The Libertarian Party is America's third-largest political party, founded in 1971, as an alternative to the two main political parties, according to a press release on their website,"The Party of Principle" (www.lp.org). The Libertarian Party Preamble states that Libertarians "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."
Furthermore, the Libertarian Statement of Principles says "We... 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."
The principles addressed include:
* Personal Liberty
* Expression and Communication
* Personal Privacy
* Personal Relationships
* Abortion
* Crime and Justice
* Self-Defense
* Economic Liberty
* Property and Contract
* Environment
* Energy and Resources
* Government Finance and Spending
* Money and Financial Markets
* Monopolies and Corporations
* Labor Markets
* Education
* Health Care
* Retirement and Income Security
* Securing Liberty
* National Defense
* Internal Security and Individual Rights
* International Affairs
* Free trade and Migration
* Rights and Discrimination
* Representative Government
* Self-Determination
If you visit the website and read the expanded comments for each of these topics, you will get a quick picture of who Libertarians are and what they believe. You will also see why this party is appealing to a large number of Americans... some 250,000 registered voters in all 50 states. On the FAQ page at www.lp.org, Libertarians are defined as "advocates for a smaller government, lower taxes, and more freedom." Furthermore, the Libertarians would like us to think of them as "a group of people with a 'live and let live' mentality and a balanced checkbook."
The Libertarian Party appears to appeal to those who are fed up with government intrusion into their daily lives... from gun control to abortion rights to same-sex marriage. The Libertarian party opposes the auto industry bailout and "recommended bankruptcy restructuring from the start and regrets that President Obama chose to use this opportunity to extend government control over even more of the U.S. economy."
The Libertarian Party vehemently opposes President Obama's nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court and opines, Libertarians believe that, while the First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of association allows private parties to hire whomever they please, government has no right to discriminate. Public employers should treat all citizens of all colors, races and ethnicities with equal respect and value and Sotomayor's radical rulings are a jarring departure from that principle.
The Libertarians feel that "Government at all levels is too large, too expensive, woefully inefficient, arrogant, intrusive, and downright dangerous. Democratic and Republican politicians have created the status quo and do not intend to change it." Many Americans are at a point where circumstances in our country have caused them to question - and challenge - "business as usual" from the Democratic and Republican parties. Couple that with a growing number of Americans who are stockpiling everything from food to weapons and ammunition in anticipation of a complete breakdown of our present system of government and economy, and the time seems ripe for Libertarians to boost their numbers.
Will this party grow to the point that its candidates become viable candidates in future elections? Anything is possible, but the Libertarians appear to have some ground to cover in this arena. History indicates that third parties are not able to pull enough support to be viable influences in elections. That is not to say that the Libertarian party cannot have sway - on both Republicans AND Democrats - in votes on substantive issues. At any rate, this party may be influential enough to muddy the water in future elections. Whether this will be beneficial or detrimental remains to be seen.
Source cited:
"The Party of Principle" (www.lp.org)