In Honor of Harry Browne, the Libertarian Party Statement of Principles.

LP.org

[Capitalism2003]

Preamble:

As Libertarians, we seek a world of liberty; a world in which all individuals are sovereign over their own lives, and no one is forced to sacrifice his or her values for the benefit of others.

We believe that respect for individual rights is the essential precondition for a free and prosperous world, that force and fraud must be banished from human relationships, and that only through freedom can peace and prosperity be realized.

Consequently, we defend each person's right to engage in any activity that is peaceful and honest, and welcome the diversity that freedom brings. The world we seek to build is one where individuals are free to follow their own dreams in their own ways, without interference from government or any authoritarian power.

In the following pages we have set forth our basic principles and enumerated various policy stands derived from those principles.

These specific policies are not our goal, however. Our goal is nothing more nor less than a world set free in our lifetime, and it is to this end that we take these stands.

Statement of Principles

We, the members of the Libertarian Party, challenge the cult of the omnipotent state and defend the rights of the individual.

We hold that all individuals have the right to exercise sole dominion over their own lives, and have the right to live in whatever manner they choose, so long as they do not forcibly interfere with the equal right of others to live in whatever manner they choose.

Governments throughout history have regularly operated on the opposite principle, that the State has the right to dispose of the lives of individuals and the fruits of their labor. Even within the United States, all political parties other than our own grant to government the right to regulate the lives of individuals and seize the fruits of their labor without their consent.

We, on the contrary, deny the right of any government to do these things, and hold that where governments exist, they must not violate the rights of any individual: namely, (1) the right to life -- accordingly we support the prohibition of the initiation of physical force against others; (2) the right to liberty of speech and action -- accordingly we oppose all attempts by government to abridge the freedom of speech and press, as well as government censorship in any form; and (3) the right to property -- accordingly we oppose all government interference with private property, such as confiscation, nationalization, and eminent domain, and support the prohibition of robbery, trespass, fraud, and misrepresentation.

Since governments, when instituted, must not violate individual rights, we oppose all interference by government in the areas of voluntary and contractual relations among individuals. People should not be forced to sacrifice their lives and property for the benefit of others. They should be left free by government to deal with one another as free traders; and the resultant economic system, the only one compatible with the protection of individual rights, is the free market.

Read the entire Libertarian Party platform here.

[jim_trent]

> How about actually trying it here?

Because there is not a majority in this country who believe in personal responsibility. That is why things are going like they are now. That is also why Libertarians wanted to move to a small state and take it over. They could try their ideas and, if they worked, point it out to skeptics (which I am one). I am just wondering what happened with that plan.

Actually, I don't think Libertarians could agree on anything long enough to change a lighbulb, but I am willing to see if they can dempnstrate they are right.

[Capitalism2003]

" ... We hold that all individuals have the right to exercise sole dominion over their own lives, and have the right to live in whatever manner they choose, so long as they do not forcibly interfere with the equal right of others to live in whatever manner they choose ... " My children went through that stage when they were growing up. After several lessons they were cured.

"A wise and frugal government which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government." – Thomas Jefferson (1801)

All I can say is, thank GOD that our founders weren't 'cured of these "childish" beliefs...

[G.Mason]

If you believe those two statements say the same thing, then may God bless you.

[Capitalism2003]

I believe that every individual is naturally entitled to do as he pleases with himself and the fruits of his labor, so far as it in no way interferes with any other men's rights. – Abraham Lincoln

The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg. – Thomas Jefferson (1781)

The care of every man's soul belongs to himself. But what if he neglect the care of it? Well what if he neglect the care of his health or his estate, which would more nearly relate to the state. Will the magistrate make a law that he not be poor or sick? Laws provide against injury from others; but not from ourselves. God himself will not save men against their wills. – Thomas Jefferson

The policy of the American government is to leave their citizens free, neither restraining nor aiding them in their pursuits. – Thomas Jefferson

There are more instances of the abridgement of the freedom of the people by the gradual and silent encroachment of those in power, than by violent and sudden usurpation. – James Madison

Do not separate text from historical background. If you do, you will have perverted and subverted the Constitution, which can only end in a distorted, bastardized form of illegitimate government. – James Madison

[Capitalism2003]

Actually, the LP doesn't have an "open border" stance. They believe in unrestricted LEGAL immigration, with very harsh enforcement of illegal immigration, which poses a grave security threat to the country. If you want to come in to work, fine...Go through a background check and all of the proper procedures and you are welcome. Everybody coming here for another reason should be stopped cold.

[freepatriot32]

ping

[traviskicks]

Libertarian ping! To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here.

[JTN]

My children went through that stage when they were growing up. After several lessons they were cured.

Proving the truth of the statement, "Liberals want the government to be your Mommy. Conservatives want government to be your Daddy. Libertarians want it to treat you like an adult."

[JTN]

We hold that morality is irrelevant to a functioning society -- religion, faith, morality, and virtue are optional (and keep it to yourself, thank you).

Straw men, however, are a necessity.

[LibertarianInExile]

"They believe in unrestricted LEGAL immigration, with very harsh enforcement of illegal immigration, which poses a grave security threat to the country."

I would like to see where that is stated. I'm not sure I agree from what I've seen of the LP. Additionally, it's my understanding the LP has stated that its platform is inseparable--that is, all of it is top priority, and you don't have to reduce the welfare state before initiating unrestricted legal immigration. Is that your understanding? If you have a different spin on that, I'd be happy to see where the LP disagreed.

[LibertarianInExile]

"Slip of the tongue? Do you really think so, given the meaning of the word and the context in which it was used?"

Why don't you look up the word "reign" and see if it fits into the idiom "rain on your parade," before you go further into an etymological discussion? While I'm sure it's entertaining for most libertarians to watch you further embarrass yourself, I cringe at your unwitting and continued exposure of your ignorance, and want to help you stop digging the hole. Perhaps if you realize that in a free society, people still do good without the guiding hand of mommy & daddy, or nanny states, you'll be on the road to realizing that American government doesn't have to be big and powerful for America to be great.

Protecting the rights of even the least individual among us is basically the only excuse the government has for even existing. - Ronald Reagan

[mugs99]

No, but it only works with responsible people

"The American heritage was one of individual liberty, personal responsibility and freedom from government. Unfortunately, that heritage has been lost. Americans no longer have the freedom to direct their own lives. Today, it is the government that is "free” free to do whatever it wants. There is no subject, no issue, no matter that is not subject to legislation."...Harry Browne
.

[dcwusmc]

Please explain how, in your view, they differ substantially.

[G.Mason]

Jeffersons words ..."otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement" ... specifically relate to hard work (industry) and making ones self better. (improvement)

The quote, taken from the Libertarian Party Statement of Principles ...

" We hold that all individuals have the right to exercise sole dominion over their own lives, and have the right to live in whatever manner they choose, so long as they do not forcibly interfere with the equal right of others to live in whatever manner they choose "

... has no such wording and indicates man should be allowed to live socially with others in any manner of his choosing.

Hardly a recipe for a successful United States.

[dcwusmc]

"...has no such wording and indicates man should be allowed to live socially with others in any manner of his choosing."

You left out two importand (and STRNGLY IMPLIED) words: "...in any PEACEABLE and RESPONSIBLE manner of his choosing." As none if the L/libertarians I ever knew was a fan of the welfare state, nor a strong fan of total anarchy, those two words are ALWAYS implied when discussing topics such as this. Further, Jeffersons words can EQUALLY be construed to cover living socially amongst others in a peaceable and responsible manner of one's own choosing, a MARVELOUS recipe for a successful United States or any OTHER nation.

Bear in mind that when the Founders signed off on the Declaration of Independence, they specifically used the phrase, "...consent of the governed." The Constitution implements that consent. BUT one cannot give consent to ANYONE, be it his neighbor or his congresscritter, to do something in his name or on his behalf, that HE DOES NOT ALREADY HAVE THE LEGITIMATE AUTHORITY TO DO FOR HIMSELF. Remember, they were in essence saying that the government was the AGENT of We, the People. And an agent can do NOTHING his principal cannot properly do. This is where a lot of conservatives fall down. You have a strong tendency to want to have government RULE us and that is utterly anathema to the free society/Constitutional Republic handed us by the Founders. That is why we are in such a mess today. Read my tagline.