For Immediate Release Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Barr Proposes to Stop Taxpayer Funds for Parties’ Conventions
‘My party has already held its convention without a single taxpayer dollar in its support,’ notes Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party presidential nominee. But the Republican and Democratic conventions live on federal subsidies. Each party is receiving $16 million for operating expenses and another $50 million for security. But even this might not be enough in the view of some people. Colorado officials are talking about trying to pry some additional money from the feds.
‘It probably doesn’t surprise a lot of people that Sen. Barack Obama’s party is trying to pry more money out of government. After all, Democrats have perfected the art of using a political crowbar to bust open the Treasury’s doors. But why is Sen. John McCain, supposed maverick and reformer, going along with the raid? How is he any different than any of the other people who fill Washington clamoring for a bailout?’ Barr asks.
‘Unfortunately, too many people spend too much time prying money from the feds,’ observes Barr. ‘And both parties are to blame. It’s easier to list the groups that don’t get federal handouts than those that fill their pockets every year. With a half-trillion dollar deficit and a $9.5 trillion national debt, we obviously can’t afford to have all of these people breaking into the Treasury all the time,’ says Barr.
‘But what can be more obnoxious than forcing taxpayers to underwrite other people’s political opinions? As Thomas Jefferson told us: to compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions that he disbelieves is sinful and tyrannical. You’d think someone who postures as an opponent of special interests and government pork wouldn’t expect the taxpayers to subsidize his own very special interest political campaign,’ notes Barr.
‘It’s time someone in Washington said ‘no,” explains Barr. ‘It won’t be Senators Barack Obama or John McCain, both of whom are creatures of the Washington establishment. Sen. Obama talks about a new politics, but his policies look an awful lot like the old liberalism. Sen. McCain says he is a maverick, but that doesn’t include getting his own political party off of the federal dole. When he does break with his own party he lines up with the Democrats. Whenever the issue is individual rights versus government power, he chooses government power.’
‘Only I will say ‘no’ when city officials come to Washington trying to pry more money from the feds. I will tell the farmers the same. That’s what I will say to Big Business as well as Big Labor. I will have the same message for defense contractors and foreign governments. And for political parties, big and small, including my own,’ Barr says. ‘If Americans want Washington to operate differently, they have to choose a different candidate, one who isn’t part of the duopoly that has ruled Washington for a century-and-a-half. They need to vote for Bob Barr and the Libertarian Party.’
Bob Barr represented the 7th District of Georgia in the U. S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003, where he served as a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, as Vice-Chairman of the Government Reform Committee, and as a member of the Committee on Financial Services. Prior to his congressional career, Barr was appointed by President Reagan to serve as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, and also served as an official with the CIA. Since leaving Congress, Barr has been practicing law and has teamed up with groups ranging from the American Civil Liberties Union to the American Conservative Union to actively advocate every American citizens’ right to privacy and other civil liberties guaranteed in the Bill of Rights. Along with this, Bob is committed to helping elect leaders who will strive for smaller government, lower taxes and abundant individual freedom.
The Libertarian Party is America’s third largest political party, founded in 1971 as an alternative to the two main political parties. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party by visiting www.LP.org . The Libertarian Party proudly stands for smaller government, lower taxes and more freedom.
