry Reed – Dallas Libertarian Examiner
A recent Libertarian Party of Texas news release began, “Three highly-regarded national polls have confirmed a growing Libertarian trend in U.S. politics.”
The Pew Research Center annual report on political values and trends concluded, “these independents are more likely to be economically conservative and socially tolerant.”
In simple lay terms, that defines libertarians.
The Washington Post/ABC poll reported, “87% of Americans are concerned by the growing federal deficit, and 53% were not confident in the government’s ability to cut wasteful spending in the President’s economic recovery package.”
Which is another way of saying that a majority of Americans take the libertarian view on these issues.
A Rasmussen Reports poll discovered that “Fifty-nine percent (59%) of politically independent Americans viewed ‘big government’ as the greatest threat” to the country in the future, as opposed to big business or big labor.
Again consistent with libertarian philosophy.
So what does this have to do with Gen Y?
Consider just one source, an opinion piece in the Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel by Jim Burkee, The Liberty-loving Gen-Yers will reshape politics.
The demographic that voted for Democrats 2-to-1 were young people between 18 and 29, the leading edge of those born between 1980 and 1995, who are now being tagged as Generation Y.
But Burkee warns the Dems: “While they seem to lean to the left, they’re actually more libertarian than liberal, a fact that will reshape the way we think about liberalism and conservatism in decades to come.”
Burkee’s assessment of the Y’s guys and gals is a daisy-chained litany of libertarian leanings:
“…the most liberty-loving generation since the era of Andrew Jackson…In short, they love their freedom…more likely to see all politicians as corrupt…support liberalization of drug laws…less likely to support restrictions on immigration…they are also free-traders…supportive of globalization…support proposals to privatize Social Security…”
And just for good measure… “It’s the classical liberalism of Milton Friedman, who argued that political and economic freedom are deeply interrelated – that one cannot exist without the other. They’ve grown up with that kind of freedom, and as voting adults, they have come to expect it.”
Sounds pretty exciting for the cause of real freedom in the near future, right?
Unfortunately, Jesse Walker, writing for the libertarian website reasononline, also read the Jim Burkee bit and asks the elder cohort of freedom fomenters, “Sound familiar?”
Walker then cites (1) a 1986 book brought out by the libertarian Cato Institute describing Baby Boomers as “economically conservative but socially liberal” (there’s those libertarianish waffle words again) and (2) a 1995 USA Today print piece claiming that many Gen-Xers reject politics and “lean libertarian.”
So why hasn’t the country become an Anarcho-Capitalist Libertarian utopia already?
While optimism is always preferred, any recipe that calls for baking a future libertarian pie-in-the-sky needs to be taken with that pessimist’s favorite ingredient, a pinch of salt.
Still, the prospect of offering up the just desserts of humble pie to freedom’s enemies would be a dish happily served by libertarians, cold or otherwise.
If the Gen Y-ers really are libertarianesk, let’s whet their appetites for more.