Hey it's Dan Zimmerman, welcome to Illustrate to Educate. Don't forget to subscribe for weekly, objective videos on topics that matter. Have you ever wondered, what is the Libertarian Party and what are their views?
Let's get right into it by looking at what sets them apart. Did you know that the Libertarian Party is the third largest political party behind Democrats and Republicans? It was founded back in 1971 by David Nolan, and their slogan is the Party of Principle.
Generally speaking, Libertarians strongly oppose any government interference into their personal, family, and business decisions. They believe Americans should be free to live their lives and pursue their interests as they see fit, as long as they do no harm to another. Let's first take a look at their view on taxes.
The Libertarian Party believes that the government forcing people to pay taxes is inherently wrong. They believe that if Americans want to give money to the government for one reason or another, they should be free to do so. If Americans prefer to spend their money on other things, then they should be free to do that also. The party's recent platform calls for the repeal of income tax, as well as the elimination of the Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, and all federal programs and services, including welfare programs like food stamps and subsidized housing. This also includes the Federal Reserve System, too.
The party supports the passage of the balanced budget amendment to the Constitution, which they believe will significantly lower the national debt. They believe that the budget should be balanced preferably by cutting expenditures and not by raising taxes. Now let's look at what their views are on the economy.
Libertarians believe that all people have the right to freely offer goods and services on the market, and that the free market approaches are the most effective at improving people's lives. They believe that when people are allowed to run their businesses the way they see fit, without government interference, those businesses are able to innovate and create tremendous value for consumers. They also believe that this allows businesses to hire more employees, leading to an increase in jobs.
Libertarians believe that the only proper role of the government in the economy is to protect property rights, adjudicate disputes, and provide a legal framework in which voluntary trade is protected. Next, let's look into what they support for healthcare. The Libertarian Party favors a free market healthcare system without government oversight, approval, regulation, or licensing.
The party states that it recognizes the freedom of individuals to determine the level of health insurance they want, the level of health care they want, the care providers that they want, the medicines and the treatments that they will use, and all other aspects of medical care, including end-of-life decisions. They support the repeal of all social insurance policies such as Medicare and Medicaid and favor a consumer-driven health care system. The Libertarian Party has been advocating for Americans'ability to purchase health insurance across state lines. This next section is a big one.
How do libertarians view civil rights? Libertarians believe in equal rights for everyone and value the right of all to live in whatever manner they choose, so as long as they do not forcibly interfere with the equal rights of others. They also believe that the government must treat all people fairly and equally before the law. Most notably, libertarians support every person having the right to gun ownership and the right to arm themselves in self-defense. They believe that 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. They support the legalization of the following as they refer to these as victimless crimes, including the legalizing of all drugs and the following activities. They believe that abortion is a sensitive issue and that people can hold good faith views on all sides and that the government should be kept out of the matter. Libertarians also fight against federal overreach and government spying programs and the use of general surveillance technologies. And lastly, they fight to protect internet freedom and privacy.
Let's look at their views when it comes to the education system. The Libertarian Party supports ending the current public school system. The party's official platform states that education is best provided by the free market, achieving greater quality, accountability, and efficiency with more diversity of school choice.
The Libertarian Party sees the education of children as a parental responsibility. The party supports giving authority to parents to determine the education of their children at their expense, without interference from the government. Lastly, let's touch on their views on immigration. Libertarians believe in the free movement of people, not just products and ideas. They welcome immigrants of all backgrounds who come seeking a better life.
If someone has a record of violence, credible plans for violence, or acts violently, then libertarians support blocking their entry, deporting, and or prosecuting and imprisoning them, depending on the offense. Libertarians do not support classifying undocumented immigrants as criminals. They believe that the current immigration system's procedures are too complex and expensive and lengthy, and if Americans want immigrants to enter through legal channels, we need to make those channels more fair, reasonable, and accessible.
Did you enjoy this video? Hopefully it gave you a good introduction into the Libertarian Party. Please like the video, subscribe to Illustrate to Educate, and comment on your thoughts about the Libertarian Party's political views.
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