On Saturday, Sept. 12, tens of thousands of people marched on Washington, D.C. protesting President Barack Obama’s health care plan and big government. Many mainstream media outlets put the number of protestors at around 60,000, while the alternative press and blogs put the number above one million, which would have made it one of the largest marches in American history.
Whatever you choose to believe, it is still quite obvious something is wrong with our political system if people are willing to drive thousands of miles to protest government policy. After all, if you strip away the ridiculous protest signs, paranoia and emotions, many seem to have pretty good arguments for reducing the size and reach of our government.
Big government of late seems to do nothing but cause increasingly more problems. Former President George W. Bush, although a Republican, allowed the size of government to grow immensely as Congress expanded social programs. In short, these “conservative” Republicans started spending taxpayer money recklessly while remaining unaccountable for their actions.
Democrats are no better, though. If we can imagine the entire country being run the way California has been the past few years — having a budget acting as a blank check — we could see how that would land the United States in serious financial trouble.
Democrats, and their Republican peers, insist on propping up a failing economic system by bailing out corrupt and inefficient companies that are “too big to fail” by using taxpayer money and credit from foreign lenders and banks. The current government does not seem to care that we, the young adults of today, will have to deal with the consequences of their irresponsibility.
So what’s the solution to the current big government that seems to do nothing but spend our hard earned money without concern? I have your answer and it’s called the Libertarian Party.
The Libertarian Party is the third-largest political party in the country, but only has 250,000 members. This small, grassroots organization stands for, as they display on their Web site, “Smaller government, lower taxes and more freedom.”
Unlike Democrats and Republicans, Libertarians stress financial responsibility and stand to protect individuals from skyrocketing taxes by cutting them. Taxes are not only unfair to the wealthy, but keep the working poor from moving up the socio-economic ladder by taking away what little money they have.
Libertarians also remain firm in their protection of civil liberties, something in which both Democrats and Republicans seem to get away with “bending.” Let us not forget that Obama is continuing many of the provisions of the PATRIOT Act.
In short, this political party believes that freedom, whether it is economic freedom from excessive taxation, or social freedom, is paramount. Ben Franklin had a point when he said, “Those who would give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither.”
If there was any time in American history for a third party to enter the fray of mainstream politics, it is now. The current major parties are failing at running this country and it is up to us, the average citizens, to vote for a political structure that promotes the freedom and prosperity we deserve.
Stuart Schmidt is a sophomore journalism and recreation and leisure studies major, and a contributing writer for the Daily 49er.