From the Libertarian Party of California: www.ca.lp.org
Libertarians Respond to Schwarzenegger
Tue, 9 Jan 2007
The Libertarian Party of California offers alternative solutions to the problems the governor is trying to address
PANORAMA CITY, CA-January 9, 2007: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today gave his annual State of the State address to the legislators and other key members of California's government, and once again demonstrated the arrogance that is at the root of many of the state's problems.
Contrary to the governor's claim that the speech was about "our vision, because I think we all want the same thing for California," Libertarians believe that only individuals are able to determine what is in the best interest of themselves and their families.
The governor's speech was wide-ranging, lauding the accomplishments of the past and pledging plenty of bipartisan action in this year. He discussed additional infrastructure spending for public safety, education, waterways and reservoirs. He spoke of California's efforts to curb global warming and force production of cleaner fuels. He spoke of the broken health care system, his next fiscal year budget, and of the need for redistricting reform.
"Libertarians agree that there are many problems in California that need to be fixed, including many the governor focused on – the justice system, education and health care among them," said Aaron Starr, chairman of the Libertarian Party of California (LPC). "In some cases, the governor's proposals are a step in the right direction, but his top-down, central-planning proposals are doomed to fail or create new problems like most government attempts at solutions do."
Following are several ideas Libertarian candidates would bring to the Assembly, Senate, and Executive branch on the issues the governor discusses in his State of the State address:
Public Safety and Justice System Reform
California's incarceration rate is the highest in the country, which itself has the highest incarceration rate in the world. Between 1984 and 1996, California built 21 new prisons. The governor claims the current prison system with 175,000 inmates was built to hold 100,000.
"The governor rightly points out that the prisons are overcrowded, but the solution is not just to keep building more," said Starr. "All those convicted of non-violent drug offenses and other victimless crimes, such as prostitution, should be released immediately. Then, ending the War on Drugs would reduce the number of drug-related crimes, violent and non-violent, going forward."
See the LPC's recent op-eds on prison reform: The Reason for Prison Overcrowding and More Prisons? Don't Build It!
Education Reform
The education bond initiative that passed in November 2006 was promised to support construction of 10,000 new classrooms and renovation of 38,000 more. Now, the governor says those are only enough classrooms to accommodate two year's growth. As a result, he is asking for funding to build another 15,000 classrooms and renovate an additional 40,000. In the six years since FY 2000-01, K-12 spending per pupil has risen from $6,801 to $10,748 (source: California Department of Finance budget highlights).
LPC Chair Starr responded to Schwarzenegger's call for redoubling education infrastructure spending by saying, "We can eliminate the infrastructure spending by contracting out to private schools for quality education. The problem with the education system is not that of too little money – it's a problem of too little choice. When public schools have to compete for dollars, they will provide more caring, quality education for our children. Libertarians would propose a dollar-for-dollar California tax credit for any payments made directly to public or private providers of K-12 education, with an offsetting decrease in state education expenditures. That way, the funds would go directly to the kids and local schools and not to extend the bureaucracy in Sacramento."
See the LPC op-ed on the educational system problems: California's Public Schools: DNR (Do Not Resuscitate).
See also the LPC op-ed regarding last year's bond initiatives: Needless Bondage, and another similar-themed op-ed, Bonds are Taxation Without Representation.
Global Warming
The governor expressed gratitude to the legislatures for passing his proposal to limit greenhouse gas emissions, and asked them to appropriate the funds to implement it. He proposes work on a low-carbon fuel standard to replace carbon-based fossil fuels in California.
"As large as California is, it is foolish for the governor to think that a state with 34 million inhabitants can significantly affect the greenhouse gases emitted by a world comprised of 6.5 billion people," said Starr. "These initiatives will foster state-sponsored corporatism with some favored fat guys getting fatter and higher fuel prices at the pump for everyone else. California's working families and small businesses will be hurt the most, while billions of people around the world continue to use fossil fuels. Only the world-wide free market can provide a solution to alternative energy sources, not a state government, no matter how arrogant it may be."
The Health Care System
Schwarzenegger called for health care reform, referring to his proposals made earlier this week in which he would require employers of 10 or more to provide a health insurance benefit, and everyone, including illegal aliens, would be required to have coverage.
"The spiraling costs of health care are a concern to most of us," Starr said. "Prices are so high that many people choose to go without even enough health insurance to cover catastrophic illnesses. And who can blame them? The choice may be between eating or rent or education, and an insurance that might never be needed. One reason for the ever higher cost of health care is the fact that so many people's health expenses are paid directly by third parties such as insurance companies, and thus they don't feel any need to shop around for prices.
"Likewise, in an environment of legal torts, a hospital may feel they need to order many frivolous tests, so they aren't later sued. Reforms to tort law, coupled with a partial tax credit for high-deductible insurance could help rein in health industry costs and provide the safety net people feel they need. By using tax-exempt health savings accounts funded by individuals or their employers for pre-deductible expenses, further savings could be had.
"But to really solve our health care problems, we need to increase the number of medical professionals, facilities and medical nonprofit and for-profit organizations by amending or repealing regulations and licensing standards that unnecessarily or unreasonably impede the supply of health care."
See the LPC op-ed that discusses the health-care crises: Socialized Medicine Is Already Killing Us, and another on the options to address the health-care issue: A Total Health Care Monopoly.
Budget
The governor claimed great progress on the budget, reducing the deficit from $16.5 billion when he took office, to $4 billion last year, to "dramatically lower" in the budget to be proposed tomorrow.
"It is disingenuous for the governor to take any credit for reducing California budget deficits," says Starr. "He has presided over a record-breaking growth in state-level spending. Don't let the improving economy and rising state revenues camouflage this fact. A good first step for a Libertarian governor would be to role back state spending to the level it was at when Gray Davis left office, 'just' $101 billion, compared to Schwarzenegger's $131 billion, roughly 30 percent higher than only three years ago."
See the LPC's criticism of Arnold's budget from last year: Arnold's Republican Budget.
Political Reform
The governor disparaged the current system of drawing district lines, saying it was "of the parties, for the parties, and by the parties," rather than the people.
Said Starr: "Here is a subject on which we can heartily agree with the governor. The current system of redistricting is clearly broken. Libertarians support his efforts to provide reform in this area."
See the LPC op-ed concerning the governor's failed Proposition 77: Rethinking Redistricting, and the more recent comment on how not to reform campaign finance: Tax-Paid Campaigns? Sewage Is Cleaner! No on 89!.
In addition, Libertarians propose that Instant Runoff Voting, such as is currently used in San Francisco, be implemented so that voters can express their true preferences. See the LPC press release on Instant Runoff Voting: Libertarians Approve of SB596, Instant Runoff Voting .
About the Libertarian Party of California:
The Libertarian Party of California is the third largest political party in California, having fielded over 60 candidates for partisan office in the just-completed mid-term general election.
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