Former Athens LP Chair, Jeff Moss, had an article featured on the editorial page of the Athens Banner-Herald today. An excellent commentary about the current state of politics:
Smaller government. Lower taxes. More freedom.
Those six words today most likely are associated with the grassroots conservative tea party movement. Proponents of the tea party, such as 2008 vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin and conservative talk show host Glenn Beck, are using those six words to try to unite conservative voters.
Where have these guys been for the past two decades? Where were they when President George W. Bush doubled government spending? The Republican Party is on the ropes, and another two years of a Democrat-controlled Congress may result in a knockout punch that could put Republicans out of power for another four years or more. In this year’s upcoming election, a Democratic Party that retains control of either or both houses of Congress essentially would be seen as a validation of the Obama administration and the agendas of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
[…]
Being a Libertarian Party member is mostly about self-ownership. It isn’t easy. You have to take responsibility for your actions. You have the right to fail. Way too many Americans take that “pursuit of happiness” clause in the Declaration Independence to mean a guarantee of happiness. Libertarians want a government dedicated to civil liberty and economic freedom. We don’t expect the government to bail us out when we get in over our head.
In a libertarian world, the only role of government is to defend individuals from force and fraud through a minimal legal system and to maintain a standing military to protect American sovereignty. Libertarian principles include the rights of individuals to live in whatever manner they choose, as long as it does not interfere with the rights or property of another individual. To be libertarian is to understand that life in a free society carries with it certain risks and dangers.
Check out the entire editorial here.
