A Libertarian Contract With America

The Republicans have released their "Pledge To America".  If they honor any of it (except the pledges to continue blowing money overseas) I'll be amazed. 

The Democrats haven't released any summary of their goals and objectives since it is hard to predict the direction of an ongoing train wreck. 

One cool thing about being a Libertarian is that our platform doesn't really change. 
I own me, you own you. 
 Leave everyone alone as much as possible. 
Government should provide some infrastructure, some defense, plus enforce contracts and referee in disputes. 
That's it. 

Let me propose the following Libertarian Contract With America.  (Yes, this could probably use some crowdsourcing.)

1)  If Libertarians are elected in sufficient numbers, they will repeal ObamaCare.  They will lower medical costs for all Americans by allowing a free market approach to medicine.  Things are costly when they are scarce, and any healthcare proposal that doesn't begin with eliminating scarcity is doomed to failure. 

2) If Libertarians are elected, they will ensure that The United States is the most secure nation on earth.  However, the United States will no longer ensure this security for Europe, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, or any of our other economic competitors.  Our boys and girls will come back home. 

3) Since we will no longer be defending the borders of South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, or Europe, we will no longer need 50% of our military capability.  Our government will give some of this savings back to the American taxpayers, and apply some of it to our national debt.  Even if we cut defense by 50%, we will still have the largest military on earth. 

4) The Libertarian Party will shut down a random Cabinet-level department, partly to prove that it is serious, and partly for the sheer fun of it.  The Department of Energy has more than 100,000 employees and does nothing but consume energy.  That would be a good place to start. 

5) The government will audit the Federal Reserve and publicize the findings.  The government will limit The Fed's ability to print money to pay off government debt. 

6)  Anyone wanting a bailout will have to consult his brother-in-law.  Ditto for earmarks, grants, subsidies or other forms of pork. 

7)  As American taxpayers have a sentimental attachment to public education, we will provide parents with an education voucher for their children.  Public schools will have to compete for these vouchers since this will be their only source of funding. 

8)  Since I own me and you own you, it makes no sense to continue locking recreational drug users into steel cages with rapists and murderers.  "No harm, no foul" will be the order of the day.  The violence along the Canadian border ended when our government legalized alcohol sales, and the same approach will end the violence along our border with Mexico if marijuana prohibition is ended. 

9)  The government will no longer have an opinion on who can or cannot marry, as long as he or she has reached the age of consent.  Marriage is a religious issue.  Civil Unions are a government issue and will be available to any adult partners or groups willing to be united civilly. 

10)  Throughout history, the nations with the highest levels of trade were the nations with the highest levels of prosperity.  Therefore all protective tariffs, quotas, and import taxes will be reduced to the lowest possible levels.  When Target has a sale on jeans, we don't worry about the impact on Wal-Mart, or worry about protecting Wal-Mart from unfair competition.  The same philosophy will apply to all manufacturers and other businesses.  Protecting business equals shafting consumers.   

11)  The government will support your right to shop where you want to shop.  The government will support the rights of businesses to charge whatever they want to charge, as long as it doesn't violate a pre-existing agreement.  The government will support the rights of workers to unionize and also support the rights of employers to kick out the unions and hire someone else. 
It's called "freedom of contract", and these financial transactions are none of the government's business unless one side or the other doesn't follow through on its promises. 

12) As minimum wage laws set an arbitrary minimum threshold for employment, thereby making it illegal to hire anyone whose labor is not worth this amount, minimum wages will be abolished.  The government will no longer saw the lower rungs off of the employment ladder. 

13)  Abortion rights will be left to each state.  No federal funds will be used for abortions, or any other medical procedures. 

14)  Anyone who has paid into Social Security, Medicaid, or Medicare will be given a "cash out" option that he or she can use for retirement, for immediate needs, or to take to Vegas.  Those wishing to remain in the system can do so.  (The money IS still there, right?) 

15)  Anyone wanting to bring ghosts, goblins or gods into a school will have to start a school of his own.  Anyone wanting to pray to these spirits can do so on his own time.  Silently. 

There.  That should do it.  Does anyone want to run those savings past the Congressional Budget Office?  Would we then have some money available to save and create jobs ? 

Predictions for the new Contract With America

The Republicans are about to unveil a new "Contract With America".  The 1990's contract has gotten some credit for the Newt Gingrich Republican Revolution, which was about as revolutionary as a decision to change crack dealers. 
Remember all the hype about cutting government spending?  Of the departments and programs that the Republicans pledged to eliminate, their combined budgets had grown by 13% by the year 2000. 

Since their previous Bait'n'Switch was so succesful, here are some predictions for the contents (or at least the results) of the new Republican Contract With America.

1) To enhance our image as the defenders of something or another, we will continue to harrass gays and lesbians in the military, and defend Japan, Germany, South Korea, Italy, Bulgaria, etc. 
2) To ensure that we have other enemies to fight, we will do everything in our power to fight marijuana legalization.  The prison lobby, prison guards, parole & probation officers, and the piss test industry all need jobs too. 
3) Because they are such easy targets, we will keep the Departments of Energy and Education in place for the next 8 years. 
4) Because there is so much money in it for politically-connected companies and donors, we will buy into the Anthropogenic Global Warming Global Climate Disruption myth and start investing in windmills, green stuff, and perpetual motion machines. 
5) We will guarantee that subsidies continue to flow to mega-corporations, like the $600 million dollar gift we give BP every year for throwing some ethanol into their fossil fuels.  There's something vaguely "green" about what Enron is doing, and that's supposed to be good. 
6) We will fight to defend your rights, your property, and your home.  Unless, of course, your property or home is in a great spot for a sports arena or a new shopping center. 
7) Dammit, we are going to end personal welfare.  With those savings, we are going to beat the Democrats in handing out corporate welfare. 
8) We pledge to fight the Ground Zero Mosque with everything we've got.  While you are distracted by our performance, we will push through thousands of earmarks for our campaign donors. 
9) We will never, ever, ever audit the Federal Reserve. 
10) Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and ObamaCare® are all safe with us.  We haven't repealed anything since Prohibition.  Wait a minute....the Democrats did that.  We continue to talk tough, but do nothing. 

Disagree with any of the above?  Hide and watch what they do. 
The Libertarian party awaits !