"Liberty means to exercise human rights in any manner a person chooses so long as it does not interfere with the exercise of the rights of others." – Liberty Defined
If you were to look at a football field and saw Democrats in one end-zone and Republicans in the other, would libertarians be on the fifty-yard line? No, the libertarian would be across town in an entirely different arena. Ron Paul’s “Liberty Defined” will help you understand why.
American politics has become a tug-of-war between the red and the blue, with both sides refusing to cede ground, or their team will lose. With so much power concentrated in Washington, too many people will do anything to obtain it. Yet, as we see-saw back and forth from left to right every election cycle, neither side appears to be interested in the founding principle of liberty. Indeed, freedom is a threat to the power of government, and the government hates competition.
Libertarians, on the other hand, believe in limiting the power of the government and defending the rights of the individual, because at its core, liberty is a natural right from God. To our fellow man, we only ask one thing, “Don’t hurt other people and don’t take their things”. And in the arena of the marketplace, we simply say “laissez-faire” – let go; leave us alone.
In Ron Paul’s 2011 book, “Liberty Defined”, Paul looks at 50 different controversial topics and offers new insight into the binary thinking that defines American politics.
When it comes to immigration, libertarians look for a reasoned alternative between the two extremes of either a fully closed or fully open border. Economic concerns over job losses and free welfare benefits drive the closed border position, while open border advocates seek a similar recognition as those between the US states. In a perfect libertarian world, property rights would give the owner of land control over who may utilize it. Because there would be no government sanctuaries and welfare benefits, immigrants might be sponsored by individuals, businesses, or churches under a guest worker program, responsible for their care and concern. As the immigration system exists today, immigrants shouldn’t be brought in as potential Democrat voters, nor should they be sent back because they won’t vote for Republicans.
Calls for walls must be questioned because walls don’t just keep people out, but they can be used to keep people in. Elizabeth Warren has suggested an exit tax on US citizens who might choose to leave the country when politicians threaten policies that affect their livelihoods. Whatever our position on the matter, as birth rates continue to plunge and baby boomers continue to retire, more workers will be needed to support the economy. The immigration system, legal or illegal, must be settled.
Through our foreign policy of empire-building, the US has established 900 bases in 135 countries around the world, despite our Founders warning about getting involved in other countries’ business. After decades of invading other countries, removing their leaders, and incessantly manipulating them through foreign aid, we are seeing the unintended consequence of our foolish political actions. If you think I’m simply a blame America firster, just count the number of foreign bases on OUR soil.
State’s rights are the annoying little problem that the Constitution created in limiting the power of the federal government. If it’s not listed in the Constitution, then the power belongs to the states and/or the people. Since states are autonomous as laid out in the Tenth Amendment, when the feds overstep their bounds, the Founders created nullification to invalidate federal laws that were deemed unconstitutional. We have already seen this played out in marijuana laws, sanctuary cities, and gun rights legislation. Secession is an additional arrow in the quiver for states that allow outright withdrawal from the union. Internationally we have seen examples like the breakup of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Soviet Union. If it can happen there, it can happen here.
Liberty is a natural right and since it doesn’t come from the government, it can’t be taken away by the government, or anyone else. The competition between overbearing government and individual freedom is an age-old problem. Finding areas of mutual agreement would go a long way toward eliminating many of the problems. Ron Paul shows us how.
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