MCC Party Perspectives
Today’s Opinion page includes a new addition to the Correspondent — a Q&A with the leaders of the three political parties here in Morgan County. In the future, they’ll be tackling local topics that have local impacts, but in this week’s introduction, I thought it prudent to step back and hear, in general terms, how the leaders of our local political parties define their party, and by extension, themselves. — Stephen Crane, editor
Q: As chairs of the county’s three political parties, you’re certainly vested in your respective party, so what is it about your political party — whether the policies, principles or otherwise — that inspired that dedication? And what is unique to your party that sets you apart from the others?
Morgan County Libertarians
I began gravitating toward the Libertarian Party in 2012. That was when I realized that the old parties lack principles. They campaign one way and govern another. It’s gotten so noticeable in recent years that they don’t represent their once-traditional party values.
I’m old enough to remember when Republicans genuinely believed in the 2nd Amendment, lower taxes, and keeping the government small. Today they are open about raising your taxes, approving massive deficit spending, and shutting down your business when you don’t comply. It’s shocking to me that they approve of Red Flag laws with no due process.
Likewise, I remember when Democrats were anti-war, pro-free speech, and believed domestic spying was a path to tyranny. Now they openly suppress speech, support domestic spying, and are just as aggressive with military intervention as the war hawks on the other side.
Today both old parties simply throw negative rhetoric at each other in public, while holding hands to achieve their own goals. The two-party partnership puts our nation trillions of dollars into debt. They send our children off to die in endless interventionist wars. They have our own government spy on us, and strip our freedoms away at every level.
The Libertarian party is the only small government option left for people who genuinely want government out of their daily lives. We believe you know best how to live your life and government bureaucrats have no business making decisions for you and your family. We still believe you should be able to financially provide for your family without unchecked government taxation crippling your paycheck.
We believe your business doesn’t need a silent government partner that makes your life harder, and takes a cut of your profits. We believe in free trade and non-intervention as a foreign policy. We think the government should have to get a warrant to spy on you, and we believe you have a right to defend yourself, your family, and your property.
Governments’ only three real jobs should be: provide for the national defense, not unnecessary intervention, settle contract disputes via the courts, and protect individuals from force, fraud and abuse. That’s about it. If you aren’t hurting people or taking their stuff, the government should leave you alone.
If you also believe that the government should be small enough to fit inside the Constitution, then visit MorganLPIN.org to learn more and consider becoming a member.
~ Danny Lundy is Chair of the Libertarian Party of Morgan County and lives in Mooresville
Opinion published November 22, 2023 in the Morgan County Correspondent
