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To: Publius Valerius
"You just dismiss out of hand planks on the platform like elimination of welfare, elimination of antitrust laws, free trade markets, deregulation of markets, privatization of government industry, etc. Yeah, other than 90% of their beliefs, they are just like liberals."

I admit that in looking at their new platform its hard to define what they stand for on trade. Total free trade or is it free trade within the United States?

With all taxes eliminated on wages and property, where does any funds come from to pay for even limited gov.?

Is it back to tariffs on imports or are we talking anarchy?
128 posted on 12/12/2006 10:36:00 AM PST by Beagle8U
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To: Beagle8U

The current LP platform is quite clear and supports global free trade. How is the following unclear: "Efforts to forcibly redistribute wealth or forcibly manage trade are intolerable"?

As far as your other question, I don't think lack of taxes equates with anarchy. I don't claim to be speaking for the LP here, but I believe the vast majority of necessary government functions can be paid for by user fees--keeping in mind that this is a remarkably small number of legitimate functions. The rest can be funded one of two ways: either through ultra-low sales taxes or simply how any charitable institution obtains money: donations.

I think people would gladly contribute 5% of their salary for things like a judicial system, a national defense, etc. People will not voluntarily donate 50% of their salary to support a welfare state. Americans donate billions of dollars a year to institutions like the United Way or the Red Cross--is it so outrageous that they would not do the same to support certain functions of government?


141 posted on 12/12/2006 10:56:38 AM PST by Publius Valerius
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