Both of these approaches would almost completely eliminate the “spoiler” or “lesser of two evils” issues, because people could vote their consciences. In other words, people could vote their dreams, but they could also vote against their fears. In addition, the more radical candidates would be forced to moderate their positions, because they would have more direct information about the preferences of more of the voters. Actually, in many elections we have seen numerous voters casting their votes against candidates by voting for their opponents, instead of actually voting in favor of anyone. Both of these approaches would change that equation, which would bring more Liberty to our elections.
Judge Jim Gray (Ret.)
2012 Libertarian candidate for Vice President,
along with Governor Gary Johnson as the candidate for President
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One of the most flagrant attacks upon Liberty and the due process of law is the federal government’s program of civil asset forfeiture. This program allows the police to confiscate people’s cash and other property if they “suspect” that it is linked to criminal (mostly drug) offenses – even if the subjects are never even charged with a crime! And, of course, the police have incentives to seize people’s property, since they get to keep part of the booty. Furthermore, when seizures occur, it is up to the owners of the property to file a lawsuit to get it back, and even then they have the burden of proof to show that it was not gained from a criminal offense. Some of those programs were pared down under President Obama, but US Attorney General Sessions recently announced a policy that will remove many protections from these “policing for profit” programs.
Mark Twain once supposedly said that “Be Yourself” is not good advice for many people. Yes, in most regards each of us, as adults, has the Liberty to act as we wish, as long as that does not wrongly affect the abilities of others to do the same. But how do we act with that Liberty? The great UCLA basketball coach Johnny Wooden once said that “Character is how we act when no one else is looking.” So every once in a while it should be helpful for each of us to pause and reflect upon how we act with that Liberty, which is to say: what really is our character? How do we act when no one else is looking? Is that the person we wish to be?
“We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union.” The Preamble to our Constitution, the greatest document in the history of the world that was ever inspired by man, decreed back in 1787 that “We the People” are in charge of our government, and thus our own destiny. And to a person, each of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention believed that the most important function of government was protecting our individual liberties from the encroachment of government. And now that power – and responsibility – has been passed down from the Founders to us. So now it is you and I who are “We the People.” Would the Founders be proud of us? Do we agree with them about the fundamental importance of individual liberty? Or, even worse, do we actually care?
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