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LibertariansIf you are concerned about the ever-increasing levels of taxation, as well as the ever-expanding scope of government control over all aspects of our lives, you should check out the only political party that actually believes in the sanctity of the United States Constitution, the Libertarian Party. The national party’s website, with links to the individual state parties, is at www.lp.org The full party platform and guiding principles are explained there. As a sample, one of the LP’s long-standing goals has been the elimination of the income tax; or as 1996 presidential candidate Harry Browne likes to describe it, “a flat tax with the rate set to zero.” That beats Steve Forbes’ 17% flat tax proposal in any calculation.Time For a Real ChoiceIt’s not just my opinion that the two major parties have evolved into one big powerful organization with very little difference between them. They both routinely trash the Constitution and look for new ways in which the federal government can exercise more control. If you’re holding your breath for any substantial change from the Republicrats, give it up. If you follow the “wisdom” of commentators such as Rush Limbaugh, who believe it’s unwise to support a third party, please heed the definition of insanity: “doing the same thing over & over and expecting a different result.” All third parties are not the same. One of the biggest reasons for our poor showing in the 1992 & 1996 presidential elections was the fact that Ross Perot siphoned off much of the anti-establishment vote.Unlike the Libertarian Party, which is based on strong constitutional principles, Perot’s Reform Party is nothing more than his personal toy, with no underlying principles.Media DistortionIf your understanding of the Libertarian Party is based on the mainstream media’s portrayal, you have been intentionally deceived. They like to paint us as anarchists because we believe in the proper constitutional limits on government. Likewise, if you’ve seen the ABC television show Politically Incorrect, you may have noticed that the host, Bill Maher, proclaims himself to be a Libertarian. I don’t watch the show much; but the times I have seen it make it clear that he is nowhere close to being a true Libertarian. Real Libertarians believe that the Constitution is even more relevant today than it was 200+ years ago. Bill Maher loves to denigrate the Constitution as obsolete and irrelevant to modern times. Anyone attacking the Second Amendment with as much fervor as Mr. Maher does is obviously a liberal socialist.Arkansas Libertarian PartyIn the spirit of full disclosure, I was the volunteer Treasurer of the Arkansas Libertarian Party for a number of years. Its web site is at www.lpar.orgHarry BrowneThere was only one candidate on the 2000 ballot who wanted to eliminate the income tax and the IRS, Harry Browne.
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Kerry M. Kerstetter
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