Presidents’ Day is often filled with glorification of men who have held the highest office in the land—most of whom have expanded government power, trampled civil liberties, and driven us deeper into debt. But rather than blindly celebrating politicians, let’s ask a more important question:
What makes a good President?
From a Libertarian perspective, a good President is one who prioritizes individual liberty, small government, free markets, and non-interventionism. It’s not about charisma, speechmaking, or how well they “unite” the country—it’s about how much they stay out of your life and keep government in check.
Let’s break down what a real pro-liberty President would look like and highlight policies that, even if rare, have embodied libertarian values.
A Good President Shrinks Government, Not Grows It
Every President takes an oath to “preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution.” Most have broken that oath by expanding federal power far beyond what the Founders intended. A good President understands that government is the biggest threat to liberty—not its protector.
Libertarian Policies in Action:
- Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929): While not a full Libertarian, Coolidge believed in limited government, cutting taxes, and reducing federal spending. His hands-off economic policies helped fuel the Roaring Twenties, proving that free markets, not government intervention, drive prosperity.
- Welfare Reform (1996): While deeply flawed in execution, the bipartisan effort to limit federal welfare and return some decision-making to the states under President Clinton and a Republican Congress was a small step toward reducing government dependence. A real Libertarian approach would go even further—ending government welfare in favor of private charity and voluntary solutions.
Most Presidents inflate government power—a good one would actively dismantle it.
A Good President Ends Unconstitutional Wars & Foreign Intervention
The U.S. government has been at war for over 90% of its existence. War has long been the excuse for Presidents to seize unchecked power, destroy civil liberties, and waste trillions of taxpayer dollars. A good President prioritizes diplomacy, defense—not offense—and respects the Constitution’s requirement that Congress declare war.
Libertarian Policies in Action:
- Ending the Draft (1973): The elimination of conscription was a huge victory for individual liberty. The government has no right to force people into military service. A truly Libertarian President would go even further by reducing military intervention and closing unnecessary overseas bases.
- Bringing Troops Home (Afghanistan Withdrawal, 2021): While handled poorly, ending America’s longest war was a rare instance of government pulling back. A real Libertarian President would end foreign entanglements, stop arming dictators, and cut the bloated military-industrial complex.
The best way to “support the troops” is to stop sending them to die for endless, unwinnable wars.
A Good President Respects Civil Liberties – ALL of Them
The Bill of Rights is not negotiable—but time and time again, Presidents have gutted constitutional protections in the name of safety, morality, or political convenience. From warrantless surveillance to gun control, a good President defends your rights, even when it’s unpopular.
Libertarian Policies in Action:
- Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage (2015): The Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges affirmed that the government has no business telling consenting adults who they can marry. A real Libertarian President would go further—removing marriage from government control altogether.
- Ending Marijuana Prohibition (Ongoing): The slow move toward marijuana legalization is a massive win for personal freedom. A good President wouldn’t just stop at weed—they’d end the entire failed War on Drugs, pardoning all non-violent drug offenders and letting people make their own choices.
- Abolishing the Patriot Act (Still Waiting…): A Libertarian President would end mass surveillance, shut down unconstitutional spying, and repeal the Patriot Act—which has done nothing but strip away rights under the guise of fighting terrorism.
A government big enough to spy on you is too big, period.
A Good President Respects Economic Freedom & Free Markets
Every dollar the government takes from you is money you earned, money you should control, and money politicians waste. A good President doesn’t just cut taxes—they slash spending so taxes aren’t needed in the first place.
Libertarian Policies in Action:
- JFK’s Tax Cuts (1960s) & Reagan’s Tax Cuts (1980s): While neither was a Libertarian, both recognized that lower taxes fuel economic growth. A true Libertarian President would abolish the income tax altogether and dismantle the IRS’s grip on hardworking Americans.
- Ending Price Controls (Airline Deregulation, 1978): When the government controlled air travel prices, flying was expensive and inefficient. Deregulation made flights cheaper and better for everyone. The same logic applies to healthcare, education, and energy—free markets work.
- Cryptocurrency & Decentralized Finance (Ongoing): A Libertarian President would protect Bitcoin, crypto, and other financial innovations from government interference. The less control politicians have over money, the better.
If government intervention actually worked, we wouldn’t be $34 trillion in debt.
So What Would a Libertarian President Actually Do?
- Cut spending, cut taxes, and cut government bloat.
- End the surveillance state and restore civil liberties.
- Bring the troops home and stop endless wars.
- Pardon all non-violent drug offenders and end the Drug War.
- Protect the Second Amendment—no compromises, no restrictions.
- Dismantle the federal bureaucracy and return power to individuals.
In short, a good President should make themselves as irrelevant in your daily life as possible.
Do We Have Any Hope?
The reality is, no modern President has been remotely Libertarian. Even the ones who talked about limited government (like Reagan or Trump) still expanded federal power in major ways. The system is built to reward power-hungry politicians, not liberty-minded leaders.
But change doesn’t start at the White House. It starts locally. Run for office. Vote for true pro-freedom candidates. Reject the two-party duopoly.
This Presidents’ Day, don’t just celebrate past leaders—demand better ones.
#LibertyFirst #EndGovernmentOverreach #MakeGovernmentSmallAgain