Letter to prospective Libertarians

The Libertarian Party is the third-largest party in the USA--by any measurement. This fact is not well known, because the liberal media hide it, preferring to mention other parties like the Green. The fundamental belief is that government should be as small as possible, that people know best how to spend their own money. The alternative is for bureaucrats in Washington to determine a one-size-fits-all solution for every problem, and of course, demand high taxes to pay for the resulting programs.

Individual liberty is the essence of the Libertarian philosophy. We believe that one should be allowed to do anything, as long as that action neither harms nor imperils others. It's for this reason most of us believe that narcotics and prostitution should be legal. Before making any law to prevent people from doing something, legislators should always ask, "Who is harmed?" No law should ever be written to protect us from ourselves.

The pioneers exemplified self-reliance and never dreamed that some remote "benevolent" government might levy high taxes on the successful and redistribute the money to failures. Remember the story of "The Grasshopper and the Ant?

On taxes, we believe that the people know best how to spend their own money. Big government politicians believe that they know better. They use the incredibly complicated tax code to force people and businesses to finance expensive programs which they claim will solve all kinds of problems, but actually are designed to benefit those who will help them get reelected. Two groups in this category are labor unions and trial lawyers. Business taxes may be a little different. I'm not sure what the majority of Libertarians believe about them. I myself believe there should be NO TAXES on American businesses. Like any other expense, these taxes are passed on to consumers.

In the case of welfare, we believe that ordinary citizens, not government, can best identify and help the needy, because they understand the situations. Therefore, any forthcoming help should begin with family, followed by people in the neighborhood, then municipality, county, and finally state--never the federal government. Furthermore, relieved of the tax burden imposed to finance government welfare programs, the people could and would be at least as generous as politicians.

The constitution is quite clear on the responsibilities of the federal government, but our Democrat and Republican career politicians ignore the constitution at the same time they're paying lip service to it. (I suggest you read the 10th amendment, which states that all power not specifically delegated to the federal government is left to the lower-level governments "and to the people".) Government at all levels has been growing at an incredible rate since FDR. I have read that we were taxed at about 2% before the second world war. It's amazing to me that people not only accept expensive government solutions, but that they also grant the government virtually universal control. This thinking is opposite to that held by the founding fathers, who feared a strong government and documented their ideas in our Constitution.

On the Iraq war: The Libertarian Party is opposed to attacking any nation for any reason other than as a response to BEING ATTACKED, as we were by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor, or in the rare case of an immediate and grave threat to our national security. It's a dangerous precedent to feel justified in attacking simply because they MIGHT attack you some day. Many nations could attack us for that reason. Also we feel that Congress should declare war before any attack.

Walter Williams, a nationally syndicated columnist, author, teacher, speaker, and social critic, said, "What's *just* has been debated for centuries but let me offer you my definition of social justice: I keep what I earn and you keep what you earn. Do you disagree? Well then tell me how much of what I earn *belongs* to you—-and why?"

On abortion, I was surprised to learn at the state convention in 2004 that the delegates were split equally. I had believed they would favor the liberty in Pro-Choice. We do, however, favor Pro-Choice in schools.

I hope I've been able to give you a good description of our party. I'll be happy to try to answer any questions you may have.

Sincerely,
Peter Hefner
Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania contact for Lycoming County