The following is an interview i conducted via email with Libertarian presidential canadate Marc Allan Feldman.
1.) what are your thoughts on Austin PetersenAustin is a solid Libertarian party member and a great asset. He
brings youthful energy and a talent for showmanship. He likes to
create controversy that can be divisive, which is often damaging. He
has a limited, but very loyal following, based primarily on his
personality. His stand on the Non-Aggression principle is
particularly controversial, divisive, and it engenders much bad
feeling about him. He tends to take apparently vague and moving
positions on conservatism, Pro-life issues, military interventionism,
and individual liberty. His "penny plan" for shrinking government
If his personality became popular enough to bring many new committed
Libertarians into the party, I would support his efforts.
Unfortunately, his social media footprint, name recognition, and
influence outside the Libertarian party remain exceedingly small.
2.) thoughts on Gary JohnsonGary Johnson was the best of the Republicans. He was a good and
successful Republican governor of New Mexico for two terms. In 2011,
he was the best of the candidates for the Republican nomination for
president. He was not very popular with the Republican party and was
excluded after the first couple Republican primary debates. That is
when he decided to leave the Republican party, and run as a
Libertarian candidate. Unfortunately, Gary was not successful in
promoting the Libertarian movement, in growing our donor base or
bringing many new people into the party. Gary still sees politics in
a Republican paradigm, with outreach primarily to special interest
groups (marriage equality, gun rights, marijuana legalization) and
looking to those special interest groups for funds and volunteers.
Gary believes that 2016 is a great opportunity for the LP to reach out
to disgruntled Democrats and Republicans because of the high negative
ratings on the current candidates. I tend to see most Dems and GOP
voting not in support of their candidate, but in opposition to the
candidate of the other major party. When people are motivated by
opposition voting, the worse the candidates, the more committed they
are. I see a very different opportunity for the LP.
3.) Do you believe in the non-aggression principle?The non-aggression principle is a moral and ethical imperative. The
initiation of force against others is unacceptable. This is not a
crazy idea. I see it as a corollary to the Golden Rule, do unto
others as you would have them do unto you. We do not want others to
aggress against us, so we should not aggress against others. This is
a good moral guide, but not a great political one, primarily because
it is phrased in the negative. It tells on what NOT to do, but
doesn't tell one what one should be doing. That is why I pair the NAP
with a new principle, a political principle.
I call it the positive empowerment principle, or PEP. "Maximize the
power of individuals to control themselves, their property, and their
environment, as long as they do not infringe on the rights of others.
4.) thoughts on john mcafee John Mcafee is a fascinating individual,
and a notable software company pioneer. He is new to the Libertarian
party, as a former Republican who gave up his Presidential nomination
bid as the candidate of his new Cyber party, when he realized that he
would not be able to achieve ballot access. He is an excellent
speaker, but often it seem to me that I find inconsistencies in his
facts and opinions. He made his fortune by raising concerns about
computer virus attacks, and selling a software product as a solution.
He now raises concerns of cyber attacks, and is selling his candidacy
as a solution. I do not see than many Libertarians are convinced.
5.) is there any Libertarian candidate you would not endorse?I am a believer first in individual empowerment. That includes
thinking for yourself and deciding for yourself. That is why I do not
seek the endorsement of anyone. I also would not endorse any
candidate. However, I admire and value the contributions of all the
candidates. I feel that our weakest candidates are better than the
strongest candidates of the Dems and the GOP. I will be happy to
support whoever is the choice of the Libertarian delegates in
convention.
6.) what are the first 10 things you would do as president.
1. Deliver a balanced budget to Congress.
2, Work with Congress to pass a bill to change all deductible
charitable donations to dollar-for-dollar tax rebates.
3, Put an immediate Federal government hiring freeze in effect, and
place spending caps on all federal agencies to limit spending to
available revenue, while waiting for a balanced budget from Congress.
Either way, I will not add a dollar to the national debt.
4. Pardon 10,000 non-violent prisoners with a plan for private social
support after release.
5. Announce the end to all government foreign aid (that is under the
jurisdiction of the President and the executive branch) with the
transfer of responsibility for international support to private
individuals and voluntary organizations.
6. Develop a plan to transfer or re-purpose all overseas American
military installations and bring our troops home. My criteria for
allowing American military installations in other countries would be
the same as my criteria for allowing other countries to have military
installations in the United States.
7. Drop the family relationship requirement for sponsorship of
immigrants and refugees. It should be a benefit of citizenship for
each American to sponsor as few or as many immigrants as they are
willing and able to support and take responsibility.
8. Identify ISIS as an international criminal organization, and work
with our current partners in fighting international crime, to arrest,
try, convict, and punish those responsible for criminal and terrorist
activities and to interrupt their funding and support according to
international agreements.
9. Work with Congress to develop a voluntary plan where individuals
can invest their social security contributions in
government-guaranteed student debt. This will take the control of
social security and student debt funds out of government, raise the
return on Social Security funds from below 1% to 2%, and lower student
debt interest rates from 4 to 8% down to 2%.
10. Take a cost-effective vacation with my family to south florida or Arizona.
7.) how do you plan on getting us the 5 percent we need?I would start a nation wide voter registration drive with Rock the
Vote and other organizations, to turn as many of the countries 100
million non-voters into engaged citizens. I would try to send a
message that the Libertarian Party want to represent them, and send a
message that many voters currently desire none of the above.
On Austin Petersen: . His "penny plan" for shrinking government is
unrealistic and avoids difficult questions of budgetary priorities.
What would you replace obamacare with? A plan to move the
responsibility for our health to individuals, communities, and
voluntary organizations.
Social security see above
Are you an anarchist. Anarchists believe in no rulers. I am a
panarchist - I think everyone should rule themselves.
does the LP ever stand a chance winning an election? Much stranger
things have happened. The key is to understand that it is not our
decision to make, and not our power to decide, the decision and the
power rests with the American people.
Thanks for reading! you can visit his website votesnotforsale.com to read more! stay tuned for darryl perry, Gary johnson, Rhett smith, and more!
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