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Many of you may not be familiar with the Libertarian Party, and that
is one reason why I am, once again, running for Texas State
Representative in District 48. In this race, I will face incumbent
Donna Howard, a Democrat. In the November 2nd General Election, I am,
quite frankly, the underdog. For those citizens looking for a fresh,
untainted voice in a bought-and-paid-for world of politicking, I offer
fresh, workable, and creative ideas.
As a proud member of the Libertarian Party, I hope to build on our
status as the third largest political party in the United States and
spread the news of our classic American philosophy. Our party
combines, in a common sense fashion, the best of the conservative
mindset with the best of the liberal mindset. We are the only party
that uses these terms accurately -- as comparative modifiers in
specific contexts. We know that some tried and true ideals are worth
keeping, saving, and revering; this is the strength of Conservatism.
And we know that some ideals are, by nature, open-ended and
generous ... "live and let live"... this is the strength of Liberalism.
I will give you specific examples. I am a conservative regarding the
2nd Amendment -- I am a fierce proponent of our Constitutional right to
keep and bear arms. I am a conservative regarding crime and
punishment -- I boldly and consistently defend all property rights. On
the other hand, I am a liberal in that I seek the abolition of various
illegitimate laws. I advocate the (re)legalization -- for law-abiding
adults -- of all drugs, prostitution, and gambling. I am a liberal in
that I believe in "open borders."
CAREFUL! Before you think I'm ready to "give away" our American way
of life to the hordes of "illegal aliens" and "infidels," let me
explain how I can maintain this point rationally. We Libertarians
advocate a society that always allows the maximum freedom of thought,
action, and livelihood for the individual -- all individuals. It is
the Golden Rule applied to the entire realm of politics and economics.
So, why would it be okay to suddenly ban newcomers to the United
States of America -- especially when our nation was literally built on
the foundation of the immigration of countless millions and has
benefited immensely by this wondrous diversity?
This liberal stance, by the way, is balanced by a hard-core
conservative stance: we advocate the abolition of the Welfare State.
These immigrants, presently considered to be "a giant burden to
hard-working taxpayers," would not be allowed to claim any free
services in a Libertarian society -- no schools, no healthcare, no food
stamps. For that matter, neither would anybody else. In an ideal
society, we all pay our own way. Immigrants that would resort to
crime in order to survive in this new foreign land would get a rude
awakening. The up side to this is that any people who would come to
the United States of America to strive for the American Dream, and to
work for it in the good ol' fashioned way -- honestly and
good-naturedly, trading value for value -- deserve our open arms and
respect.
Consider if you will that these apparently diverging points of view
are, in fact, integrated by a unifying axiom: self ownership. We have
property in ourselves, and this is why we all have the inalienable
rights to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Libertarians
understand that people are sovereign entities, and that proper
government is based on the consent of the governed.
Government is healthy and legitimate only to the extent that it does
a better job of protecting our property and our values than we, on an
individual basis, can accomplish.
Join me in exploring new ways to maximize freedom -- yours, mine, ours
-- while simultaneously securing our future. Don't settle for the
status quo. Don't be afraid to stand with somebody who stands
for something. Make your voice heard through the noise of the
democratic process. Dare to cast your vote, not for the pragmatic
"lesser of two evils," but instead, for the candidate who is actually
willing and able to follow his ideals.
Thank you very much for your time and consideration.
Ben Easton
Candidate Texas State Representative, District 48
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