Wes Benedict fully supports the national Libertarian Party Platform as published here.
Top 4 Issues
End the Wars
Invading and occupying Afghanistan and Iraq were mistakes. A 2019 survey of military who served there agree. A Washington Post report revealed U.S. officials have been misleading the public about progress in Afghanistan.
The 9/11 terrorist attacks were a tragedy, killing nearly 3,000 Americans. Unfortunately, our government’s response has made things worse. Since invading and occupying Afghanistan and Iraq, over 6,000 American servicemembers have been killed, and over 50,000 Americans have been injured. Some estimate the deaths of Afghans and Iraqis at over 500,000.
None of the 9/11 terrorists were from Afghanistan or Iraq. Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction. Neither Afghanistan nor Iraq have become peaceful places as a result of America’s invasions.
Americans wanted to get even after terrorists attacked us on 9/11. Just imagine how the families of the 500,000 dead Afghans and Iraqis feel now. American violence overseas creates new terrorists.
American taxpayers have spent over $6 trillion on the wars. That’s over $18,000 per American.
Fighting unnecessary wars makes America less safe, hurts our economy, and makes us weaker. Invading other countries sends the message to weaker countries that they need nuclear weapons for self-protection.
Our government’s bullying is teaching future world powers to misbehave. We’re not setting a good example.
I’m a Christian. While it’s common to see Christians pray for the safety of our troops, more importantly I think Christians should pray for a better understanding of peace, forgiveness, turning the other cheek, and loving our enemies. The moral high ground is usually more practical than we think.
It’s time to end the wars and bring the troops home.
We should not start a new war in Iran. We should leave them alone and end our sanctions.
I used to be a Republican. I was pro-war. I thought most wars were justified and were necessary to keep America safe. I loved America and I was ready to “kick some ass” (or at least support the soldiers who would do it).
I was wrong.
Most people, including those in Washington, now know the wars were wrong. But they’re scared to do anything about it. Bringing the troops home means admitting they were wrong, so we just stay there.
We need new people in Congress. We need Libertarians who understand that the costs of war far outweigh the benefits.
I’ll vote to end the wars and bring the troops home immediately. In 2008, as a member of the Libertarian National Committee, I submitted a resolution to do just that, and I repeated the call in 2010. See Libertarians: Obama should end Afghanistan War.
Downsize government 25% by 2024
It’s easy to say things like “government is too big,” but politicians almost never propose large, specific cuts. Even Libertarians often speak in vague or generalized ways about cutting government. As a member of Congress, I’ll need to propose bills with specific details, and I want to give some details now.
Cutting government spending by 25% across the board will immediately spur economic growth and will make most Americans better off.
Most of what government does, it should not be doing at all. Any time government spending is reduced, it leads to more private sector spending and investment, and for most people, the benefits from a larger private sector outweigh the costs of the reductions. Less government spending means a better overall economy with more money in the pockets of individuals, more and higher paying jobs, products that are better and less expensive, and fewer people relying on government services.
Most Republicans and Democrats look for new ways to increase revenue to the government, and to create new government programs. As a Libertarian, I seek the opposite.
No More Deficit Spending
In 2019, the federal government spent $4.5 trillion while raising only $3.5 trillion in taxes, for a deficit of $1 trillion. At $4.5 trillion, federal spending is 22% of the total US GDP. To balance the budget without raising taxes, we’d have to cut federal spending immediately by almost 25%.
In 2019, Senator Rand Paul submitted a plan to cut spending by 2%, and even that tiny spending cut failed to pass.
Republicans and Democrats usually promise not to cut Social Security, Medicare, and military spending, but those make up 67% of the total budget. Often, they’ll make noise about little silly-sounding projects, like crawfish research, but they never address the other 99.9% of the budget.
I’m calling for across-the-board spending cuts of 25%, and that includes Social Security, Medicare, Armed Forces, and all other categories.
I’d love to cut government spending and taxes even more, and if ever faced with that opportunity, I’d vote for it. But for now, I’d like to show how to cut spending by 25% to $3.5 trillion. That’s the approximate amount spent during each year of President Obama’s first term.
The bottom line is that government will take and spend as much money as we let it have. And just as businesses and families sometimes must reduce their spending to live within their means, the federal government needs to downsize and cut its spending.
It’s Congress’s job to set the budget, and each department will have to figure out how to reduce their spending to comply with a reduced budget. In some cases, entire programs should be eliminated. In other cases, the services will be reduced. Many federal employees and contractors will have to be laid off, and they can seek employment in the private sector. Heads of departments and agencies unable or unwilling to find cuts should be replaced by people willing to do the job.
Many organizations, like the Cato Institute, have specific proposals to cut federal spending that I’d support.
Here are some proposals for major budget areas:
Social Security
Social Security is a retirement plan that essentially involves taxing the wages of people who are under the age of 67 at 12.4%, and transferring that money to people who are mostly 67 and older.
Social Security spending was $1.1 trillion in 2019 (25% of the total budget). To cut Social Security spending by at least 25%, I’d raise the retirement age from 67 to 72, and reduce the benefits paid to current and future retirees by 10%. These cuts mean some people will choose to work a few additional years before retiring, and current recipients will have to adjust their lifestyles to accommodate the 10% benefit cut.
While various privatization plans have been proposed and are worth considering, I’m wary of plans involving new, risky, complicated government accounts that may one day lead to calls for bailouts. Government is ruining healthcare, transportation, education, and most other things it touches. The ultimate privatization plan is simply to eliminate government involvement altogether, meaning ending Social Security and letting individuals save for their own retirement. My 25% cut is a good start.
Medicare and Medicaid
Health and Human Services spending was $1.2 trillion in 2019 (27% of the total budget), and most of that was for Medicare and Medicaid.
To cut Medicare by 25%, I’d raise the eligibility age from 65 to 72, increase deductibles, and eliminate or reduce coverage for some procedures. In some cases, people will choose to pay out of pocket for procedures not covered by Medicare and in other cases they’ll simply go without certain procedures.
Medicaid pays for healthcare services for around 75 million low-income Americans including the disabled, elderly, children and some adults. To achieve 25% cuts in Medicaid spending, I would lower the income cutoff level, scale back some of the services covered, and tighten the qualifications for disability.
Government subsidies, regulations, and mandates drive up the cost of health care and health insurance. I’d reduce regulations and get government out of the way, which will reduce the cost of health insurance and medical services, making it easier for everyone, including those affected by Medicare and Medicaid cuts, to find affordable quality care.
Military
The U.S. had $658 billion in military spending in 2019, 37% of the total world spending, and more than the next seven highest countries combined. That’s too much. We can cut our military spending by at least 25% and still maintain plenty of military capability to keep us safe.
In fact, I think our excessive spending on the military makes us less safe, causing the U.S. to be more likely to stick its nose in other countries’ business. “When you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail.”
Ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, avoiding future wars, reducing our meddling in other conflicts, and downsizing our forces will make America richer, stronger, and safer.
Some expensive weapons systems will need to be eliminated, and some of our military presence overseas will need to be scaled back, and some personnel will need to be laid off.
The military should be tasked with presenting proposals for how best to reduce military spending by 25%. In the meantime, the Cato Institute has suggestions for achieving 25% cuts in its Handbook for Policy Makers: 68. The Military Budget.
Other Spending
Other areas of spending added up to $1.1 trillion in 2019. They include Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Education, and many other departments.
All of those should be cut by 25%. The Cato Institute presents many specific cuts in its Handbook for Policy Makers: 32. Cutting Federal Spending.
Republicans and Democrats occasionally point out hilarious examples of waste in programs, but it doesn’t add up to very much. I’m not just talking about reducing obvious waste. To achieve a 25% across the board cut in spending, some programs will have to be eliminated or downsized.
Taxes
I would support any broad-based tax cut that reduces revenue to the government, but tax cuts without spending cuts just shift the burden to future generations. If we cut spending across the board by 25%, that will leave room for a small tax cut, while still balancing the budget. I’m wary of revenue-neutral changes to tax policies that simply rearrange what gets taxed but yield the same overall level of taxation. Some proposals like a flatter tax would reduce the burden of compliance, and reduce the incentive to lobby for special tax breaks for the well-connected. But in the long run, tax cuts only come with spending cuts.
Consequences
I expect a lot of Democrats and Republicans will see these spending proposals and say I don’t care about anyone, and I just want to throw lots of people out on the street.
I realize that many people will be disappointed and inconvenienced if they don’t keep the government jobs and government benefits they were expecting. However, it’s crucial to realize that when the government spends less money, it doesn’t mean the money disappears. Instead, that money goes to private sector spending and investment, leading to more and better-paying jobs in the private sector. It will also help boost funding of charitable organizations, which can do a lot to relieve truly needy people when their government benefits are reduced.
Legalize Marijuana
It’s time to legalize marijuana at the federal level.
Most polls show an overwhelming majority of Americans support legalization. More and more states are legalizing marijuana each year. In Texas, the platforms of the Democratic, Republican, and Libertarian Parties all call for decriminalizing marijuana.
According to the Marijuana Policy Project, 11 states have made marijuana legal for all adults, and an additional 15 have “decriminalized” simple possession, meaning they don’t impose jail time for possessing small amounts.
Thirty-three states have medical marijuana programs.
I will vote to end marijuana prohibition at the federal level, and I will personally encourage legislation at the state level to allow the cultivation, sale, and use of marijuana.
Marijuana is safer than alcohol and has some medicinal uses. Survey show over 20 million Americans used marijuana in the past year, many in states where it’s still illegal.
I don’t advocate using marijuana. That’s a choice individuals should be able to make for themselves. Libertarians like me support legalizing marijuana because we think people should be free to do whatever they want with their own bodies. Additionally, there are many clear benefits to ending marijuana prohibition.
Arresting people for marijuana use costs a lot of money for the police, courts, and jails. Marijuana prohibition causes violence in the U.S. and other countries as drug dealers fight over sales territories. Where it is illegal, business disputes are often resolved with violence, since they can’t go to the courts. You can’t call the police if someone steals your marijuana. You can’t report bad quality on Facebook the way we do with other products. People who are arrested for using marijuana have criminal records that often make it hard to get jobs for the rest of their lives.
The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) provide lots of facts and figures on marijuana, as well as recently successful and proposed legislation.
Drug abuse is harmful, but the war on drugs is even more harmful.
According to a 2019 Cato Institute poll, 55% of Americans favor decriminalizing drug offenses. As a Libertarian, I would like to end prohibition of all drugs, but I recognize that ending marijuana prohibition is currently highly feasible, and is happening all around the country. Legalizing marijuana at the federal level should be a top priority.
Easy Immigration
I oppose “the wall,” and I support making the process of legal immigration much easier.
Most immigrants want to come to America to escape from poverty or violence, to work, and to provide a better life for themselves and their families. It’s extremely difficult to immigrate to the U.S. legally, especially for unskilled workers without relatives in the U.S. (see Reason Magazine chart), so many come here illegally instead.
While some immigrants take advantage of free government services, most economists agree that on average, immigrants use social services less than native citizens, and are a net positive to the economy.
Too often, politicians use foreigners as scapegoats for problems that were caused by domestic policies. This causes Americans to fear foreigners and oppose immigration, instead of placing blame where it belongs, on politicians, and on ourselves for electing them.
In 2010, as Libertarian Party Executive Director, I issued a supportive statement titled, “Don’t Blame Immigrants.”
Instead of blaming illegal immigrants from Latin America for weakening the U.S. economy, we should recognize that immigrants make our economy stronger, and we should make it easier for them to come and work here legally. Instead of blaming Mexico and other nations for drug war violence, we should end our war on drugs.
Instead of banning immigrants from Muslim countries due to fears of terrorism, we should stop inciting terrorism by bringing our troops home from overseas, and we should stop meddling in the affairs of foreign nations.
While Libertarians like me oppose taxpayer funded welfare and foreign aid, I wholeheartedly support personal initiative and hard work. Allowing people to immigrate from poor countries to America allows people to lift themselves out of poverty without burdening American taxpayers.
I highly recommend the Cato Institute’s The 14 Most Common Arguments against Immigration and Why They’re Wrong.
Economic ignorance, racism, and an irrational fear of terrorism cause some Americans to oppose immigration. I’ve spent nearly six months in Mexico, Italy, and South Africa, and have worked in or traveled to over a dozen other countries. I’ve found that people are remarkably similar throughout the world once you get to know them.
Libertarians like me help to educate people so they’ll realize that economic opportunity is unlimited and that we can all prosper and live peacefully together.
We can make America richer, stronger, and allow more people the opportunity to lift themselves out of poverty by making it easier for people to immigrate to America.
- End the Wars
- Downsize government 25% by 2024
- Legalize Marijuana
- Easy Immigration
End the Wars
Invading and occupying Afghanistan and Iraq were mistakes. A 2019 survey of military who served there agree. A Washington Post report revealed U.S. officials have been misleading the public about progress in Afghanistan.
The 9/11 terrorist attacks were a tragedy, killing nearly 3,000 Americans. Unfortunately, our government’s response has made things worse. Since invading and occupying Afghanistan and Iraq, over 6,000 American servicemembers have been killed, and over 50,000 Americans have been injured. Some estimate the deaths of Afghans and Iraqis at over 500,000.
None of the 9/11 terrorists were from Afghanistan or Iraq. Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction. Neither Afghanistan nor Iraq have become peaceful places as a result of America’s invasions.
Americans wanted to get even after terrorists attacked us on 9/11. Just imagine how the families of the 500,000 dead Afghans and Iraqis feel now. American violence overseas creates new terrorists.
American taxpayers have spent over $6 trillion on the wars. That’s over $18,000 per American.
Fighting unnecessary wars makes America less safe, hurts our economy, and makes us weaker. Invading other countries sends the message to weaker countries that they need nuclear weapons for self-protection.
Our government’s bullying is teaching future world powers to misbehave. We’re not setting a good example.
I’m a Christian. While it’s common to see Christians pray for the safety of our troops, more importantly I think Christians should pray for a better understanding of peace, forgiveness, turning the other cheek, and loving our enemies. The moral high ground is usually more practical than we think.
It’s time to end the wars and bring the troops home.
We should not start a new war in Iran. We should leave them alone and end our sanctions.
I used to be a Republican. I was pro-war. I thought most wars were justified and were necessary to keep America safe. I loved America and I was ready to “kick some ass” (or at least support the soldiers who would do it).
I was wrong.
Most people, including those in Washington, now know the wars were wrong. But they’re scared to do anything about it. Bringing the troops home means admitting they were wrong, so we just stay there.
We need new people in Congress. We need Libertarians who understand that the costs of war far outweigh the benefits.
I’ll vote to end the wars and bring the troops home immediately. In 2008, as a member of the Libertarian National Committee, I submitted a resolution to do just that, and I repeated the call in 2010. See Libertarians: Obama should end Afghanistan War.
Downsize government 25% by 2024
It’s easy to say things like “government is too big,” but politicians almost never propose large, specific cuts. Even Libertarians often speak in vague or generalized ways about cutting government. As a member of Congress, I’ll need to propose bills with specific details, and I want to give some details now.
Cutting government spending by 25% across the board will immediately spur economic growth and will make most Americans better off.
Most of what government does, it should not be doing at all. Any time government spending is reduced, it leads to more private sector spending and investment, and for most people, the benefits from a larger private sector outweigh the costs of the reductions. Less government spending means a better overall economy with more money in the pockets of individuals, more and higher paying jobs, products that are better and less expensive, and fewer people relying on government services.
Most Republicans and Democrats look for new ways to increase revenue to the government, and to create new government programs. As a Libertarian, I seek the opposite.
No More Deficit Spending
In 2019, the federal government spent $4.5 trillion while raising only $3.5 trillion in taxes, for a deficit of $1 trillion. At $4.5 trillion, federal spending is 22% of the total US GDP. To balance the budget without raising taxes, we’d have to cut federal spending immediately by almost 25%.
In 2019, Senator Rand Paul submitted a plan to cut spending by 2%, and even that tiny spending cut failed to pass.
Republicans and Democrats usually promise not to cut Social Security, Medicare, and military spending, but those make up 67% of the total budget. Often, they’ll make noise about little silly-sounding projects, like crawfish research, but they never address the other 99.9% of the budget.
I’m calling for across-the-board spending cuts of 25%, and that includes Social Security, Medicare, Armed Forces, and all other categories.
I’d love to cut government spending and taxes even more, and if ever faced with that opportunity, I’d vote for it. But for now, I’d like to show how to cut spending by 25% to $3.5 trillion. That’s the approximate amount spent during each year of President Obama’s first term.
The bottom line is that government will take and spend as much money as we let it have. And just as businesses and families sometimes must reduce their spending to live within their means, the federal government needs to downsize and cut its spending.
It’s Congress’s job to set the budget, and each department will have to figure out how to reduce their spending to comply with a reduced budget. In some cases, entire programs should be eliminated. In other cases, the services will be reduced. Many federal employees and contractors will have to be laid off, and they can seek employment in the private sector. Heads of departments and agencies unable or unwilling to find cuts should be replaced by people willing to do the job.
Many organizations, like the Cato Institute, have specific proposals to cut federal spending that I’d support.
Here are some proposals for major budget areas:
Social Security
Social Security is a retirement plan that essentially involves taxing the wages of people who are under the age of 67 at 12.4%, and transferring that money to people who are mostly 67 and older.
Social Security spending was $1.1 trillion in 2019 (25% of the total budget). To cut Social Security spending by at least 25%, I’d raise the retirement age from 67 to 72, and reduce the benefits paid to current and future retirees by 10%. These cuts mean some people will choose to work a few additional years before retiring, and current recipients will have to adjust their lifestyles to accommodate the 10% benefit cut.
While various privatization plans have been proposed and are worth considering, I’m wary of plans involving new, risky, complicated government accounts that may one day lead to calls for bailouts. Government is ruining healthcare, transportation, education, and most other things it touches. The ultimate privatization plan is simply to eliminate government involvement altogether, meaning ending Social Security and letting individuals save for their own retirement. My 25% cut is a good start.
Medicare and Medicaid
Health and Human Services spending was $1.2 trillion in 2019 (27% of the total budget), and most of that was for Medicare and Medicaid.
To cut Medicare by 25%, I’d raise the eligibility age from 65 to 72, increase deductibles, and eliminate or reduce coverage for some procedures. In some cases, people will choose to pay out of pocket for procedures not covered by Medicare and in other cases they’ll simply go without certain procedures.
Medicaid pays for healthcare services for around 75 million low-income Americans including the disabled, elderly, children and some adults. To achieve 25% cuts in Medicaid spending, I would lower the income cutoff level, scale back some of the services covered, and tighten the qualifications for disability.
Government subsidies, regulations, and mandates drive up the cost of health care and health insurance. I’d reduce regulations and get government out of the way, which will reduce the cost of health insurance and medical services, making it easier for everyone, including those affected by Medicare and Medicaid cuts, to find affordable quality care.
Military
The U.S. had $658 billion in military spending in 2019, 37% of the total world spending, and more than the next seven highest countries combined. That’s too much. We can cut our military spending by at least 25% and still maintain plenty of military capability to keep us safe.
In fact, I think our excessive spending on the military makes us less safe, causing the U.S. to be more likely to stick its nose in other countries’ business. “When you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail.”
Ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, avoiding future wars, reducing our meddling in other conflicts, and downsizing our forces will make America richer, stronger, and safer.
Some expensive weapons systems will need to be eliminated, and some of our military presence overseas will need to be scaled back, and some personnel will need to be laid off.
The military should be tasked with presenting proposals for how best to reduce military spending by 25%. In the meantime, the Cato Institute has suggestions for achieving 25% cuts in its Handbook for Policy Makers: 68. The Military Budget.
Other Spending
Other areas of spending added up to $1.1 trillion in 2019. They include Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Education, and many other departments.
All of those should be cut by 25%. The Cato Institute presents many specific cuts in its Handbook for Policy Makers: 32. Cutting Federal Spending.
Republicans and Democrats occasionally point out hilarious examples of waste in programs, but it doesn’t add up to very much. I’m not just talking about reducing obvious waste. To achieve a 25% across the board cut in spending, some programs will have to be eliminated or downsized.
Taxes
I would support any broad-based tax cut that reduces revenue to the government, but tax cuts without spending cuts just shift the burden to future generations. If we cut spending across the board by 25%, that will leave room for a small tax cut, while still balancing the budget. I’m wary of revenue-neutral changes to tax policies that simply rearrange what gets taxed but yield the same overall level of taxation. Some proposals like a flatter tax would reduce the burden of compliance, and reduce the incentive to lobby for special tax breaks for the well-connected. But in the long run, tax cuts only come with spending cuts.
Consequences
I expect a lot of Democrats and Republicans will see these spending proposals and say I don’t care about anyone, and I just want to throw lots of people out on the street.
I realize that many people will be disappointed and inconvenienced if they don’t keep the government jobs and government benefits they were expecting. However, it’s crucial to realize that when the government spends less money, it doesn’t mean the money disappears. Instead, that money goes to private sector spending and investment, leading to more and better-paying jobs in the private sector. It will also help boost funding of charitable organizations, which can do a lot to relieve truly needy people when their government benefits are reduced.
Legalize Marijuana
It’s time to legalize marijuana at the federal level.
Most polls show an overwhelming majority of Americans support legalization. More and more states are legalizing marijuana each year. In Texas, the platforms of the Democratic, Republican, and Libertarian Parties all call for decriminalizing marijuana.
According to the Marijuana Policy Project, 11 states have made marijuana legal for all adults, and an additional 15 have “decriminalized” simple possession, meaning they don’t impose jail time for possessing small amounts.
Thirty-three states have medical marijuana programs.
I will vote to end marijuana prohibition at the federal level, and I will personally encourage legislation at the state level to allow the cultivation, sale, and use of marijuana.
Marijuana is safer than alcohol and has some medicinal uses. Survey show over 20 million Americans used marijuana in the past year, many in states where it’s still illegal.
I don’t advocate using marijuana. That’s a choice individuals should be able to make for themselves. Libertarians like me support legalizing marijuana because we think people should be free to do whatever they want with their own bodies. Additionally, there are many clear benefits to ending marijuana prohibition.
Arresting people for marijuana use costs a lot of money for the police, courts, and jails. Marijuana prohibition causes violence in the U.S. and other countries as drug dealers fight over sales territories. Where it is illegal, business disputes are often resolved with violence, since they can’t go to the courts. You can’t call the police if someone steals your marijuana. You can’t report bad quality on Facebook the way we do with other products. People who are arrested for using marijuana have criminal records that often make it hard to get jobs for the rest of their lives.
The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) provide lots of facts and figures on marijuana, as well as recently successful and proposed legislation.
Drug abuse is harmful, but the war on drugs is even more harmful.
According to a 2019 Cato Institute poll, 55% of Americans favor decriminalizing drug offenses. As a Libertarian, I would like to end prohibition of all drugs, but I recognize that ending marijuana prohibition is currently highly feasible, and is happening all around the country. Legalizing marijuana at the federal level should be a top priority.
Easy Immigration
I oppose “the wall,” and I support making the process of legal immigration much easier.
Most immigrants want to come to America to escape from poverty or violence, to work, and to provide a better life for themselves and their families. It’s extremely difficult to immigrate to the U.S. legally, especially for unskilled workers without relatives in the U.S. (see Reason Magazine chart), so many come here illegally instead.
While some immigrants take advantage of free government services, most economists agree that on average, immigrants use social services less than native citizens, and are a net positive to the economy.
Too often, politicians use foreigners as scapegoats for problems that were caused by domestic policies. This causes Americans to fear foreigners and oppose immigration, instead of placing blame where it belongs, on politicians, and on ourselves for electing them.
In 2010, as Libertarian Party Executive Director, I issued a supportive statement titled, “Don’t Blame Immigrants.”
Instead of blaming illegal immigrants from Latin America for weakening the U.S. economy, we should recognize that immigrants make our economy stronger, and we should make it easier for them to come and work here legally. Instead of blaming Mexico and other nations for drug war violence, we should end our war on drugs.
Instead of banning immigrants from Muslim countries due to fears of terrorism, we should stop inciting terrorism by bringing our troops home from overseas, and we should stop meddling in the affairs of foreign nations.
While Libertarians like me oppose taxpayer funded welfare and foreign aid, I wholeheartedly support personal initiative and hard work. Allowing people to immigrate from poor countries to America allows people to lift themselves out of poverty without burdening American taxpayers.
I highly recommend the Cato Institute’s The 14 Most Common Arguments against Immigration and Why They’re Wrong.
Economic ignorance, racism, and an irrational fear of terrorism cause some Americans to oppose immigration. I’ve spent nearly six months in Mexico, Italy, and South Africa, and have worked in or traveled to over a dozen other countries. I’ve found that people are remarkably similar throughout the world once you get to know them.
Libertarians like me help to educate people so they’ll realize that economic opportunity is unlimited and that we can all prosper and live peacefully together.
We can make America richer, stronger, and allow more people the opportunity to lift themselves out of poverty by making it easier for people to immigrate to America.