The Roy Moore for Senate campaign has turned into a carnival sideshow. Accusations have come from five women that Judge Roy Moore, Alabama’s Republican Senate candidate made improper sexual advances to teenage girls when he was in his thirties and held office as a District Attorney in Gadsden, AL. Dozens of Republican office holders from Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to Senior Alabama Senator Richard Shelby have called on Moore to withdraw from the campaign. Moore adamantly refuses.
Republicans are frantically looking for a write-in candidate. They don’t need to bother. Libertarian Ron Bishop is already a write-in candidate, excluded from appearing by name on the ballot because of Alabama’s draconian ballot access laws. To retain ballot status, a party in Alabama must receive 20 percent of the vote in a statewide race. That results in an effective Republican/Democratic party duopoly. As a result, voters in Alabama are faced with two unpalatable choices and denied the alternative of a reasonable, sane, common-sense third choice unless they go to the trouble of writing it in themselves.
Writing Ron Bishop’s name on the ballot in Alabama is easy, but in order to do that people first need to know that he’s a Senate candidate who will represent them with fiscal sanity, social harmony, and peace.
On the issues, Bishop holds common-sense positions that are agreeable to Alabamians from across the political spectrum. From his campaign website, here is Ron Bishop on the issues:
Budget
Government should not incur debt, which burdens future generations without their consent. I support the passage of a “Balanced Budget Amendment” to the U.S. Constitution, provided that the budget is balanced exclusively by cutting expenditures, and not by raising taxes.
Civil Rights
Libertarians value the right of all to live in whatever manner they choose, so long as they do not forcibly interfere with the equal right of others to live in whatever manner they choose.
To this end, I believe we should:
- Protect freedom of religion, association, speech, press, and assembly.
- Reverse the militarization of law-enforcement agencies.
- Reform asset-forfeiture laws.
- Restore Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches and seizures.
- Restore voting and gun rights for those convicted of non-violent drug offenses.
- Fight against federal overreach and government spying programs.
- Restrict law-enforcement use of general surveillance technologies.
- Protect internet freedom & privacy.
Free Speech:
The definition of Free Speech is that offensive, mean, hateful, and just plain wrong speech is protected. It does not mean that only right and proper speech is allowed. As an example I am opposed to efforts on college campuses and elsewhere that attempt to silence voices that don’t agree with someone’s conception of the truth. On the other hand, no person or institution should be compelled to provide a soapbox.
Crime
I believe that the label of “crime” should be limited to actions of force or fraud against another individual or group. I believe that such crimes should be prosecuted and punished by our justice system but that actions that don’t involve force or fraud should not be criminalized or penalized in the first place.
An example is the insane war on drugs. It should be ended immediately, and any expenditures be spent on prevention and treatment instead of incarceration. A good place to start is with decriminalization of marijuana at the Federal Level.
Economy
Free trade is the cornerstone of prosperity. We should be seeking ways to increase trade with other nations, not imposing restrictions and barriers. We should allow innovation, entrepreneurship, and invention to thrive in our county and not put burdensome regulations on them.
Education
In a society of free people, the government should have no role in education. It should certainly have no role in the development of political philosophy that will be utilized by the people in defining the government. For this and constitutional reasons there is no proper role for the Federal Government in education.
Energy
In the complex and intertwined realm of Energy and the Economy it is best that the government stay out of the way and let the market adjust to the ever-changing landscape. Energy sources that have become economically nonviable should not be subsidized. New innovations should be encouraged through low taxes across the board.
Environment
Protecting the environment requires a clear understanding and enforcement of individual rights and responsibilities regarding resources like land, water, air, and wildlife.
Foreign Policy
America is embroiled in stalemate wars all over the world. For too long we have allowed Washington to sacrifice our blood and treasure and it is time that we bring the troops home.
North Korea — Sadly North Korea is already a nuclear State. That is simply an unfortunate fact. The North Korean regime is feeding off this make-believe war with the U.S. We should engage with China and partner with them in peaceful negotiations to dial down the rhetoric and discourage North Korea from building a nuclear arsenal.
Government Reform
The U.S. Government has grown far beyond the bounds defined in the Constitution and recommended by good sense. The best reform would be a sharp reduction in its scope and power.
Guns
I believe in the fundamental right of the people to keep and bear arms protected by the second amendment to the Constitution. The second amendment isn’t about hunting or self-defense. It is about radical Freedom. As long as the People are armed, they shall be free.
Health
I believe that each person has the right to make his or her own medical decisions. Libertarians support removing government meddling from healthcare. The Individual Mandate must be repealed. It is simply wrong that one American is required to buy a product of another American to make some convoluted system work.
To improve health care coverage, restrictions on purchasing health insurance across State lines should be removed and restrictions on deductibles should be lifted. We should work toward a system where health insurance is carried by the individual rather than the employer.
Immigration
We are a nation of immigrants. Every serious study has proven that immigration has made us stronger, not weaker. We should be encouraging immigration, simplifying the process for peace loving people of the world to join us in being the greatest nation on this planet, and NOT building walls.
Infrastructure
There is a role for government in developing and maintaining infrastructure that is for the benefit of all. This activity should operate within a balanced budget and extremely limited use of eminent domain.
Military
I support the maintenance of a sufficient military to defend the United States against aggression. The United States should both avoid entangling alliances and abandon its attempts to act as policeman for the world. I would oppose any form of compulsory national service.
Poverty
A strong and growing economy is the best way to alleviate poverty. Taxes should be lowered for all; free trade should be promoted. The minimum wage hurts those at the bottom rungs of the economic ladder the most; it should be eliminated.
Social Security
Retirement planning is the responsibility of the individual, not the government. Libertarians would phase out the current government-sponsored Social Security system and transition to a private voluntary system.
Taxes
I believe that taxes have the same effect as over-reaching regulations and are a confiscation of the property of other people. I advocate reducing and eliminating taxes whenever possible to free people and businesses to do what they do best, so that everyone can have a chance to succeed.
Terrorism
If we have learned anything over the last decade or so, it’s that we can’t bomb our way out of the vexing problem of terrorism. We should reach out to and try to understand aggrieved individuals and populations. In this context we must maintain strong relations with our allies. Certainly, the wrong path is the steady erosion of constitutional rights in the name of patriotism and security.
Values
Freedom is the value that we Americans all hold in common. And we should remember that Freedom can only thrive in a culture of toleration and decency.
