Libertarian Party responds to State of the Union address

In his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama proposes policies that make things worse for the economy and worse for Americans:

• Higher government spending,

• More dangerously-high government. debt,

• Continued meddling in needless, costly foreign conflicts,

• More rules and regulations,

• Higher taxes,

• And more assaults on our freedom.

Despite whatever response Republican politicians serve up, their proposals — and their votes — do the same thing: Preserve and grow big government. The Republicans say they want “limited government.” Limited to what? A $3.8 trillion federal budget? A nearly $5 trillion budget? Look at the Republican budget plan crafted by Congressman Paul Ryan. That’s what Democrats and Republicans are planning to raise spending to over the next 10 years. “Limited?”

Democratic and Republican politicians are planning to raise the debt from today’s $16-and-a-half trillion to over $20 trillion. “Limited?”

How high does government spending and debt have to be before Democratic and Republican politicians say it’s too much? Will they spend until the economy literally collapses — while workers struggle year after year to find decent jobs? While retirees are trapped in poverty? And the middle class disappears?

When politicians talk about “limited government,” it’s their way of covering up the fact that they refuse to cut government spending — and that they continually raise spending.

The Libertarian Party says: Stop over-spending. Stop borrowing. Never raise the debt ceiling. Balance the budget — not in 10 years, now. Just like families and businesses must do every day.

Then keep cutting — until we have a small, constitutional government that is truly limited to protecting our lives, liberty and property — and no more. Less money for politicians — and more in the productive, private sector — is good for the economy. American workers and taxpayers will have more jobs, higher take-home pay and more savings.

Big government Democrats and Republicans will try to scare you into believing they’d have to cut essential services. That’s a lie. They’re spending double what Democratic President Bill Clinton spent in the year 2000.

They claim that if they cut spending, we’ll have fewer jobs. Another lie. Cutting government spending will create jobs. For every government worker who may get laid off, it will create two jobs in the private sector. Cutting government spending will result in a huge net jobs gain. Plenty of jobs for everyone who’s willing to work.

Big government Democrats and Republicans will keep spending recklessly, raising your taxes, assaulting your liberties and raising government debt — as long as you let them get away with it. What can you do to stop them?

What you say or write has no effect on the behavior of big government politicians. But how you vote does. The greatest power you have to stop big government is your vote. When you sit out the vote, or worse, when you vote for big government Democrats or Republicans, it empowers and emboldens them. What do you get? More big government.

When you vote small government, you’re changing the game. When you vote for small-government-Libertarian candidates, you’re throwing down the gauntlet. You’re demanding a stop to high taxes, bailouts and obscene government debt. You make small government, low taxes, low government spending, more jobs and more freedom possible.

Remember when Ma Bell was the only game in town for telephones and telephone service? Cell phone technology had already been invented, yet we were stuck for decades with big, clunky rotary-dialed phones. When we took away Ma Bell’s government-granted monopoly, we got portable phones, cell phones, smart phones, mobile tablets, and hundreds of new features. Real competition breeds progress.

Democrats and Republicans want a monopoly on elections, just like Ma Bell. They want you to believe your only choice is a Democrat or a Republican who will deliver clunky, wasteful, high-tax, high-debt, war-waging, freedom-fading, job-killing big government. But you have a choice. You can vote Libertarian.

Libertarians say: Stop overspending. End phony stimulus bailouts. Eliminate hundreds of agencies and departments that do more harm than good. Downsize big government — now.

Libertarians say: Remove thousands of useless government regulations, so businesses can compete and thrive in a global economy — and create new jobs.

Libertarians say: Federal government central planning of education gives us higher costs, red tape and worse outcomes. We must end government central planning and return control of schools to parents, teachers and local communities.

Libertarians say: Repeal the failed and deadly war on drugs. Leave people free — so long as they harm no one else. Restore our freedoms while dramatically reducing crime.

Libertarians say: Don’t just oppose the ridiculous anti-gun measures that Obama’s proposing — that Republicans are caving into. Repeal all life-endangering laws on the books that that disarm peaceful, law-abiding citizens so they’re free to stop and prevent violent crime and horrific shooting sprees. That’s how we’ll make our streets and our schools safe.

Libertarians say: Repeal and defund Obamacare — now. And with it, get rid of a boat-load of government agencies, laws and regulations that serve to enrich special interests — while driving Americans to bankruptcy. Get government out of the way so health care and medical insurance serve the needs of customers and deliver high-quality care at a fraction of today’s prices and premiums.

Libertarians say: Stop handing out subsidies to foreign dictators. Stop engaging in foreign wars. Ground the 3,000 drones that are flying around spying on Americans. Bring our troops home — out of harm’s way. Cut military spending, and promote peace.

Libertarians say: Cut taxes now. Permanently. Big, bold tax cuts that take money out of the hands of politicians and return it to the men and women who earned it.

The state of the union today is: We’re in trouble. Our economy, our freedoms and our safety are at risk because government is way, way too Big. Big government Democrats and Republicans made it this way. We must stop them from growing big government more, turn it around, and make it small.

The Libertarian Party and our candidates are working for much smaller government, low taxes, no more debt, peace — and freedom.

Is that what you want? It’s possible — but only if you stop voting for big government Democrats and Republicans. And only if you vote for small government.

The Libertarian Party is the only political party in American that is dedicated to boldly and immediately shrinking big government — making it small. Over 15 million, 750 thousand votes were cast for Libertarian candidates in 2012 — the highest ever. We’re growing. And we need to grow more. We need your help. Are you ready to act? To take back this country? Please join us. Please join the Libertarian Party today. Help us make government small — and make America prosperous, safe and free.

Carla Howell is the executive director of the Libertarian Party’s National Committee.