August 8, 2011
Dear Friend of Liberty,
I’m sure you have heard the news about the Standard & Poor’s downgrade of the U.S. government’s credit rating.
I’m not a finance expert, so I don’t know exactly how important the downgrade itself is. I think it’s one more sign of what Libertarians have known for a long time: the Democrats and Republicans have created a giant welfare-warfare state that is beginning to collapse under its own weight. And I see no sign that they are going to change their behavior.
However, I think it’s important to remember that these politicians aren’t operating in a vacuum — they’re elected (and re-elected) by the people. And I believe that, by and large, they’re giving the voters what they want: lots and lots of government benefits, regulations, and programs.
Even the Tea Party groups claim to demand spending cuts, but polls show a large majority of Tea Party supporters oppose cuts to Social Security, or Medicare, or the military.
As a Libertarian, I’d like to believe that most Americans are libertarian at heart, and only vote for big-government politicians because they think there’s no alternative. However, I have to admit that most Americans just aren’t there yet. They still think government is the answer (even if they won’t always admit it).
For example, I’m dismayed by how frequently local bond measures pass, putting local governments further into debt. Those measures seem to pass whether local politics are dominated by Democrats or Republicans.
I believe that part of our goal as a party is to change the hearts and minds of Americans with reason, eloquence, and evidence. We need to deliver the message that statism is not only wrong, it’s also unsustainable. The S&P downgrade gives us one more piece of evidence.
As long as Americans keep voting liberals and conservatives back into office, this decline will continue.
Sincerely,
Wes Benedict
Executive Director
Libertarian National Committee
P.S. If you have not already done so, please join the Libertarian Party. We are the only political party dedicated to free markets, civil liberties, and peace. You can also renew your membership. Or, you can make a contribution separate from membership.
