These were recommended issues for Texas Libertarian candidates in 2014.
End the war on drugs
The war on drugs is is just plain wrong, because using drugs doesn't violate anybody's rights, and the war on drugs does so much more harm than good. It creates violent black markets, it drives drug abusers underground where they can't get help, and it forces all of us to pay for the prosecution and imprisonment of thousands of harmless people.
Steps I would take:
Welcome immigrants
We need to treat those who wish to immigrate, mostly Latinos, as friends not enemies. Immigrant labor helps us all by helping our economy. We should respect the rights of American employers: if they want to hire foreigners, they have every right to do so.
Steps I would take:
Freedom in education
Public schools are a disaster. They demand high property taxes that drive up rents and literally impoverish people. They rob parents of choice, and lead to absurd ideological battles about religious issues and other issues. They provide poor education. They ruin the lives of many children.
Steps I would take:
Freedom to hire, fire, and quit
People should be free to make whatever employment arrangements they want to. That includes voluntary "at-will" employment, which means that either the employer or employee can terminate the employment at any time, for any reason or no reason.
Steps I would take:
Respect our privacy
Too often the police act as violators, not defenders, of our rights. We need to change the laws to stop this kind of behavior. People who work for the government need to be penalized heavily when they violate our rights.
Steps I would take:
Legalize gambling
Excessive gambling can be self-harming, but it doesn't violate anyone else's rights. For most people, gambling is simply another form of entertainment. Gambling should be legal.
Steps I would take:
Stop harming small business
Government tends to help well-connected big business by protecting it from competition from newer small businesses. We should have a level playing field where government does not pick winners and losers, and government does not engage in crony capitalism.
Steps I would take:
Relief for taxpayers
People in Texas are heavily burdened with state and local taxes. Most of this money is not used to defend anyone's rights, but instead to provide people with benefits. That's not a legitimate function of government.
Steps I would take:
It's time to end the war on terror
Steps I would take:
Don't let politicians hand-pick their voters
Currently, the Republican legislature rearranges the districts to corral voters and make sure they get re-elected. If Democrats get control, they will do the same thing. Republicans and Democrats also cooperate to make it hard for other parties to compete against them.
Steps I would take:
End the war on drugs
- End prohibition of marijuana
- End prohibition of other drugs
The war on drugs is is just plain wrong, because using drugs doesn't violate anybody's rights, and the war on drugs does so much more harm than good. It creates violent black markets, it drives drug abusers underground where they can't get help, and it forces all of us to pay for the prosecution and imprisonment of thousands of harmless people.
Steps I would take:
- I would vote for a bill to decriminalize medical marijuana like HB 594, filed in 2013 by Rep. Naishtat (Democrat from Austin).
- I would vote for a bill to reduce marijuana penalties like HB 184, filed in 2013 by Rep. Dutton (Democrat from Houston).
- I would file a bill to end prohibition of marijuana.
- I would file a bill to end the war on drugs in Texas.
Welcome immigrants
- American employers should be able to hire whoever they want
- Foreigners help us by working here and improving our economy
We need to treat those who wish to immigrate, mostly Latinos, as friends not enemies. Immigrant labor helps us all by helping our economy. We should respect the rights of American employers: if they want to hire foreigners, they have every right to do so.
Steps I would take:
- I would file legislation to make sure Texas resources aren't being wasted enforcing bad federal immigration laws.
- I would file legislation to repeal Texas laws that mirror bad federal immigration laws.
Freedom in education
- Public schools are mediocre and incredibly expensive
Public schools are a disaster. They demand high property taxes that drive up rents and literally impoverish people. They rob parents of choice, and lead to absurd ideological battles about religious issues and other issues. They provide poor education. They ruin the lives of many children.
Steps I would take:
- I would support bills to increase school choice, especially education property tax credits.
- I would file a resolution to remove the public school mandate from the Texas constitution.
- I would vote to reduce state spending on public schools.
Freedom to hire, fire, and quit
- End minimum wage
- Allow "at-will" employment
People should be free to make whatever employment arrangements they want to. That includes voluntary "at-will" employment, which means that either the employer or employee can terminate the employment at any time, for any reason or no reason.
Steps I would take:
- I would file legislation to make sure that at-will employment is respected by the state.
- I would file bills that reduce employment regulations.
- I would seek mechanisms to allow Texans to be free from the federal minimum wage mandate.
Respect our privacy
- Police must respect our rights regarding search and seizure
- Harsh penalties for police and government officials who violate our rights
- End involuntary blood drawing
- End checkpoints
- End SWAT raids
Too often the police act as violators, not defenders, of our rights. We need to change the laws to stop this kind of behavior. People who work for the government need to be penalized heavily when they violate our rights.
Steps I would take:
- I would file legislation to prohibit SWAT raids in non-violent cases.
- I would file legislation to increase penalties for police and public official misconduct.
- I would file legislation to prohibit involuntary blood drawing.
- I would file legislation to prohibit DWI and drug checkpoints.
Legalize gambling
- Gambling doesn't violate anyone's rights
- Legalize it statewide
Excessive gambling can be self-harming, but it doesn't violate anyone else's rights. For most people, gambling is simply another form of entertainment. Gambling should be legal.
Steps I would take:
- I would file legislation to end prohibition of gambling throughout Texas.
- I would support other legislation to reduce gambling prohibitions and penalties.
Stop harming small business
- Stop city governments from blocking small businesses
- Get rid of occupational licensing laws
- End tax subsidies and crony capitalism
Government tends to help well-connected big business by protecting it from competition from newer small businesses. We should have a level playing field where government does not pick winners and losers, and government does not engage in crony capitalism.
Steps I would take:
- I would file legislation to repeal many anti-competitive occupational licensing laws.
- I would file legislation to reduce the power of cities to use permitting ordinances to limit and block businesses.
- I would file legislation to prohibit local governments from using tax subsidies for their favored businesses.
Relief for taxpayers
- Expensive government services hurt taxpayers
- Cut spending and cut taxes
- Republican legislature and governor just increased state spending more than 10%
- Stop playing games to load up on dirty federal money
People in Texas are heavily burdened with state and local taxes. Most of this money is not used to defend anyone's rights, but instead to provide people with benefits. That's not a legitimate function of government.
Steps I would take:
- I would file legislation to cut the state sales tax from 6.25% to 4%.
- I would file legislation to eliminate Rick Perry's business tax.
- I would propose a budget to cut spending by a matching amount (15%-20% cut).
- I would oppose taking federal money when it comes with strings attached (as it almost always does).
It's time to end the war on terror
- The war on terror is self-sustaining. We kill them, so they want to kill us.
- We should get out of Afghanistan and other foreign countries
- Stop the drone bombings
Steps I would take:
- I would file resolutions opposing the federal government's military intervention in foreign countries.
Don't let politicians hand-pick their voters
- Redistricting is fundamentally unfair
- Election system is skewed to preserve Republican/Democratic domination
Currently, the Republican legislature rearranges the districts to corral voters and make sure they get re-elected. If Democrats get control, they will do the same thing. Republicans and Democrats also cooperate to make it hard for other parties to compete against them.
Steps I would take:
- I would file legislation to replace legislature-controlled redistricting with something less biased, either computer redistricting or an independently elected statewide panel.
- I would file legislation to make ballot access easier for other parties and candidates.