As adopted by
convention, May 2016.
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.
Note: The Statement of Principles was approved at the Convention
in Dallas in 1974.
1.0 PERSONAL
LIBERTY
Individuals should be free to
make choices for themselves and must accept responsibility for the consequences
of the choices they make. Our support of an individual’s right to make choices
in life does not mean that we necessarily approve or disapprove of those
choices. No individual, group, or government may initiate force against any
other individual, group, or government.
1.1
Self-Ownership
Individuals own their bodies
and have rights over them that other individuals, groups, and governments may
not violate. Individuals have the freedom and responsibility to decide what
they knowingly and voluntarily consume, and what risks they accept to their own
health, finances, safety, or life.
1.2
Expression and Communication
We support full freedom of
expression and oppose government censorship, regulation or control of
communications media and technology. We favor the freedom to engage in or
abstain from any religious activities that do not violate the rights of others.
We oppose government actions which either aid or attack any religion.
1.3
Privacy
Libertarians advocate
individual privacy and government transparency. We are committed to ending
government’s practice of spying on everyone. We support the rights recognized
by the Fourth Amendment to be secure in our persons, homes, property, and
communications. Protection from unreasonable search and seizure should include
records held by third parties, such as email, medical, and library records.
1.4
Personal Relationships
Sexual orientation, preference,
gender, or gender identity should have no impact on the government’s treatment
of individuals, such as in current marriage, child custody, adoption,
immigration or military service laws. Government does not have the authority to
define, license or restrict personal relationships. Consenting adults should be
free to choose their own sexual practices and personal relationships.
1.5
Abortion
Recognizing that abortion is a
sensitive issue and that people can hold good-faith views on all sides, we
believe that government should be kept out of the matter, leaving the question
to each person for their conscientious consideration.
1.6
Parental Rights
Parents, or other guardians,
have the right to raise their children according to their own standards and
beliefs. This statement shall not be construed to condone child abuse or
neglect.
1.7
Crime and Justice
The prescribed role of
government is to protect the rights of every individual including the right to
life, liberty and property. Criminal laws should be limited in their
application to violations of the rights of others through force or fraud, or to
deliberate actions that place others involuntarily at significant risk of harm.
Therefore, we favor the repeal of all laws creating “crimes” without victims,
such as the use of drugs for medicinal or recreational purposes. We support
restitution to the victim to the fullest degree possible at the expense of the
criminal or the negligent wrongdoer. The constitutional rights of the
criminally accused, including due process, a speedy trial, legal counsel, trial
by jury, and the legal presumption of innocence until proven guilty, must be
preserved. We assert the common-law right of juries to judge not only the facts
but also the justice of the law.
1.8
Death Penalty
We oppose the administration of
the death penalty by the state.
1.9
Self-Defense
The only legitimate use of force
is in defense of individual rights—life, liberty, and justly acquired
property—against aggression. This right inheres in the individual, who may
agree to be aided by any other individual or group. We affirm the individual
right recognized by the Second Amendment to keep and bear arms, and oppose the
prosecution of individuals for exercising their rights of self-defense. Private
property owners should be free to establish their own conditions regarding the
presence of personal defense weapons on their own property. We oppose all laws
at any level of government restricting, registering, or monitoring the
ownership, manufacture, or transfer of firearms or ammunition.
2.0 ECONOMIC
LIBERTY
Libertarians want all members
of society to have abundant opportunities to achieve economic success. A free
and competitive market allocates resources in the most efficient manner. Each
person has the right to offer goods and services to others on the free market.
The only proper role of government in the economic realm is to protect property
rights, adjudicate disputes, and provide a legal framework in which voluntary
trade is protected. All efforts by government to redistribute wealth, or to
control or manage trade, are improper in a free society.
2.1
Property and Contract
As respect for property rights
is fundamental to maintaining a free and prosperous society, it follows that
the freedom to contract to obtain, retain, profit from, manage, or dispose of
one’s property must also be upheld. Libertarians would free property owners
from government restrictions on their rights to control and enjoy their
property, as long as their choices do not harm or infringe on the rights of
others. Eminent domain, civil asset forfeiture, governmental limits on profits,
governmental production mandates, and governmental controls on prices of goods
and services (including wages, rents, and interest) are abridgements of such
fundamental rights. For voluntary dealings among private entities, parties
should be free to choose with whom they trade and set whatever trade terms are
mutually agreeable.
2.2
Environment
Competitive free markets and
property rights stimulate the technological innovations and behavioral changes
required to protect our environment and ecosystems. Private landowners and
conservation groups have a vested interest in maintaining natural resources.
Governments are unaccountable for damage done to our environment and have a
terrible track record when it comes to environmental protection. Protecting the
environment requires a clear definition and enforcement of individual rights
and responsibilities regarding resources like land, water, air, and wildlife.
Where damages can be proven and quantified in a court of law, restitution to
the injured parties must be required.
2.3
Energy and Resources
While energy is needed to fuel
a modern society, government should not be subsidizing any particular form of
energy. We oppose all government control of energy pricing, allocation, and
production.
2.4
Government Finance and Spending
All persons are entitled to
keep the fruits of their labor. We call for the repeal of the income tax, the
abolishment of the Internal Revenue Service and all federal programs and
services not required under the U.S. Constitution. We oppose any legal requirements
forcing employers to serve as tax collectors. Government should not incur debt,
which burdens future generations without their consent. We support the passage
of a “Balanced Budget Amendment” to the U.S. Constitution, provided that the
budget is balanced exclusively by cutting expenditures, and not by raising
taxes.
2.5
Government Employees
We favor repealing any
requirement that one must join or pay dues to a union as a condition of
government employment. We advocate replacing defined-benefit pensions with
defined-contribution plans, as are commonly offered in the private sector, so
as not to impose debt on future generations without their consent.
2.6
Money and Financial Markets
We favor free-market banking,
with unrestricted competition among banks and depository institutions of all
types. Markets are not actually free unless fraud is vigorously combated. Those
who enjoy the possibility of profits must not impose risks of losses upon
others, such as through government guarantees or bailouts. Individuals engaged
in voluntary exchange should be free to use as money any mutually agreeable
commodity or item. We support a halt to inflationary monetary policies and
unconstitutional legal tender laws.
2.7
Marketplace Freedom
Libertarians support free
markets. We defend the right of individuals to form corporations, cooperatives
and other types of entities based on voluntary association. We oppose all forms
of government subsidies and bailouts to business, labor, or any other special
interest. Government should not compete with private enterprise.
2.8
Labor Markets
Employment and compensation
agreements between private employers and employees are outside the scope of
government, and these contracts should not be encumbered by government-mandated
benefits or social engineering. We support the right of private employers and
employees to choose whether or not to bargain with each other through a labor
union. Bargaining should be free of government interference, such as compulsory
arbitration or imposing an obligation to bargain.
2.9
Education
Education is best provided by
the free market, achieving greater quality, accountability and efficiency with
more diversity of choice. Recognizing that the education of children is a
parental responsibility, we would restore authority to parents to determine the
education of their children, without interference from government. Parents
should have control of and responsibility for all funds expended for their
children’s education.
2.10
Health Care
We favor a free-market health care
system. We recognize the freedom of individuals to determine the level of
health insurance they want (if any), the level of health care they want, the
care providers they want, the medicines and treatments they will use and all
other aspects of their medical care, including end-of-life decisions. People
should be free to purchase health insurance across state lines.
2.11
Retirement and Income Security
Retirement planning is the
responsibility of the individual, not the government. Libertarians would phase
out the current government-sponsored Social Security system and transition to a
private voluntary system. The proper and most effective source of help for the
poor is the voluntary efforts of private groups and individuals. We believe
members of society will become even more charitable and civil society will be
strengthened as government reduces its activity in this realm.
3.0 SECURING
LIBERTY
The protection of individual
rights is the only proper purpose of government. Government is constitutionally
limited so as to prevent the infringement of individual rights by the
government itself. The principle of non-initiation of force should guide the
relationships between governments.
3.1
National Defense
We support the maintenance of a
sufficient military to defend the United States against aggression. The United
States should both avoid entangling alliances and abandon its attempts to act
as policeman for the world. We oppose any form of compulsory national service.
3.2
Internal Security and Individual Rights
The defense of the country
requires that we have adequate intelligence to detect and to counter threats to
domestic security. This requirement must not take priority over maintaining the
civil liberties of our citizens. The Constitution and Bill of Rights shall not
be suspended even during time of war. Intelligence agencies that legitimately
seek to preserve the security of the nation must be subject to oversight and
transparency. We oppose the government’s use of secret classifications to keep
from the public information that it should have, especially that which shows
that the government has violated the law.
3.3
International Affairs
American foreign policy should
seek an America at peace with the world. Our foreign policy should emphasize
defense against attack from abroad and enhance the likelihood of peace by
avoiding foreign entanglements. We would end the current U.S. government policy
of foreign intervention, including military and economic aid. We recognize the
right of all people to resist tyranny and defend themselves and their rights.
We condemn the use of force, and especially the use of terrorism, against the
innocent, regardless of whether such acts are committed by governments or by
political or revolutionary groups.
3.4
Free Trade and Migration
We support the removal of
governmental impediments to free trade. Political freedom and escape from
tyranny demand that individuals not be unreasonably constrained by government
in the crossing of political boundaries. Economic freedom demands the unrestricted
movement of human as well as financial capital across national borders.
However, we support control over the entry into our country of foreign
nationals who pose a credible threat to security, health or property.
3.5
Rights and Discrimination
Libertarians embrace the
concept that all people are born with certain inherent rights. We reject the
idea that a natural right can ever impose an obligation upon others to fulfill
that “right.” We condemn bigotry as irrational and repugnant. Government should
neither deny nor abridge any individual’s human right based upon sex, wealth,
ethnicity, creed, age, national origin, personal habits, political preference
or sexual orientation. Members of private organizations retain their rights to
set whatever standards of association they deem appropriate, and individuals
are free to respond with ostracism, boycotts and other free-market solutions.
3.6
Representative Government
We support election systems
that are more representative of the electorate at the federal, state and local
levels. As private voluntary groups, political parties should be free to
establish their own rules for nomination procedures, primaries and conventions.
We call for an end to any tax-financed subsidies to candidates or parties and
the repeal of all laws which restrict voluntary financing of election
campaigns. We oppose laws that effectively exclude alternative candidates and
parties, deny ballot access, gerrymander districts, or deny the voters their
right to consider all legitimate alternatives. We advocate initiative,
referendum, recall and repeal when used as popular checks on government.
3.7
Self-Determination
Whenever any form of government
becomes destructive of individual liberty, it is the right of the people to
alter or to abolish it, and to agree to such new governance as to them shall
seem most likely to protect their liberty.
4.0 OMISSIONS
Our silence about any other
particular government law, regulation, ordinance, directive, edict, control,
regulatory agency, activity, or machination should not be construed to imply
approval.
Comments
Libertarians
are “cafeteria conservatives. They are strong on the free market, property
rights, small government, limited powers, and oppose all socialist government
schemes.
But they
are also “laissez faire” social liberals. They are pro-abortion, pro-drug and
pro-open borders for non-terrorist migrants.
They are
missing a strong position on government adherence to the Constitution (as
written), which is odd, because Ron Paul was once a guru in this movement.
Constitutional
conservatives would agree on most of their positions, but we think “life” needs
to be defined by Congress to settle the abortion debate. We are traditional thinkers in dealing with
the drug problem and immigration.
Norb
Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader
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