About the Presidential candidates from other parties, Libertarian Christine Smith says,
Truth is my highest priority. Sincerely sharing what I believe and what I will do for the American people is what my platform is about. I do not equivocate, nor do I try to be all things to all people. Thus, you can imagine how it feels to have entered the dark world of American politics and how it feels to watch and listen to other presidential candidates. I keep asking myself, how can the American people take such candidates seriously?
Thus, Delaware Libertarian posed the following tough questions to see what kind of truth we'd get:
1) Even when the United States has withdrawn from Iraq, the issue of our relationship with Iran (and the potential of an Iranian nuclear program) will still be high on the new president's foreign policy agenda. What are your initial thoughts on handling the issue?
What Iran decides to do with its nuclear fuel program is its business - be it for energy, or weaponry (likely, if created, to serve as a deterrent against its enemies the U.S. and Israel). Iran does not have intercontinental missiles - so its target would be Israel not America. Israel has its own nuclear arsenal, and must be responsible for its own defense., as I am for using our resources for America (ending foreign aid and government arms dealing with all nations).
2) The new president will inherit an economy potentially in deep crisis, with the dollar floundering, foreign investors owning a huge chunk of our debt, the "mortgage bomb" exploding, and energy costs skyrocketing. What principles will guide you as president in restoring the American economy?
The government has an overspending problem not a 'deficit' problem. I will end that overspending. I will never sign any "budget" exceeding the previous; and my focus will be on shrinking the size, the power (and thereby the cost) of the federal government, balancing the federal budget through spending cuts not taxes. We must pay off the national debt, beginning with not adding to it. Thus, I will veto any bill spending 'money' we do not have. This in itself will prevent expansion of big government control and big government waste. I will be guided by the principle "pay as we go." I also oppose all forms of corporate welfare/subsidies and bail outs, and know that once we begin to drastically cut down on all the waste resulting from the warfare/welfare state (abolishing federal programs and agencies which are not constitutionally authorized) we're going to start healing the terrible economic crisis this nation is suffering because of the federal government. Holding the line on spending will take us a long way.
It is also the artificial control of our economy by the Federal Reserve which harms the economic stability of our nation. Current control/production of money provides no control over government spending or its ability to inflate. Enormous congressional deficit spending is made possible by the Federal Reserve and it has destroyed any real value to our currency. Although artificially kept low interest rates appear positive in the short term, in the long run our nation's economic stability is threatened. Thus, I am for the abolishment of the federal reserve and a return to a true free-market economy where money is based on a commodity so that is has real value.
I invite readers to http://www.libertarianforpresident.com/Taxation.php#abolish and also to listen to my "One Libertarian's Response to President Bush's September 1, 2007 radio address: Mortgage Crisis & Economy"
3) The drumbeat of the so-called progressive candidates is that they will provide government-mandated health insurance for every American. How will you convinced the millions of uninsured voters that the application of Libertarian principles to today's health care problems will benefit them?
To the American people I will say: Ask yourself - when has the federal government ever achieved anything cheaper or more efficient than the free market?
Managed health care as we currently have does not work - the only ones pleased with it are government bureaucrats, drug companies, corporations and HMOs. But the American people suffer under its inefficiency.
The reason healthcare costs are enormous is directly because of federal government involvement. We had an excellent system of health care in America - highest quality and low costs (even for those in poverty) - UNTIL the federal government intruded It is the federal government which inflated the costs. Only AFTER the federal government became involved with their Medicare/Medicaid did costs skyrocket. The truth is there has not been a free market in medicine for many years...only returning to a true free market will result in affordable cost and health freedom. Further, I believe Americans want health freedom and that includes the right of consumers to choose the type of health care they want and the practitioners and treatments they choose.
Medicare/Medicaid should be repealed. I believe all such government programs must be abolished, but with the process of doing so ensuring provision for those already in their elder years who have paid into the system; I have considered the solution may be with a stopping point of (say for example the age of 55) with everyone below the determined age to receive a refund of their money (with interest) and those beyond the age able to remain in the system for benefits if they so choose. This way we end this bad unjust system and simultaneously provide for those who have paid into it for years.
Such a process will allay people's concerns for those in need, but end this terrible system.
The people will suffer even more under any socialized health plan (government mandated insurance or any type "universal" coverage), while the same few benefiting now will benefit greater. I care about all Americans having access to affordable healthcare and pursuit of any treatment they wish to obtain - only a free market will give us that and that is what I will focus upon. Forcing some to subsidize care for others is fundamentally unjust, as is price controls, corporate subsidies, government control through licensing and prescriptions, and regulation of insurance and regulation of health providers (and the treatments they can provide & payment they can accept). Private healthcare and insurance must be able to be competitive (free from government regulation) thereby resulting in better care and lower costs.
We need health freedom. If the American people grasp that health freedom means lower costs and better care, they'd be for it. I invite you to http://www.libertarianforpresident.com/Health-Freedom.php to read some of the key ways I'll address this with the American people.
4) Libertarians have traditionally opposed a major role for the Federal government in public education, and there is now a general consensus that the deeply flawed "No Child Left Behind" act must be scrapped. Even so, given that a Libertarian president will end up working with a Congress composed primarily of Democrats and Republicans, what strategy will you use to achieve real reform in Education?
Congress will find they will have to really negotiate with me, as I will hold out for repeal on a number of matters which the federal government has intruded into and which they had no constitutional basis being involved in - education being a major one and one I will use my veto power for bills which give the federal government control over education. The solution is to end federal government (I'm for abolishment of The Dept. of Education) intrusion into education completely - this means an end to federal standards/testing/regulations and federal funding. Education is a local/state issue, and federal money comes with federal control, bureaucracy, and subsequent lower quality education. I will use my veto power for any such legislation (same goes for legislation which would federally regulate homeschoolers), and negotiate with Congress for ways giving parents more economic and personal control over the education of their children. If the American people elect this Libertarian as president, Congress is going to know the people want change - they want an end to government control and spending - thus we'll be in a political atmosphere in which even those big-government democrats and Republicans will realize they must begin to acquiesce to the will of the people. (I will work diligently to repeal the federal income tax, providing parents with more money to choose the education of their children, please read http://www.libertarianforpresident.com/Taxation.php#abolish and my education page http://www.libertarianforpresident.com/Family-Values.php )
5) Your Statist predecessors have used the aftermath of 9/11 to conduct the greatest assault on privacy and individual freedom in the US since the McCarthy years. How will you balance the need to protect the civil liberties of all American citizens against the need to protect the country from terrorist attacks?
I oppose all the unconstitutional intrusions and violations by the federal government into our economic and personal privacy. The stripping away of our civil liberties since 9/11 is unprecedented - never have we lost so much - using the powerful tool of fear, the federal government has exploited 9/11 to assume unconstitutional control and power over the American people, manipulating them into believing their 'security" is at stake unless they abrogate their civil liberties. I will work to restore all of our civil liberties (using executive order when it can be applied) effectively repealing all legislation which has unjustly (unconstitutionally) been passed. I will also by executive order counter all executive orders my predecessors have signed which are unconstitutional. Legislation such as the Patriot Act must be overturned. I will use all power vested in my office to restore our civil liberties (and seek counsel from my advisors) using the most effective ways within my powers to do so.
Ending our military interventionism worldwide is the simplest and most effective means to stop provoking the wrath of millions worldwide. Is it not better to have never created a threat rather than try to thwart a threat?
As Commander-in-Chief, I would order the immediate withdrawal of all U.S. troops and U.S. government personnel from all areas of the world which pose no direct threat to America itself. I will end all U.S. government meddling in the affairs and conflicts of other nations. This is itself will reduce the terrorist threat as we will have ended the provocation which fuels such murderous attacks upon our people. Only when the US government stops all interventionist foreign policy (end all sanctions and embargoes, end foreign aid, end delivery of US taxpayer-financed military weaponry to other nations, end all US government intervention/intrusions in the governments and elections of foreign nations, and all involvement in international conflicts unrelated to America, close military bases and bring home all military troops from all parts of the world which pose no direct threat to America), will we hope to achieve a more peaceful and thereby more prosperous and safe nation.
That's a major way to begin increasing our security while preserving/restoring our civil liberties. I would invite readers to visit an essay I wrote, How To Reduce Terrorism, http://www.libertarianforpresident.com/reduce-terror.php
Thank you for the interview!
I invite those interested to visit my campaign website where they may learn much more about where I stand on many other issues, view/listen to any of numerous interviews and videos, and to sign up for the free campaign-newsletter (sign-up form on my website). I have videos of speeches for Libertarians specifically explaining why I am running and examining the future of the LP.
Christine Smith
Libertarian candidate for president
http://www.LibertarianForPresident.com
Christine Smith for President
15400 W. 64th Ave., E9-105
Arvada, Colorado 80007
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