American politics: The shining example of an effective and completely functional democracy. If only it were so. It may be true that compared to the world as a whole our democratic system may be centuries ahead of most third world countries and it certainly holds true that were doing better than Russia who has been flip flopping Vladimir Putin from the position of presidency to that of prime minister interchangeably for nearly the past two decades in what has essentially become a pseudo dictatorship. All that aside America has certainly let the bar drop on our electoral system when compared to the rest of the modern world. Particularly in the West.
Why?
When America was initially founded, the fathers did not intend on the presence of political parties which for the remainder of this article we shall refer to as FACTIONS! The design for our basis of government was for each representative to vote based on the desire of his constituents not on the pressure of that representatives chosen faction. Despite this however factions within the American government were quick to form even within the founder’s lifetimes. The formation of these factions led to a system based upon competitive infighting rather than collaborative problem solving.
Fast forward to the present and you’d be hard pressed to find an American who is even aware of another political ideology outside the BIG TWO. Conservatism and Liberalism. Republicans and Democrats. These two factions have successfully worked together to monopolize the American political scene. They almost fill every single seat in every single branch of government, they control media stations to push their agenda. I.E Fox News (Right Wing) CNN and everything else (Left Wing), and even worse so they control the committee which is in charge of organizing the presidential debates, polls, and ultimately the election through the Electoral College.
That however is where their partnership ends as they spend their remaining time together bickering and arguing to the point the government actually shuts down. Is this really the best we can do America?
Enter Libertarianism.
Libertarianism is an ideology based upon the emphasis of INDIVIDUAL rights and freedoms. The party branch of Libertarianism was formed in 1971 by David Nolan, however the Libertarian values can be dated back to the founding fathers original model of government. In its purist form it holds that no governing body nor collective organization can legally control or remove a person’s rights guaranteed them at birth. It holds that the presence of the state must be minimal in its interventions, especially when they consider social matters. The only actual role of state to many Libertarians is to protect and ensure that their rights are not infringed upon by an outside invader. Since its humble founding in Colorado Springs by a group of activists the Libertarian Party has grown to be the third largest political party in the U.S with its candidates on the ballot in all 50 states.
To some this may sound like conservatism but here is where it differs. Although both conservatives and libertarians are believers in free market capitalism, the Republican may argue for government oversight off social issues that do not coincide with the moral framework which the conservative party built itself on. I.E Birth Control, Gay Rights, and Marijuana Legalization. To a Libertarian these are not decisions the government has the authority to decide on and is a person’s right to choose for themselves. The conservative will also maintain the existence of a strong military force extended globally. Libertarians take a more isolated approach to national security. They believe in a strong military that stays home to defend the nation as opposed to chasing enemies down abroad. They even go as far as beating conservatives at conservatism with belief in limited military spending. The Republican Party has attempted to mimic Libertarianism in the past with the Tea Party movement but its watered down stance on social issues prevented them from gaining any traction with Libertarians and ultimately it was re-assimilated by the big conservative machine. Some noteworthy Republicans have defected to the Libertarian party in the past, the most well-known being Ron Paul who has run for President under the Republican ticket but who’s loyalty is to the Libertarian mindset. Most recently Senator Laura Ebke of Nebraska has defected from the Republican Party and become a registered Libertarian. Since Trump’s nomination many others have followed suit.
But are they are closer to Liberals than Conservatives? Again no. Yes it’s true that both Libertarians and Liberals hold that we should have a more Laissez-Faire society. Where a Liberal would seek to increase government overreach in social welfare, gun control, and taxation. The Libertarian will stay to his or her principals and maintain that it is not the governments place to tax its citizens, or restrict their right to self-defense. The libertarian believes that individual success and capitalism is the framework for economic success, not government support.
Granted not everything is cut and dry even from the Libertarians camp. While some see a need for a governing body and a formal party, others will say that the U.S government was illegally established by elitists without the peoples consent. For the sake of this ideologies continued survival many have folded on the later believe and gotten behind the official Libertarian Party.
What the LP offers American politics is a balanced approach to government that puts you, the citizen, at the forefront of its ideology not just in speech but in practice. The presence of a libertarian candidate on the debate stage would shift the entire political spectrum in many American’s hearts and minds. After all, few Americans will stray far from television or their Facebook page in order to discover this mindset. The only way the Libertarian party has an opportunity at surviving this harsh political climate completely controlled by two corrupt criminal factions is to play their rigged game.
In the future I will be writing an article on the Libertarian Parties official candidate Gary Johnson and why he is the best hope for America in 2016. Until then, I hope that this has peaked your interest and possibly opened a new avenue for you as a voter.
