“While energy is needed to fuel a modern society, government should not be subsidizing any particular form of energy. We oppose all government control of energy pricing, allocation, and production.”
The Libertarian Party (L.P.), “the party of principle,” is running Chase Oliver for President. “Chase Oliver and [vice-president] Mike ter Maat are on a mission to remove government barriers that stand in the way of your dreams,” the campaign page states. “Be part of the movement—help us break down these obstacles and make your aspirations a reality!”
In 2016, as reported in the New York Times, L.P. candidate Gary Johnson received almost 4.5 million votes, the most in Party history and the highest third-party showing in 20 years. In 2020, Jo Jorgensen fell to 1.1 million votes.
Protesting against Kamala Harris, Oliver stated:
Kamala Harris represents the status quo – a continuation of policies that have led to skyrocketing national debt, deepening economic inequality, and erosion of individual freedoms. My campaign is about breaking away from the duopoly that has failed the American people. Unlike Harris, I’m committed to balancing the budget, reducing government overreach, and ensuring that every American has the opportunity to thrive without being crushed by taxes and regulations.
The relevant planks of the LP platform, adopted every two years, follow:
Economic Liberty
Libertarians want all members of society to have abundant opportunities to achieve economic success. A free and competitive market allocates resources in the most efficient manner. Each person has the right to offer goods and services to others on the free market. The only proper role of government in the economic realm is to protect property rights, adjudicate disputes, and provide a legal framework in which voluntary trade is protected. All efforts by government to redistribute wealth, or to control or manage trade, are improper in a free society.
As respect for property rights is fundamental to maintaining a free and prosperous society, it follows that the freedom to contract to obtain, retain, profit from, manage, or dispose of one’s property must also be upheld. Libertarians would free property owners from government restrictions on their rights to control and enjoy their property, as long as their choices do not harm or infringe on the rights of others. Eminent domain, civil asset forfeiture, governmental limits on profits, governmental production mandates, and governmental controls on prices of goods and services (including wages, rents, and interest) are abridgements of such fundamental rights. For voluntary dealings among private entities, parties should be free to choose with whom they trade and set whatever trade terms are mutually agreeable.
2.2 Environment
Competitive free markets and property rights stimulate the technological innovations and behavioral changes required to protect our environment and ecosystems. Private landowners and conservation groups have a vested interest in maintaining natural resources. Governments are unaccountable for damage done to our environment and have a terrible track record when it comes to environmental protection. Protecting the environment requires a clear definition and enforcement of individual rights and responsibilities regarding resources like land, water, air, and wildlife. Where damages can be proven and quantified in a court of law, restitution to the injured parties must be required.
Energy and Resources
While energy is needed to fuel a modern society, government should not be subsidizing any particular form of energy. We oppose all government control of energy pricing, allocation, and production.
Free Trade and Migration
We support the removal of governmental impediments to free trade. Political freedom and escape from tyranny demand that individuals not be unreasonably constrained by government in the crossing of political boundaries. Economic freedom demands the unrestricted movement of human as well as financial capital across national borders.
Omission Statement
The all-freedom, all-the-time L.P. ends its platform with this statement:
In every matter, we advocate the consistent application of the principle of the non-initiation of coercion, physical force, or fraud. Our silence about any other particular government law, regulation, ordinance, directive, edict, control, regulatory agency, activity, or machination should not be construed to imply approval.