Why I am voting for the Libertarian Party

I deal with this question a lot from the people around me. What motivates me to vote for the Libertarian Party when
a) A number of their platform issues they take an extreme stance.
b) They can’t win anyway, so why ‘waste’ your vote?
c) Isn’t the libertarian party just a faction of Republicans?

I’ll take these three major thoughts and try to break down why the reasons are not valid. The idea that the LP has extreme viewpoints is a very relative concept. When you take any ideological concept, even one so extreme and outlandish as personal freedom, and apply it across the board, you will see some interesting seeming contradictions. The libertarian is a socially liberal party in most aspects, believing that individual responsibility and rights should be paramount, so long as those rights do not infringe upon the rights of another person or property. You want to smoke Crack? That’s perfectly ok, You want to go driving your car while on Crack, that’s NOT fine. You want to own a Tank, that’s fine. if you want to threaten anyone with that tank, that’s not fine. You don’t want to wear your seatbelt, that’s fine. if you wreck, you get to pay for the head trauma. You want to take the risks, you take the responsibility. The Libertarian Party does understand that there are times when the Government must step in for the welfare of people, including the enforcement of rights for all. But the idea that government can best solve all problems is anathama to the LP. The government is a necessary evil, to be tolerated in a minimalist form.

Economicly, The LP is mostly Conservative, believing that free market can do a better job in *most* instances of regulating supply and demand and keeping consumers with the best quality. There are always exceptions where companies will attempt to abuse their power, and the government must be prepared to respond. But again, the concept of freedom should be paramount.

The LP believes that the United States continued entanglement in the forign affairs of other nations is the primary reason for the continued targetting of american citizens and holdings. The LP belive a policy of disengagement and removing the United states meddling would improve the safety and security of US citizens both at home and abroad. (This is one area where there is a Schism, quite a few LP members feel disengagement is too dangerous at this point, and should be delayed.)

The Libertarian Party is not beholden to any religious factions, hence has not been hijacked and turned into a threat to religious freedom. The LP believes that everyone should have the freedom to worship and to be free from coersion.

The Libertarian party won’t tell you what you can and cannot do in your own bedroom. Want to do something unusual in the bedroom? The LP won’t care so long as no one is harmed. With the other parties, It’s illegal to have sex unless you’re married. In fact in Georgia, There have been prosecutions under the Fornication Law between unmarried adults within the last 2 years. The LP trusts you with your body. Does your party?

you can read much more on the Libertarian party at http://www.lp.org

As far as wasting my vote? Wasting a vote is in the eye of the beholder, I do not believe my vote to be wasted, In fact at the very least it sends a message across the bow of the ‘major’ parties. Get your act together. Personally I feel there is much more to my vote than simply a warning shot to the other parties. I believe that as the word for the libertarian party gets out, The number of people who see the wisdom of their philosophy will grow. There will be some people who can’t handle some of the concepts of the LP, that’s fine, freedom isn’t for everyone. But I believe as time goes on The LP can become a well heard voice of freedom in America.

there are over 600 Libertarian Party Members serving in public office across the United States. The LP is on the ballot for the presidential Campaign in all 50 states.

In late 1971 the libertarian party broke away from the Repulican party in response to an increasing frustration with the Republican party straying away from the concept of freedom that it had been created for. The Libertarian party does tend to sympathize a little more with the republican view point, but Personally I tend to lean a little more Democratic. Why? Because I value personal freedom more than I do economic freedom. But To me The Libertarian Party is more representitive of my viewpoints than any party out there today.

Thank you for taking the time to read this rather long post.

Comments and questions are welcome