Presidential Candidates running for the Libertarian Party nomination submitted 175-word statements for the upcoming issue of LP News, the national Libertarian Party newsletter.
The following candidates last qualified* for posting of presidential candidates to the LP.org web site: Lee Wrights, Bill Still, Carl Person, Gary Johnson, and Jim Burns. Below are their statements:
R. Lee Wrights
The Libertarian Party can make a difference in 2012, but the only way we can do that is by being different. We can only make a difference if our presidential candidate is willing and able to present a clear, principled, unwavering and unequivocal libertarian message that offers Americans true choices and rational alternatives.
We can only make a difference if we’re not afraid to offer a radically different answer to our nation’s problems, not variations or modifications of the false solutions promoted by Democrats and Republicans.
The libertarian promise of peace and prosperity is a message Americans are longing to hear. We don’t need to soften, refine or modify what we believe to win votes. Instead, we must embrace our beliefs and wear them proudly.
As the Libertarian candidate for President of the United States, I’ll make this bold stand. I’ve never been afraid to speak truth to power, and I won’t stop now. I’ll guarantee that in 2012 the Libertarian Party is the difference that makes a difference.
Bill Still
The main problem troubling all Americans is the economy. Unfortunately, central banks (China, England, European Central Bank, and Japan) have pumped over $7 trillion into the world economy. This “hot” money is making all stock markets rise and this is the main “economic” number people pay attention to, unfortunately.
This makes Obama’s re-election much easier. But wait, wait: A hot money bubble is very temporary – typically 18 months – enough to get Obama through the election certainly.
The problem is that the quantity of money is not in the hands of we, the people. We have ZERO control over the QUANTITY. Banks and central banks are in complete control over the quantity of money in every nation on earth. I’m the only candidate anywhere who understands this and knows what to do about it.
1. No more national debt. A sovereign nation does not have to borrow. We borrow from banks and central banks and thereby we have a nation that has lost its sovereignty to the biggest banks.
Carl Person
2012 should be our year, but we need to sell our party to voters. Being against war, taxes, regulation and in favor of personal freedoms is insufficient. We need to show voters through specific issues of importance to them (i.e., jobs, homes, education, business opportunities) that Libertarianism provides the desired solutions for voters. My issues (targeted deregulation to let small business create jobs, provide needed vocational training and create prosperity, and option to stay in foreclosed homes) will attract millions of voters who have lost almost everything through their elected Republicans and Democrats. No candidate in any party except me has specific, workable proposals to reach voters and attract their vote. 20,000,000 jobs can be created through my plan “First 3 Are Free” (i.e., treated as independent contractors, as a head start for small business); preemptive legislation to let small business advertise for capital (now illegal), and preemptive legislation to deregulate higher education and vocational training, to train millions of unemployed, underemployed, retirees, disadvantaged to become highly-paid “Technical Assistant to Small Business Owner”.
Gary Johnson
America, for the first time in modern history, is poised to reject the tired two-party duopoly that has brought the nation to its knees economically, while firmly implanting government in every aspect of our lives, families and businesses.
After many months of traveling the country and hearing the concerns and aspirations of thousands of Americans, I am more convinced than ever that the real majority today consists of individuals who not only want a government which spends less, but also does less. Less management of our lives. Less manipulation of our money. And less involvement in wars and nation-building we can neither afford nor justify as clear national interests.
That majority wants and deserves not only a voice in this election, but a viable candidate who has governed – successfully — on the basis of libertarian principles. I am that candidate, and I ask for the support of Libertarians across the nation as we make history in 2012.
www.garyjohnson2012.com
Jim Burns
Libertarians, I want to say thank you. Thank you because you are special: Special because you are chosen: Chosen because you made a choice. Your choice is libertarianism. Libertarians believe that people should be allowed to live as they choose so long as they do not initiate force, threaten to initiate force or engage in fraud. When Libertarianism is adopted, we will enter an age of Peace, Prosperity and Progress. You are special people because of your knowledge and with that knowledge you are among the only people who can bring us all: Peace, Prosperity and Progress. We are not better than anyone else. We are just people – but, because of our knowledge and choices, we do have it within our power to bring us all Peace, Prosperity, and Progress. Our task is not easy, nothing of value ever is. I am Jim Burns. I am seeking the Libertarian Party nomination for President. http://www.jimburnsforpresident.com/
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100000094450639
PO Box 1139, Beatty, NV 89003, 541-261-4163, 702-722-9494
* Four additional candidates, some of whom made appearances at state LP conventions, did not qualify for posting to this web site: Joy Waymire, Sam Sloan, Lee Saunders, and James Ogle. The qualifications were to be a dues-paying member of the national Libertarian Party and to have received at least 5 votes of LNC members approving their inclusion. Since those criteria were established, the LNC decided to remove all candidates from the presidential candidates page at this web site.
We offered these additional candidates a chance to submit statements for this issue of LP News, but ended up having to cut their submissions for space – with our apologies. Their statements are below:
Barbara “Miss Joy” Waymire
Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, employee, employer, sole proprietor, Jill of All, Master of None, self-sufficient, and a desire to serve the will of the people; by, for and with the people as a Team.
None look for the root of the issues; the trampling of Individual Freedom and the stripping of the State’s Powers.
I stand for Individual Freedom. Many have confused Freedom with equality under the law.
You cannot extend the “Olive branch of Peace” with military bases to enforce it. I support closing all foreign bases and reducing the size and scope of the military to protect the citizens and our borders.
I support abolishing the Federal Reserve and restoring a sound currency, backed by silver, gold and other precious metals.
I support Term Limits and per diem pay over Congressional salaries, perks and pensions. Politics was not intended to be a career choice, for then the career becomes foremost over the people.
I support closing useless departments such as: Commerce, Education, etc.; reducing government expenditures; a balanced budget
.
Sam Sloan
In 2010, I was runner-up for the NYLP’s Gubernatorial Nomination. I served as Media Relations Director and as State Representative for the Manhattan LP. I serve as Treasurer of the Queens LP and as Secretary of the San Francisco LP. I am a Book Publisher, Chess Champion and was the last pro se litigant to orally argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court and win. I have eight children (one daughter who served in the U.S. Marines in Iraq & two sons in the U.S. Army who are about to be deployed to Afghanistan).
I will end the War on Drugs and the War on our Civil Liberties. I support our country’s right to self-defense but generally oppose any foreign military interventions.
I will use my candidacy to expand the base of the LP by adopting the Stevens’ Strategy (named after Dr. Tom Stevens), which involves reaching out to individuals alienated from the political system (e.g. polygamists, nudists, atheists, Buddhists, home-schoolers) and offering them a long-term home in the Libertarian Party.
Leroy Saunders
The American people are fed up with big government this is why I believe the time is right for us Libertarians to stand up and take the lead. We have the most powerful political message lower taxes, less government, peace and more freedom is not enough. Its not enough to put forth a different message you must also put forth a different candidate. Americans overwhelmingly do not trust politicians so why put forth another politician? We have to give the voters a clear cut choice. We must elect a game changer. An average American that can resonate with the people. An average American has the ability to tap into theraw emotions and the frustration of the people. If you do this you can and will inspire those same people to act and that is how wemake history and elect the first Libertarian President! A candidate that can galvanize Americans and transmit to the people how through Libertarian principles their lives can be profoundly better. This is why I should obtain the Presidential nominee of the Libertarian party!
James Ogle
My name is James Orlando Ogle. My logo is Joogle, and Google derived from my logo in 1997 because I started a virtual parliament that allows all voters to work in unity based on marked ballots kept as proof under ranked choice majority voting, while giving every voter more liberty to self-categorize as they wish.
I have innovated the ranked choice consensus voting system which guarantees that legislation can be approved by allowing multiple alternatives to be ranked, the more the better, so that items with 100% approval can be approved by consensus.
In addition, ranked choice majority voting can be used to find alternatives in Congress, where any item receiving 50% plus one vote can be considered approved by a simple majority, thus doing away with all the fighting and bickering that you’re used to seeing in politics.
I won the Libertarian Party primary with 52.7% of the total votes cast on these planks, along with philosophy of the the non-initiation of force, smaller government and more liberty. Please see USParliament.org for more information: http://www.usparliament.org/google2012.php
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Opinions vary greatly among Libertarian Party members about where to draw the line in offering exposure to the various individuals who throw their hats in the ring to run for the Libertarian nomination for president. The results of a recent survey on this topic tabulated as of March 29, 2012 are below:
Poll Question: Should the Libertarian Party list presidential candidates at its web site?
Yes. List every Libertarian presidential candidate that we know of without qualification.
32% (1080 votes)
Limited: List every candidate who is a dues-paying member of the LP and has a functioning web site.
21% (690 votes)
Limited: List every candidate who meets the above criteria, plus meets the approval of at least 5 LNC members.
14% (476 votes)
Limited: List every candidate who meets the criteria and is not disqualified by at least 12 (2/3rds) of LNC members.
14% (460 votes)
Limited: List every candidate who petitions LP members and gets at least 100 to approve their being listed.
10% (324 votes)
Use other limits, or do something else: Go to our Facebook page and post your ideas!
2% (76 votes)
No. Candidates should generate their own publicity and makes themselves known to LP members.
7% (229 votes)
Total votes: 3335
