lig

Maybe it's my distrust of authority - but Libertarian principles make so much sense to me...

I like Badnarik's take on the war...

<The War in Iraq is a failure, and the U.S. government should never have waged it. As your president, one of my first tasks will be to begin the orderly process of bringing our troops home as quickly as can safely be accomplished.


More and more Americans are coming to oppose the war, the war hawks and high government officials are beginning to distance themselves from the president, and the U.S. seems more willing than ever to pull out of Iraq.


But this is not enough. We need to learn how this disaster happened, so we can prevent future disasters from happening.


First, allow me to dispel a myth. People in the Middle East do not hate us for our freedom. They do not hate us for our lifestyle. They hate us because we have spent many years attempting to force them to emulate our lifestyle.


The U.S. government has meddled in the affairs of the Middle East far too long, always with horrendous results. It overthrew the democratically elected leader of Iran and replaced him with the Shah. After making Iranians the enemies of Americans, the U.S. government gave weapons, intelligence and money to Iran's mortal adversary, Saddam Hussein. The U.S. government also helped Libyan Col. Qaddafi come to power, propped up the Saudi monarchy and the Egyptian regime, and gave assistance to Osama bin Laden.


Most Americans have forgotten these events. But the people of the Middle East will always remember.


It was because of American troops in Saudi Arabia, lethal sanctions on Iraq, support for states in serious violation of International Law, and siding with Israel in its dispute with the Palestinians to the tune of more than $3 billion per year in taxpayers' funds that terrorist leaders were able to recruit those individuals who caused 3,000 Americans to pay the ultimate price on September 11, 2001.


The proper response would have been to present the evidence as to who committed the heinous act both to Congress and to the people, and have Congress authorize the president to track down the individuals actually responsible, doing everything possible to avoid inflicting harm on innocents.


A Libertarian president would not have sent the military trampling about the world, racking up a death count in the thousands, wasting tax money on destroying and re-building infrastructure, creating more enemies, and doing the kinds of things that led to 9/11 in the first place.


We cannot undo history, unfortunately.


The U.S. government has never succeeded in establishing freedom and democracy in any of its foreign adventures in the last fifty years. Freedom and democracy are blessings any people must establish for themselves.


Here at home, war leads to a decline in civil liberties, higher taxes, and wartime economic measures that blur the line between business and state, allowing politically favored corporations to profit at the expense of taxpayers.


Libertarians understand the importance of adhering to the Constitution, because it is designed to limit the power of the state here and abroad. And we especially understand the danger of war, which expands the power of the government far beyond its constitutional limits.


The founders of this country knew that war should not be initiated at the president's whim, and so the constitutional authority to wage war rests with Congress.


James Madison, father of the Constitution, said, "If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy." He also said, "No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare..."


In short, a libertarian foreign policy is one of national defense, and not international offense. It would protect our country, not police the world>

jedwards

Indeed he did say these things... it begs the question... "why did he start the war of 1812?" (Please don't say "pressing sailors")

Legal Bill

I agree, we need more librarians. I didn't know they were running for office, but I have always admired their keen sense of organization and vast knowlege of the library and the location of all the books in the library. Oh, I know what some of you are thinking, "they aren't so hot, they just rely on the Dewey Decimal System." Yeah, well, that might be true, but they still have to figure out which sections of the library house the different subject matters, plus they have to be able to figure out the late charges, and don't get me started about the children's reading room, that's a total nightmare in there.

I'm with you Lig, hats off to the librarians. I'm not sure they will make good presidents. Except maybe president of the library, but I don't think the library sent anyone to Iraq. Do libraries have presidents???

lig

ummm... wig on too tight? I honestly can't answer that.

More positions here:

http://badnarik.org/

lig

hehe... both of my parents have their Masters in Library Science!!!

I'm serious though - I know so many people who are socially liberal and economically more conservative - perfect combination for Libertarian candidates.

Zippy

It's the Dewey Decimal system that would give them the advantage.

jedwards

He said "Liberians". Why aren't there more Liberians?

I'm not sure. I'm not even too knowlegable about Liberia. I think it's in the midwest since I do know it borders on Sierra Leone, which is probably in California and that the capital is Monrovia, which I believe is in New York. This would put it somewhere in the square states.

I did a quick check and found out that there are 3 and a half million which really isn't that many. I think I have the answer to your question though...
0-14 years: 43.4% (male 742,508; female 730,677)
15-64 years: 52.9% (male 875,951; female 918,570)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 61,867; female 61,062) (2004 est.)


I found this information and feel I can answer your question. There aren't more Liberians because they die before they reach 65.

lig

Did I post this in the Corner by mistake?!? You guys are killing me here.

Let's invade Liberia and make sure they enjoy the same freedom as Iraqis do now.

Freedom, baby! Love it or get bombed.

jedwards

I could be Libertarian. The views are acceptable by my standards and morays. That not withstanding I'm a pragmatist.

I'd hate to vote Libertarian and in doing so to take a vote from one of the two who will no doubt win. IOW I'd sooner vote for the lesser of two evils and have the vote count than to vote with my heart and have my vote flutter away in the breeze.

This saddens me to say.

anarky

Didn't Dewey Decimal defeat Truman in 1948?