What is a Libertarian?

Being libertarian is becoming a much more common thing. How this came about can be attributed to more things than any of us have time to completely cover, but this project is an attempt to gather an understanding. I am a college student in Bowling Green, Kentucky working on finishing up my degree in marketing. In this life I live I happen to be surrounded by tons of political influences. My father is a moderate conservative, my brother a little further to the right, my oldest sister along the same lines, my other sister is basically in the Green Party, and my mother just wants to live. Business college professors refuse to discuss any social policies and the rest of the university doesn't care about money. Needless to say, I have pretty defined political values and influences. In the midst of all the bickering, fighting, arguing, un-friending, and smear campaigning I couldn't take it anymore. Not that I wasn't passionate about politics anymore, but no longer did I want to be a part of what was happening. Trump sucks, Cruz sucks, Clinton sucks, and Sanders does too. A friend of a friend made me realize that those of us who didn't like any of them are called "Libertarian". So what does this mean? That's what I'm here to explain. Follow me:

Libertarians Believe in Liberty

This is principle number one. It is a very difficult principle to understand so keep it in my mind as we go through all of this. Liberty doesn't always mean what you may think it means. True liberty isn't found in a clear and concise document anywhere. While the Bill of Rights is in theory a good place to begin, it is not nearly enough to encompass the thought that makes Libertarianism so beautiful. One of the deepest flaws in leaning on any government document is the fact that the governing body is controlling too much and violating its very core principles. In order to understand the liberty that is reflected in Libertarian beliefs, we must simplify the whole basis: Do what it is that you want to do as long as you are not stopping anyone else from doing what they want to, or harming anyone or their possessions. Keep that simplicity in mind as we jump through a couple more aspects of these new politics.

Libertarians Want to Minimize Government

When discussing Senator Sanders's position of college funded by taxes, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky said something that I believe really helps explain the importance of minimal government. "Ultimately a government big enough to give you everything is a government big enough to take it away from you." (Rand Paul's Facebook Page) When you take a loan out with your local bank you may give them collateral such as a home or car, and you'll always sign up to pay back more than you borrow. In the case of government funded programs like higher education, healthcare, financial aids, and many more, the government is now acting as a bank. They now have a stake in your education, your utilization of medical care, your savings and earnings, and they will not hesitate to do what it takes to increase the value of their stake in your life. Libertarians don't want to see your future in the hands of the suits in D.C. There is no such thing as a free lunch, and we haven't even began to discuss the tax side of government control.

Libertarians Enjoy Keeping Their Paychecks

One of the hot topics of twenty-first century politics is the shrinking middle class. Let's face it, there's a lingering sense of fear in the buying decisions of your average American. Economic success in the global economy is cyclical and there isn't always much we can do about it. When American families have to strap down and cut back, the last thing we need to be doing is trying to take more of their discretionary income. We have seen recently through the release of the Panama Papers that some of the most wealthy in this nation already feel like they are paying too much in taxes. Because of this they move their wealth offshore where they don't have to sacrifice as much of their earnings. Imagine cutting back the tax rate for that class, encouraging them to bring their wealth back to US borders, and working with them instead of demonizing them. It is time that we begin emphasizing the pride of being successful and innovative in this country. Businesses should be rewarded, and entrepreneurs should not be forced to give up more of their earnings just because they have made their success.

Libertarians Love Seeing You Live Your Life

This is what I consider the hand-in-hand most important aspect of Libertarian principles. We, as Libertarians, want to see the men and women in this nation thrive in whatever makes them happy. There's no reason for the government to regulate who can marry who, there's no reason for the government to tell you what substances are best for your life, there's no reason for the government to tell you that you owe them money for doing what you have to do to survive, there's no reason for police to not be held accountable, there's no reason for any race or religion or gender to feel less than equal, and there's no reason for the government to volunteer our young men and women to fight their wars whenever they decide it is worth fighting. Libertarians are here to fight for your right to live the life you want freely and without reservation.

So What Now?

So now that you have a little idea of some of the core values of Libertarians, it is time for you to check it out yourself. Do some internet searching, watch the first ever televised Libertarian debate or the second debate and get acquainted with where the party is heading. Check back with my blog for more opinions, interviews, videos, resources, and more on all the latest topics.