Like I said, I have no interest in running for public office. However, whenever I evaluate a candidate in the running, these are the values I look for. You can imagine my dissappointment in mainstream politicians.

Some would call my beliefs radical, or perhaps even wacky. Still, I consider myself to be a strict 'Constitutionalist'. That is, I think we should go back to the basics of what this country was founded upon, and stop trying to create a socialist facist paradise, where the imperial government controls and regulates every facet of private life.

That said, here is Part II of My Libertarian Platform:

Education:
Year after year public schools fail miserably. The graduate more and more students who cannot read and write, and are unprepared to enter the job market. The governmental solution has been to throw more and more taxpayer dollars at the problem, rather than come up with a real world solution. Teachers unions on the other hand are looking out only for the interest of the teachers, and lobby against any efforts to hold teachers accountable for their results.

School choice and competition can only help the situation. Schools will be forced to treat children and parents as customers rather than a chore or obligation. Providing parents with a school choice or voucher program would mean they aren't stuck with bad schools, and would be enable parents with the financial means to provide their children with a quality education.

Economics and Trade:
Lowering trade barriers provides higher quality, less expensive goods for all Americans. Companies are allowed to take advantage of cheaper labor and economies of scale in foreign markets to bring products to market at a lower cost. Contrary to popular skepticism, lowering trade barriers doesn't necessarily mean a loss of domestic jobs. History has shown that unemployment can decrease while a trade deficit increases. In fact, increasing trade barriers and tariffs, often called trade protectionism can cost domestic jobs, especially with businesses that rely on foreign imports. The trade protection tariffs are also a disproportionate tax on the poor, and can lead to tariffs and taxes on U.S. goods overseas. The U.S. should move to unilaterally eliminate import tariffs on all foreign goods, not just those protected by NAFTA and GATT.

Environment:
All species use their environment's resources. Giraffes eat leaves off of trees, and lions prey on antelope. When resources start to run low, they either move on to areas where resources are plentiful, or die out. At no time do lions punish other lions for eating more than their fair share of antelope. Contrary to what environmental wackos would tell you, we are not endangering the planet. The planet will be here long after we are gone, and will ultimately be destroyed when our sun goes nova. Attempting to alter this life cycle is arrogant, ignorant, and foolish.

As for our limited resources, if they are indeed limited, the laws of economic supply and demand will come into play. If our oil supply dwindles, the price of petroleum products will increase, which will in turn create a demand for alternatives. Trying to legislate this process is foolhardy and inefficient.

As for polluters, there is no bigger polluter than our government. Even when pressed by the EPA to clean up federal weapons plants that were leaking radioactive and toxic chemicals, government agencies simply ignored the problem. Had a private business shirked such a demand, someone would have gone to prison. The sovereign immunity of the government should be challenged or taken away so that they can no longer literally commit murder and get away with it.

Foreign Policy:
As much as I'd like it to, isolationism just doesn't work. Burying our head in the sand and remaining neutral has failed time and time again. We tried remaining somewhat neutral during World War II, and were ultimately dragged into the conflict at the cost of thousands of American lives. Now, like it or not, we are in a position to be the world's policeman. This makes us loved by many and hated by many more. Getting out of the 'policeman' role can only be done by spreading stability throughout the world. As long as there is conflict in places like Israel, the Middle East, Bosnia, the Koreas, and the Kashmir regions of India and Pakistan, we must be on our guard. I mean, we may not care who lays claim to a mountain range in Kashmir right now, but by the time nucular weapons start flying back and forth, it's too late.

Still, foreign aid needs to be cut back dramatically. Especially to these whiney countries that turn around and bash America at every opportunity. While helping out in times of crisis is still important, we need to let foreign nations know that they cannot simply criticize our nation, our people, and our system of government, and still expect us to be the cash cow that will bail them out whenever they need it. Besides, after spending more than $400 Billion in foreign aid since WWII, we have little more to show for it rather than dependence and the slowed economic development of those very nations we are trying to help.

Immigration:
Our nation has always been a nation of immigrants. People from foreign lands should be welcome to enter our country and take advantage of our economic opportunity. This isn't, however, a free pass to economic and socialist hand-outs. Open immigration will economically benefit all Americans. Studies show that immigrants actually increase the number of jobs available by expanding demand for goods and services, filling the gaps in high and low ends of the labor markets, enabling American businesses to compete with low wage markets overseas, and contributing to increased economic efficiencies through economies of scale. Not to mention that immigrants tend to be highly entrepreneurial, and create jobs through the businesses they start. (src)

National Defense:
National defense is the primary reason our states were united in the first place. Defense should be a primary responsibility of our government. That said, we should also continue to innovate new and exciting ways to effectively neutralize our enemies. Being the worlds only super power is much better than being a whipping boy to totalitarian regimes.

At the same time, we should look for aggressive ways to cut some of the fat. Our overseas presence in many countries is unnecessary. This was best illustrated when we pulled out of the Philippines. Plus we still have 60 year old agreements in place to protect Japan along with many other nations. The result is that their taxpayers are spared the financial burden of national defense, while American taxpayers pick up the tab. At the very least, we should either be allowed to tap into their tax base, or slowly withdraw our military support while they build up their own defenses.

Privacy:
A Constitutional Amendment should be passed, (or at the very least, a law) that protects an individual's right to privacy. The government should not be permitted to use electronic or covert surveillance to monitor or database an individuals actions, possessions, or private property.

Welfare and Unemployment:
Welfare and unemployment 'benefits' should be a temporary band-aid to help people get back on their feet. It should not be a permanent way of life. It is true that some politicians would love to keep people dependent on welfare and unemployment, just so that they can count on their support in the voting booth.

While both Democrats and Republicans apply 'fix-it' approaches to a failed welfare system, what is really needed is a complete overhaul. Individuals who cannot support themselves through the job market should rely on support from family, friends, churches, and private charities rather than the taxpaying American public. At the same time, gifts to private charities and charitable organizations should be fully tax deductible, dollar for dollar. This will help to transition the burden from inefficient government social programs to private charities. And of course, improvements in education and economic job creation will be necessary as well.

Nationalized Health care and other fascist programs:
The federal government should only have the powers enumerated in the Constitution. All social and fascist programs like nationalized health care should be left to private charities and organizations. The resulting removal of a thick layer of government bureaucracy will make programs more efficient, and more attuned to the recipients needs.