Issue #60
Last Update October 22, 2008
National Libertarians at Last by Gert Innsry January 15, 2008 For the entire first term of the Bush administration, and well into the second term, Libertarians have been missing in action as our Constitution was being trashed. In the last year, they have finally awakened to the perils the rest of us have been screaming about for some time. In public statements, they have attacked warrantless government intrusions on private communications, the weakening of habeas corpus, the Iraq war, and other issues. While it is sad that it took them so long to recover their basic principles from the delirious fog of tax cuts and regulatory weakening that had them in thrall, we welcome them to the fight for a free America.
In July, 2007, the Libertarian party issued a series of press releases about Iraq and the “surge”. “With casualties in Iraq continuing to mount and support of the war continuing to dissipate, more Americans are demanding that troop withdrawal begin immediately, and not 'in a while.' The Libertarian Party, which has continually opposed the invasion and occupation of Iraq, agrees with and supports these sentiments that are spreading throughout the nation. ... The Libertarian Party believes in a non-interventionist foreign policy, and strongly opposes the war in Iraq.” The party's “continual opposition” was not notably in evidence in the runup to the war, nor during its disastrous first years, but better late than never. "There comes a time when a mistake must be corrected," says Andrew Davis, Media Coordinator for LNC. "However, President Bush continues to ignore the reality in Iraq with unrealistic optimism. The American public has been waiting since 2003 for a conclusion to the war Bush started, but since then, all we have heard are hollow promises of progress to come. ... What does he hope to find at the end of all of this that he hasn't found in the past four years? What good will a few more months do that four years could not have done? Nothing, except give more time for more empty promises while our men and women in uniform are asked to make the ultimate sacrifice. ... Today is the day to begin our withdrawal from Iraq. Not tomorrow. Not in September. Today. It's not about winning or losing anymore. It's about admitting error, safely withdrawing our troops and making sure that in the future, we only elect leaders who avoid the initiation of force at all costs."
Despite these statement, the Libertarian party attacked the Congressional withdrawal plan advocated by Democratic leaders. “After reviewing legislation passed yesterday in the U.S. House of Representatives, which sets a plan for limited troop withdrawal from Iraq starting next year, the Libertarian Party stated serious concerns about the plan's flaws, saying it would jeopardize the safety of U.S. forces.” The party went on to call for the military to plan a complete withdrawal, leaving no US troops behind. There was no indication from Libertarians that the proposed withdrawal plan is even a step in the right direction. Louder opposition from the Libertarian party might have been helpful in convincing some Republicans, who claim to be Libertarians at heart, to abandon their support for the war.
On the issue of the Bush Administration’s drumbeat for a war with Iran, the Libertarian party stands flatly opposed. “The Libertarian Party has criticized the Bush administration's new sanctions on Iran, saying the sanctions only worsen an already delicate situation. Libertarian Party Executive Director Shane Cory says "the United States should pursue more dialogue and less saber-rattling when dealing with Iran.
"At the end of October, the party came out strongly against torture in any form. “The Libertarian Party says that the use of torture should not even be a question, while commenting on the current debate over the use of "waterboarding," a torture technique that simulates the psychological feeling of drowning. ... “The issue of whether or not the United States should engage in torture should not even be a question for any civilized society," says Shane Cory, executive director of the Libertarian Party. "The question of whether or not torture is permissible, regardless of legality, is simple: absolutely not,"
The torture coverup by the Administration was criticized by the party in mid-December, with praise of the investigation into CIA tape destruction. “The Libertarian Party calls Rep. Peter Hoekstra's (R-Mich.) refusal to kowtow to the Bush administration's request to suspend the House Intelligence Committee's investigation of the destroyed CIA tapes a courageous act in the pursuit of truth. "Rep. Hoekstra demonstrated great courage by breaking party lines in the pursuit of truth Hoekstra is leading a House Intelligence Committee investigation of CIA tapes allegedly destroyed in 2005 by CIA officials after being told the tapes would be needed in investigations of abusive interrogation techniques. Despite being warned not to destroy the tapes, CIA officials proceeded anyway, claiming a need to protect the identities of interrogators. The tapes are believed to document the interrogation of top al-Qaeda suspects in 2002.”
On another issue, at the beginning of December: “The Libertarian Party says firefighters should not be used as domestic spies, and the current Department of Homeland Security training program to do this should be scrapped immediately. ... The Department of Homeland Security is turning American heroes into government spies."
On the subject of a national ID, the party had this to say in mid January, 2008: “While Friday's press conference with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff outlined new steps towards implementing federally mandated requirements for state-issued driver's licenses, the Libertarian Party is calling to scrap the program altogether. ... It's a states' rights issue as much as it is a privacy issue. ... The Libertarian Party believes the Real ID act is unconstitutional because it violates the Tenth Amendment, which delegates powers such as driver's licensing to the states. The LP also feels the Real ID act is an intrusion of a citizen's right to privacy from the government, and does little to prevent terrorism or illegal immigration--two of the chief justifications used by the Department of Homeland Security. ... The massive database that would be created by the Real ID Act, containing all manner of private information on citizens, is potentially one of the most privacy-invasive laws in the history of our country."
Finally, on the increasing erosion of the separation of church and state, the Libertarian Party has this to say: “The Libertarian Party is calling President Bush's proclamation establishing Jan. 16, 2008 as "Religious Freedom Day" an ironic twist of reality. Apparently there are only certain Constitutional rights President Bush finds worthy of appreciation ... While the President says that religious freedom should be universally accepted, ... he's denied the right of habeas corpus to people both in America and abroad. ... From Bush condoning former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' denial of the writ of habeas corpus, to the Bush administration's illegal wiretaps on American citizens, the Libertarian Party has consistently maintained Bush has violated the First, Fourth and Sixth Amendments during his time as President.”
The core values of the Libertarian party have always been protective of our freedoms. It's nice to see that they are finally standing up for them.
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