I believe in using education to fight drug use- at all levels, not just in schools. We need to teach people the dangers that come from drug (or alcohol) use and abuse- the health dangers, the addiction dangers, the breakup of families, the violence, the sexual violence, the loss of control, the damaged careers, the car accidents and crime that results from bad choices. Drugs, in my opinion, are a bad choice.
But here's where I take a sharp turn away from my conservative friends and former political associates. It is time to admit that the present war on drugs is a colossal failure and a waste of lives and taxpayer monies.
It is time to choose education to fight the battle, not incarceration. We are filling our prisons with record numbers of our fellow Americans, ruining their lives, and costing taxpayers billions in wasted dollars. We are expanding government to record levels by hiring tens of thousands of new law enforcement officers, prison guards, parole officers and administrators; building new prisons; funding new prisons; and paying for the lifetime costs of law enforcement and prison system employee pensions and health care- all for what? To put millions of Americans with a health problem, and perhaps an addiction problem in prison, instead of getting them education and medical help?
The most shocking and glaring statistic is that almost one million Americans are arrested each year on marijuana possession charges. Does this make sense? Their lives are often ruined. Their chances of ever finding a good job are taken away. Their opportunity to attend college is destroyed (because one marijuana conviction means you can no longer get financial aid from the government). Their resumes are forever ruined with the stain of a drug conviction and prison time. Why? For one minor mistake of youth? Is this a rational way to treat our own citizens? Our own children?
What is my solution? First, I believe medical marijuana should be legalized. Second, I believe minor marijuana possession should be decriminalized. Third, I believe that drug use in general should be treated as a health issue. Non-violent drug users should be offered rehab, not prison.
Let's tackle this idea that smoking marijuana is a crime worthy of prison time. Smoking marijuana is not my thing- as I explained above. But that's my personal choice. But if marijuana is indeed a drug, it is no different than alcohol. Yet we allow alcohol to be served legally across America at bars, restaurants, nightclubs, casinos, country clubs, social clubs, and of course in millions of private homes. Why do we treat them so differently? Does marijuana cause terrible behavior? Well actually, no. To the contrary, it mellows out violent or agitated people. Some might argue it is therefore medicinal and has a primarily positive effect on a majority of users. But let's assume it has a negative effect (loss of focus, loss of ambition, lung diseases, lung cancer). But so does alcohol. Drinking and abusing alcohol leads to a veritable cornucopia of crime (assaults, rapes, robbery, murder, vehicular manslaughter) and health issues- yet we allow Americans the freedom to choose to drink alcohol (or not).
One might argue it wasn't always that way- Prohibition treated alcohol as a drug and criminalized its use. That is exactly my point. Did it work? Prohibition was perhaps the biggest mistake in the annals of U.S. criminal (and political) history- right next to the war on drugs. It was a complete failure- it stopped few, if any, Americans from drinking alcohol. It made a mockery of the law. It caused the masses of law-abiding average Americans (including policemen, judges, politicians and government officials) to break the law and lose respect for the criminal justice and political system. It put many otherwise law-abiding Americans (who simply wanted a drink) in prison, thereby ruining their lives and costing society billions in lost productivity (not to mention the destruction of families). It led to the birth of Organized Crime (known as "the mafia") and made legends of criminals like Al Capone and Lucky Luciano. It created a billion dollar underground business- with all the profits lost to honest businessmen, and all the taxes lost to the government. It increased crime. It increased corruption- as police, politicians and government officials were bribed to look the other way. It increased the cost of alcohol (anytime you make a product illegal, you make it far more valuable)- thereby costing American consumers a fortune (and handing criminals an easy fortune). And worst of all, it increased the interest of young people in drinking- obviously kids want to experience whatever society declares forbidden.
Sounds exactly like the situation with marijuana today, doesn't it? My point exactly. Just because I don't like a particular product or habit, or approve of it, doesn't mean that I have the moral authority to stop everyone in the whole country from using it. Nor does it mean I should pass laws to throw everyone who disagrees with me in prison. Nor does it mean that we can prevent millions of Americans from expressing their freedom (or choice of entertainment) by creating laws to legislate morality. People have proven for centuries that they are going to do what they are going to do- whether government likes it, or approves of it, or criminalizes it, or not. By prohibiting it, we merely move it underground; make it more valuable and expensive; make criminal gangs and “Organized Crime” wealthy; ruin the lives and productivity of average citizens caught in the criminal net; waste the time of law enforcement (who should be out solving serious crimes); waste billions of taxpayer dollars; and increase crime (because the drugs are more expensive- thereby forcing users to commit ever more violent crimes to afford them).
Interestingly, in this 2008 election we now have a diverse group of Presidential candidates (and their spouses) with prior drug experience. We have Barack Obama who admits drug use- both marijuana and cocaine. We have John McCain, who admits being a "hell raiser," and hating authority as a kid and Naval Academy student (who received a record numbers of demerits and graduated at the bottom of his class). Did he use any drugs? We'll never know- but he sure admits to enjoying an occasional excess of alcohol as a sailor. His wife was a drug abuser of prescription medications- so bad in fact, that she stole drugs to support her habit from a charity she founded. Hillary Clinton's husband admitted smoking marijuana- but of course claimed he didn't inhale. And where was Hillary when Bill was busy hanging out at peace rallies and experimenting with drugs like pot? Yet all 3 support the current drug war. None of them, to my knowledge, has spoken publicly in favor of legalizing even medical marijuana, let alone decriminalizing marijuana use. None of them ever speaks about the lives wasted by the war on drugs.
It appears likely that I am the only potential Presidential candidate to have never done a drug. Ironically, I'm also the only one who admits the war on drugs is a failure, and supports serious and immediate reform. Interesting dichotomy, isn't it? Or should we replace the word dichotomy with hypocrisy? Barack Obama and Cindy McCain admit using illegal drugs, yet they were fortunate that their lives were not ruined, and their future careers not snuffed out by a harsh prison sentence. Why won't they speak out on behalf of millions of other young Americans who face ruin because of the same choices they once made? Courage is obviously not an attribute found in generous proportions in the political world.
Yet here's the problem with those few political activists and politicians that I've heard openly and publicly criticize the war on drugs- they are too closely linked themselves to the recreational, medical use, or past use, of drugs to be credible in the eyes of the American people. You see the American people are still torn between the lie that the war on drugs is the only way to save their children, and their willingness to accept a dramatic new direction from a potential President.
We need a political leader who has never done drugs, doesn't like drugs, to the contrary- hates drugs, but loves freedom and choice. We need an honest and open discussion from a political leader who can show America in simple, common-sense terms why the war on drugs is ANTI-family. Yes, I just said the war on drugs is anti-family. How is that possible? Well, would you think it fair if your child is caught making a bad choice such as smoking pot, that they lose their chances of going to college? Could you afford it if your child lost any chance of financial aid because of a minor drug offense? Is that pro family? Do you think one minor mistake of youth should cost a person for the rest of their life? Is that pro family? Do you accept the fact that if your child is sharing or selling a marijuana cigarette with a classmate or friend right now in the privacy of his or her bedroom, and the police find out about it, your home could be raided by a SWAT team and your home- that you've worked for your entire life- could be seized under drug forfeiture laws? How's that for pro family?
Do you know where your child is right now? If he or she is in your car out buying one joint and is caught by a police sting, do you realize the government will seize your car and leave you in a financial nightmare (and without a car to get to work)? And to top it off, your child's future just got wiped out. Get ready for a criminal trial, using your life savings to pay for lawyers, and visiting your child in prison hundreds of miles away. Is that your version of "pro family?" All because of a mistake of youth, or a health addiction issue that could have and should have been treated with a stint in rehab.
Are you aware that if your spouse is using drugs like cocaine in your house- without your knowledge- police can seize your home? Your children and you- innocent victims- will be broke and homeless in an instant, your lives shattered with daddy in prison. Is that pro family?
Are you a landlord? Do you own rental properties or homes or office buildings? Are you aware that if your tenants are using or selling drugs on your property- without your knowledge or consent- the police can seize your property and leave you in financial ruin? Is that pro family or fair to a small businessman?
Or how about if you're a small business owner with a limo, taxi, boat or plane for rent. What if the customers you rent it to are caught using, selling or transporting drugs- without your knowledge or consent. A true story reported in the Investor's Business Daily, a financial newspaper, related one such travesty. A small air taxi service was engaged to fly a customer to another city. Upon landing the DEA arrested both the pilot and the customer, and seized the plane. The pilot was ultimately not charged and released. The plane however, was not released- even though no drugs were found. After the pilot/small business owner spent $75,000 in legal fees, the government released the plane. It had been destroyed by the search for drugs. The government did not offer to compensate the man for their heavy-handed tactics and tragic mistake. The man went out of business.
Now here's the upshot. We've seen news stories on programs like 60 minutes and Frontline that show drug smugglers using the major airlines. But have any 747's been confiscated by the DEA? Not a one. Only the small business owner gets the full brunt of the DEA power. The war on drugs is just plain wrong, corrupt and excessive.
When asked my views on the war on drugs I say simply, "The only thing “the War on Drugs” has accomplished is empower the very worst people in our society with enormous wealth- which they have used to corrupt our government bureaucrats and law enforcement officials, as well as our most cherished institutions that guarantee our freedoms. It has to be reformed."
As your Presidential candidate I will champion and explain why the drug laws in this country must be dramatically reformed. As a home-school dad and father of four young children, I am the very symbol of a Pro-Family Libertarian Presidential candidate. I have never done marijuana (or any other drug) in my life. I intend to teach my children to stay away from drugs. But the Pro-Family stand for this politician is to dramatically reform the present drug war before it destroys another family; another child's future; another shocked and completely innocent spouse or parent; or another small business owner or homeowner. That next tragedy could be yours. Reforming our harsh, senseless, hypocritical drug laws is a PRO-family stance.
Wayne Allyn Root is a Libertarian Presidential candidate. For more about Wayne and his bold stands on important political issues, go to: www.WayneROOT.com
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( 3 / 805 )A recent ruling by an arrogant California Appeals Court Judge criminalized home-schooling. This abhorrent ruling makes criminals of caring parents who simply want the best educational choices for their children. And it makes outlaws of their children. What a travesty of justice. Justice H. Walter Croskey ruled about two weeks ago that parents do not have a constitutional right to home-school their own children. He said that the proper education of our children is reserved only for teachers certified by the state. Yet national test scores for home-schooled children have proven again and again to be 30+ points higher than public school children (taught by “state certified teachers”).
So exactly whose best interests is Justice Croskey looking out for? It sure isn't the best interests of the children of California. They'd obviously (based on test scores) be better off being taught at home, rather than forced by the threat of imprisonment to learn in government-run children's propaganda camps.
My educated guess is that it is public school teachers unions that Justice Croskey is looking out for. The children don't even enter into the picture. Unless of course it's brainwashing and propaganda we're discussing. Croskey's quote as to why students need to be taught in government-run public schools by government certified teachers is a frightening mixture of Joseph Stalin, Fidel Castro and George Orwell.
Here is the quote direct from the mouth of Justice Croskey (or is it Trotsky?):
“A primary purpose of the educational system is to train (doesn't he mean brainwash) school children in good citizenship, patriotism and loyalty to the state and nation as a means of protecting the public welfare.” So government actually now admits publicly that its goal is to brainwash our children with their version of the truth; their version of fairness; their version of right and wrong; their version of citizenship; their version of patriotism; and their version of loyalty. Loyalty to what? To anything government blindly teaches them to be loyal to? Are any thoughts by our children considered to be “out of the mainstream” to be punished, banished, banned, intimidated, or deleted out of their brains? Is this the definition of freedom or choice? Is this the kind of education envisioned by our Founding Fathers? Obviously not- because they were (gasp) home- schooled. Doesn't this sound more like the Soviet educational system being resurrected in 21st century America? Shocking. Frightening. Orwellian.
Ironically, Justice Croskey's offensive ruling comes at a time when parents are demanding more parental choice, freedom and competition for public schools. A recent poll in my home state of Nevada proves that parents are crying out for education reform. Nevada parents were asked if they could afford it, would they send their children to public schools? 90% said if they could afford it, they'd choose alternative forms of education such as private school, parochial school, charter schools or home schooling. Yes, I said ninety percent. Liberal government bureaucrats and teachers union leaders must have been worried sick about those poll results. Perhaps enough to send Justice Croskey out to damage the competition?
No wonder public school advocates are worried sick: home schooling works. To illustrate the remarkable talent, creativity and intelligence of home-school children, I offer exhibit A: my 15-year-old daughter Dakota Root. She is beautiful; well mannered; treats adults with respect; a straight A+ student; scores in the 99th percentile of every national test she takes; devours as many as a dozen books a week (because she wants to- not because she has to); and is a national fencing champion (scoring a Bronze medal in her class in the Fencing Nationals in Miami last July). Below I have decided to reprint for your enjoyment an email about her opinions of the Iraq war, which she sent to my wife Debra earlier today.
Read it and realize these are the opinions of a 15 year old. She is amazing, extraordinary, and quite simply breathtaking in her scope of knowledge, facts, figures, historical dates and places, and the ability to put it all together to argue (and win) any debate about any topic. She can out-talk and out-debate her dad any day of the year. Home schooling is at the base of all this talent, ability, intelligence and creativity.
First let's examine a recent New York Times article that reported on the education level of typical American teenagers- which rates somewhere between poorly educated, sub-standard and brain dead. The NY Times reported that fewer than 50% of American teenagers know when the Civil War was fought; 25% are unaware that Adolph Hitler was Germany's leader in World War II; and that same brilliant 25% believe that Columbus sailed the ocean blue around 1750. These are the students taught by “state certified” teachers. All I can say is: God save America from public schools, public school teacher unions and Justice Croskey.
Now ladies and gentleman, I give you the polar opposite of bored, unhappy, unmotivated public school students- my 15-year-old home-schooled daughter Dakota Root. This is her response- unedited or changed in any way- to an email supporting the Iraq War (as forwarded to her by one of our pro-Bush relatives in the Midwest):
Mom,
That e-mail may have had some valid points, but they were obscured by the many facts it failed to report. Just because the magnitude of the Iraqi quagmire is on a different scale than Vietnam does not make it "a success.” The imploding economy, plummeting stock market, rampant joblessness, skyrocketing oil prices, future decades of billion dollar occupation in Iraq, and horrifying national deficit contradict the statement that "our commander-in-chief is doing a great job.”
Also, I think that the soldiers who have been fighting in Iraq since 2003 (meaning that our soldiers have been fighting for over 5 years, which is longer than the U.S. was in Europe fighting the Nazis!!!) know more about their supposed "high morale" than your family all cozy and comfortable in the Midwest.
The next time someone wants to compare WWII to the war in Iraq, maybe they should buy a history book and think about this comparison:
Germany had a population of over 70 million united people, the largest mobilized army in Europe, the most advanced military weapons, including tanks, submarines, and machine guns. They also were led by an aggressive and brutal dictator who murdered 6 million Jews; and caused the bloodiest conflict the world has ever known. Adolph Hitler repeatedly ignored warnings and sanctions from Britain, France, and the US by invading and occupying Czech, Poland, Danzig, France, Greece, and other countries before the U.S. did anything.
On the other hand, Iraq was a country of 26 million divided and continuously rebellious people, with a weak army (that already had a history of losses) and virtually no modernized weapons.
Finally, its ridiculous to imply that the military disasters (Vietnam and Korea) we were involved in, in the past, excuse smaller disasters in the present. We are supposed to learn from our mistakes, not repeat them on a smaller scale later on!!
Dakota
Spoken like a true Libertarian! Yes folks, that's my 15-year-old daughter. She wrote that email in 10 minutes off the top of her head. I will admit that when my wife first suggested home schooling for our daughter Dakota, I too was skeptical. After all these years, I can now report that it has been the smartest choice we've ever made. Dakota can out-talk, out- think and out-debate most every college student and adult that I know.
The reason is two fold. First, because she has been educated amongst adults her entire life. Secondly, because she has tasted freedom- she has been free to learn subjects of her choosing, at her own chosen pace. The result is a young lady mature far beyond her years. Her life is not about the silly things typical teenagers devote their lives to- dating, shopping, gossiping, sleeping, drinking, smoking, drugs, watching American Idol, etc. She is a mature young woman whose life is dedicated to achievement, success and the acquisition of knowledge (not the kind defined by “state certified” teachers, but rather defined by her free-thinking mind).
In addition to being a fencing champion (who practices hours per day, 5 days a week) aiming for a college scholarship and a future Olympic appearance, Dakota is also a black belt in karate. Her college choices are narrowed to Harvard, Stanford, Columbia (my alma mater), Duke, Yale, Princeton, Penn and Brown. She is quite an exceptional and hopeful example of the future of our great country. She makes her old man very proud. And I'll bet she can run rings around close-minded bigots like Justice Croskey (who criminalized home schooling without ever meeting a diverse cross section of home-schooled students). I suggest unleashing Dakota Root on the United States Supreme Court (that's where this case will undoubtedly end up). I guarantee soon thereafter that home-schooling will be the law of the land!
Wayne Allyn Root is a Libertarian Presidential candidate. For more about Wayne and his bold stands on important political issues, go to: www.ROOTforAmerica.com
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( 3 / 1240 )Barack Obama yesterday delivered a crucial speech to try to explain why he spent 20 years sitting in the church pews listening to racist rants from his radical black preacher. I believe Obama did a poor job of explaining his lack of judgement- but in the process he did something much worse. He violated a code of privacy and ethics. Worse, the person he violated was his own Grandmother. But hey, when you're running for President- anything goes.
What he actually did was throw his own white grandmother under the bus- in order to explain away his shortcomings. I'll bet Grandma is proud this morning. Her own grandson served her up for public humiliation and scorn as a racist by publicly disclosing private conversations he had with her years ago. He served Grandpa up as a scapegoat to explain away the hate and venom towards white America coming from his preacher. But I thought bleeding heart liberals believe “two wrongs don't make a right?”
Obama threw Grandma under the bus to save his own Presidential ambitions. How loving. How loyal. How classy. Worse, Obama is trying to compare what a person says in private to her own grandson…to his preacher's public racist rants made to a congregation of thousands, and perhaps a television audience of hundreds of thousands more. What an absurd comparison. Is anyone buying? I sure hope not.
Actually, the worst part of all is that we'll never know if Obama's Grandmother said anything truly racist or offensive. After all, we weren't there. Maybe she never said a thing wrong- maybe Obama, as a mixed-race child going through identity crisis, only took the comments as racist. Maybe what she said is perfectly acceptable to most Americans. Maybe the problem is his attitude towards race. Maybe he's just overly sensitive. But no matter- Grandma is now road-kill. She was sacrificed at the alter of political expediency. Someone had to be sacrificed- why not someone that loved you, trusted you, and sacrificed for you? No wonder people think politicians are vicious. No wonder people think politicians would eat their own to achieve victory. They're right.
Time to compare Obama's confessions about his Grandma with mine. Just like Obama, I grew up living in the same home with my Grandparents. Just like Obama, my Grandmother was like a second mother to me. Just like Obama, my Grandmother sacrificed everything and anything for me. Just like Obama, I grew up a blue-collar kid with nothing- but was saved when my Grandparents paid for me to attend private school in my last 2 years of high school. My Grandparents' sacrifice saved my life- they rescued me from a violent, dangerous, drug-infested public school in Mt Vernon, New York (on the Bronx borderline). You know, those same urban public schools that Barack never attended(he attended rich private prep schools in Hawaii). Those same public schools that are failing miserably across the country- yet Barack wants to raise your taxes and spend billions more to force your children to attend.
But I digress. Back to my Grandmother Meta Reis- the most wonderful Grandma any boy has ever had. She may have said some things privately that I disagreed with, or that I found offensive. But you'll never know about them. Because I would never violate her privacy. I'm not the kind to rat out granny. I love her too much to criticize her and expose her memory to public scorn and humiliation. I cherish my memories of my Grandmother. I wouldn't share a word that she ever said in private…with millions of strangers. I would never throw my Grandma under the bus.
The irony is my Grandmother is long dead (she died in 1993). And I still would do nothing to harm her reputation. Barack's Grandmother is still alive. How terrible. Did she hear that speech? What did she think? She was lucky enough to raise a Grandson that might someday be President- and he used his soapbox in front of tens of millions to hold his living Grandmother up to public ridicule as a racist? All because he wasn't man enough to finally end his relationship with a racist white-hating, America-hating, Farrakhan-loving demagogue. How sad. So is this the infamous “change” that Barack stands for? Sounds like the “politics of old” to me- make an excuse, find a scapegoat. But using your private conversations with your own Grandma as the scapegoat- well that is a new low, even for a politician. Just think about this for awhile- if a politician would sell out his own Grandma, think what he'll do to you.
Wayne Allyn Root is a Libertarian Presidential candidate. For more about Wayne and his bold stands on important political issues, go to: www.ROOTforAmerica.com
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( 3 / 3831 )Eliot Spitzer: More Proof of The Need for Smaller and More Limited Government. You Want THESE People to Control Your Life?
Friends and voters ask me all the time why I chose to leave the GOP. The answer was that I finally came to realize that the 2-party system is not about the American people anymore. The people have been forgotten. The 2-party system is only about politicians acquiring power. The American people don't matter anymore (to the politicians). The constitution doesn't matter (to the politicians). Both Republicans and Democrats want only one thing: the power to control your life! My goal is very different- I don't want the power. I want to be elected as President of the United States to return the power back to you- the American people.Over recent years, it dawned on me that there is very little difference between the politicians and elected officials of the 2 major parties. They are willing to do anything, say anything, bribe anyone, condemn and prosecute anyone- even innocent people or victimless crimes- to achieve their power. The best example of this in recent times has to be New York Governor Eliot Spitzer. Spitzer is one of those power-hungry, moral-crusading, hypocritical politicians willing to prosecute anyone, humiliate anyone, or destroy anyone to garner headlines, boost his ego and fulfill his grand ambitions. Like most politicians, he relishes power and the opportunity to prove that he has it- and the rest of us don't. And because he has that power, he thinks he can play by a different set of rules than you or me.
Spitzer- before becoming Governor (as Attorney General of New York) made a habit of garnering headlines by busting "dangerous" criminals such as Wall Street executives accused of minor misconduct or conflicts of interest; credit card companies and payment processors that accepted money on behalf of online poker enthusiasts; and prostitution rings. Spitzer railed against the evils of prostitution in press conferences as he vowed to throw the book at prostitutes and anyone dirty enough to be involved in such a despicable business. So guess who just alledgedly got caught in a criminal scandal involving prostitution? None other than New York Governor Eliot Spitzer. The same guy who garnered headlines by prosecuting minor victimless crimes like online poker and prostitution. That Elliott Spitzer.
The same guy who went after minor misconduct on Wall Street with such gusto and glee- that he treated Wall Street executives like murderers (before they were even proven guilty of minor misconduct). The same guy who went after financial companies that merely allowed consumers to wire money to online poker sites- and demanded millions of dollars from those financial companies as "legal extortion" to stop further prosecution.
Yes, that same over-zealous bully has allegedly been involved with an illegal prostitution ring. Wait, it gets better. It is rumored that he was caught on tape by a federal wiretap. Ironically, it's my educated guess that Spitzer is one of those politicians that enthusiastically supports warrantless wiretaps. Perhaps we should force him to take the infamous "perp walk" in handcuffs in front of TV cameras. Perhaps we should ruin his life over a private decision involving a victimless crime- just as he's chosen to ruin so many others without an afterthought. If the humiliation of a public "perp walk" (with TV news cameras rolling) was good enough for Wall Street executives accused of minor misconduct, why not our good Governor Spitzer?
Libertarians like me can only laugh and shake our heads at the hypocrisy. Afterall, here we have a "holier than thou" ethics crusader- a man named by Time Magazine as "Crusader of the Year."
Yet he may be guilty of criminal activity himself- with the same victimless crimes he has blown out of proportion to garner headlines again and again. But of course powerful Democrat and Republican politicians like Eliot Spitzer think they're above the law. They think they can get away with making the same private choices for which they'd throw the book (and the entire justice system) at us for doing.
What is the moral of this moral-less story? Never trust government. Never trust politicians or government bureaucrats. Never trust moral crusaders. Never let others define morality for you. Because the people doing the crusading and defining and prosecuting often have an agenda, an out of control ego, and an outsized sense of entitlement. They certainly do not have your best interests in mind. Ambitious and vicious politicians like Elliott Spitzer only have Elliott Spitzer on their minds. And they would not think twice about prosecuting you for the exact same minor misconduct, or conflict of interest, or private choices that they make all the time.
The lesson we should all learn from the demise of Eliot Spitzer is that it's time to take America and our government back from the 2 major parties- who have forgotten that they work at the behest of the taxpayers. It's time to vote for a third party candidate who wants to give the power back to you- the people. Our wise Founding Fathers wrote about power of the people, by the people, for the people. Not power for only the morally-corrupt, power-hungry, ego-driven, hypocritical politicians and government bureaucrats.
It's time to vote Libertarian to stop the hypocrisy, the double standards, and the over-zealous prosecutions that have nothing to do with morality, but everything to do with publicity. Eliot Spitzer should not have to resign for his own personal choice of pleasure, but he most certainly should be forced to resign for his hypocrisy, arrogance, power-hungry sense of entitlement, and most importantly, for the damage he's done to the lives of others by prosecuting victimless crimes- the same ones he now stands accused of. It's time to turn the tables. It's time to take the power back- just as our Founding Fathers envisioned. It's time to throw the bums out. We should start with Eliot Spitzer. But unfortunately he's only a small start.
Wayne Allyn Root is a Libertarian Presidential candidate. For more about Wayne and his bold stands on important political issues, go to: www.WayneROOT.com
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( 3 / 858 )A recent commentary in the Wall Street Journal explained why Barack Obama is beating Hillary Clinton- the answer is, not surprisingly, SALES. The article sums it up, "With no disagreement on policy, Democrats opt for a top salesman…if you are selling a dream you need the best possible salesman to make it seem somehow possible. They found him in Barack Obama." If it is true that the Democrats have found their salesman (unfortunately to sell a corrupt, damaging and dysfunctional liberal tax and spend dream), then I believe that the Libertarian Party has a once in a lifetime opportunity standing before them. You see I am not just Barack's match as a salesman and communicator of a political message. I am Barack Obama's college classmate. Yes, we are graduates of the same college (Columbia University), same class (Class of '83), same major (Political Science). We graduated on the same day 25 years ago. Never before in the history of American politics have two college classmates run against each other for President. Talent aside, sometimes you just need a bit of luck. Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined running for President in the same election as my college classmate.
On so many levels, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. The Columbia University classmate story will give the Libertarian Party a unique angle to attract national media attention. What media outlet in the country could resist seeing the two college classmates running for President, side by side, debating and discussing issues, values and visions. Third party candidates rarely (if ever) get this kind of media exposure. But the real opportunity of a lifetime is the ability to so clearly contrast the stark differences in the paths we've each taken in the past 25 years since college graduation. No two political opponents have ever been able to point so clearly to how their philosophies and political visions have changed their lives.
Let's now compare the stories of two young men who graduated Columbia University on the exact same day in June, 1983. Both were children of non-priviledged backgrounds. Barack, a product of bi-racial parents, grew up as the rare black kid in Hawaii. Root, the blue collar son of a butcher, grew up the rare Jewish kid in a virtually all-black public school on the Bronx borderline in Mt Vernon, New York. Both of us later benefited from attending exclusive private schools (in both cases with help from our grandparents) that prepared us for entrance into Columbia University. That however is where the eerie similarities in our lives end. Obama and I took very different paths after graduation from Columbia. Those paths will illuminate the value of the Libertarian conservative economic message.
I chose the path of an entrepreneur and small businessman. I've started businesses, funded businesses, risked my own money on business ideas to achieve the American Dream. I've created jobs; pumped tens of millions of dollars into the American economy; made hundreds of payrolls so that my employees could raise families, pay mortgages, and share in the American Dream themselves; and paid health insurance and payroll taxes for my employees. Like most entrepreneurs, I've also failed a few times. Perhaps that's the problem with politicians- they've never risked or lost their own money. Many Venture Capitalists actually invest only in businesspersons who have failed before (and learned valuable lessons). Perhaps that should also be a litmus test for politicians who want to run the most powerful economy in the world.
Small businessmen and women (27 million strong) are the economic engine and quintessential heroes of the U.S. economy. In a modern world where small business now creates the majority of non-government jobs, I believe it's time for a small business owner to fight for the small business constituency and ultimately occupy the White House.
Contrast my 25 years since graduation with my classmate Barack Obama- the big government-loving, ultra-liberal, George McGovern-like tax and spender who favors redistribution of wealth from those that earn it…to those that desire handouts and government entitlements. Barack has never met a tax he didn't support- and it's no wonder. He has spent his quarter century since graduation from Columbia as a law student, law professor, lawyer, community activist and career politician. He's never started a business; never funded a business; never run a business; never risked a dime of his own money on a business; never created a job; and never paid anyone else's health insurance or payroll taxes. And he's never had to face the endless stream of government regulations and interference in the running of a business either.
To the contrary, Barack has lived off a safe weekly paycheck provided by the taxpayers for more than a decade now. And as a United States Senator, he'll live off a taxpayer-funded pension for the rest of his life. As an attorney and self-proclaimed "community activist," he's spent his life suing and protesting the very people who create the jobs and grow the economy. Quite a contrast.
As further background to the small businessman vs. big government-lover, let's examine where we have each chosen to live. Barack is an Illinois resident. Illinois has among the highest tax rates in the country. Income tax, business tax, sales tax and property taxes are so high, they are driving residents by the thousands out of state. Illinois is a prime example of the folly, fallicy and failure of big government and big taxes. Small business owners are overwhelmed by taxes in the state that Barack calls home. The result is a dramatic loss of jobs, businesses and residents. It's a vicious cycle caused by liberal tax and spenders.
The higher the taxes and entitlements, the more successful people (business owners, job creators, high income earners, retirees with nest eggs to protect) are forced to leave for lower tax states. The result is of course a loss of tax revenues. And who is left behind in high tax states like Illinois- the less productive citizens who can't afford to move (and who often depend on handouts from government). So taxes must be raised again to compensate for the loss of producers- the very residents who create the jobs and pay the taxes. Illinois is a dying state because of the ultra-liberal tax and spend policies of politicians like Barack Obama.
On the other hand, I have chosen to live, work and raise my family in Nevada. Nevada has been the fastest growing state in America for 20 of the past 21 years. Las Vegas is perennially America's fastest growing city. It is a dynamic epicenter of American culture and the U.S. economy- leading the way in small business creation. USA Today recently called Las Vegas, "the economic engine of Wall Street." Nevada has been among the leaders in virtually every economic category for 20 years- including jobs created. A remarkable 6000 to 7000 new residents a month move to Las Vegas to take advantage of boundless opportunity. But it's the type of people that move to Nevada that matters for the 2008 election. They tend to be rugged individualists, modern-day pioneers uprooting and moving West to escape high taxes, big government and Big Brother (in states like Illinois). It is no coincidence that Nevada happens to be the most Libertarian state in America.
Want proof of the fiscally conservative, socially tolerant (and quirky) nature of Nevadans? How about zero state income taxes, zero business income tax, zero inheritance tax, and far lower property taxes than liberal tax and spend states like California, New York and of course Barack Obama's Illinois. It's no wonder that Nevada is the small business capital of the country. Mix that with legalized gambling, and legalized prostitution (the only state in USA) and you start to notice the distinct Libertarian streak. People want to move to Nevada to be left alone by government. They want to keep more of the money they've earned (afterall, government forgets- it is our money in the first place)...and they want the freedom to do what they want in their private lives without interference from Big Brother.
Want more proof of the Libertarian credentials of Nevada? Ron Paul came in second in Nevada's Republican caucus- tied for his strongest showing in the country. Nevada is truly "Libertarian country." My Nevadan roots (excuse the pun) offer an opportunity for the best showing in Libertarian political history- perhaps a close third place, or dare I predict a second or first place Libertarian Presidential showing. In November of 2008, Nevada could become the first Libertarian electoral state.
The story of Root vs. Obama presents a terrific opportunity to gain nonstop national media exposure. And an even bigger opportunity to contrast the stark differences in our political philosophies, choices and visions. I hope Libertarian voters will allow me to lead the way and present our Libertarian case. Barack Obama liberally uses the word “hope.” Yet our contrasting stories and choices prove that only our Libertarian vision offers true hope. Americans have already voted for my Libertarian vision- they've voted with their feet- out of Illinois in record numbers, and into Nevada in record numbers. They've already chosen the right path- now Libertarians just need a candidate to communicate why voters now need to make the right choice for President. I have been honing my sales, communication and television skills my entire life for this one special moment in time.
If you plan on being a delegate to the National Convention in Denver, please write us and share your thoughts with us. Share your horror stories about how big government is interfering in your business and how high taxes damage your lifestyle and limit your choices. I will pledge to share many of your stories in my many media appearances. Your stories can help create a more compelling Libertarian message. Be sure to tell us you're going to Denver, so we can send you more information for your delegation.
In Liberty,
Wayne Allyn Root
Wayne Allyn Root is a Libertarian Presidential candidate. For more about Wayne and his bold stands on important political issues, go to: www.WayneROOT.com
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