https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU-sO7FEtmE
Last week Truth In Media’s Joshua Cook spoke with Austin Petersen, Editor-in-Chief of The Libertarian Republic, who is seeking his party’s nomination for the President of the United States.
Petersen made it clear that he is seriously running for president and that he will be old enough next year to qualify when he turns 35 years old next spring.
Cook asked Petersen about his strategy to reach voters who are being promised “free” stuff by Sen. Bernie Sanders who’s currently attracting large crowds.
“I cannot give you free stuff, but I can give you free-dom, and from that is the bounty, the cornucopia, that heart of the American dream, but I believe we’ve lost our way,” said Petersen.
“It’s going to take a cabal of libertarian activists who will defend and champion these ideas and explain to the American people why these ideas are superior to the ideas of socialism, central planning, and big government,” said Petersen.
Regarding ballot access issues, Petersen said that “we have to prove that we are viable.”
“The American people, if they saw a libertarian candidate polling high enough I think that the American people would demand them to be included in the debate,” said Petersen.
Petersen describes his campaign run as a David and Goliath story and said that he wants to take what resources he has and go to war.
“We have to work harder than the Republicans and Democrats,” said Petersen.
“David beat Goliath because he was brave enough to go on the field of battle with his sling and sword, and challenge Leviathan. That’s what libertarians have to do. We have to challenge the Leviathan and we’re going to have to punch above our waist. We’re going to have to learn the tactics and strategies that our enemies employ against us because they are far greater and out fund us. We have to smarter, train harder and find the strategies that work,” said Petersen.
Petersen’s platform:
- Reduce economic inequality by lowering barriers to entry in the marketplace, licensing, taxation, and fees. Urge Congress to adopt the “Penny Plan,” across the board spending cuts of 1% per program.
- Strengthen national security by reducing/ending foreign aid to nations hostile to the USA. Reconsider overseas troop deployments in areas not important to US national security, and audit the Pentagon. Reform the Veteran’s Affairs administration.
- Lower barriers to trade with foreign nations, and allow American companies the leeway they need to develop domestic energy production, in order to create good paying jobs at home.
- Audit the Federal Reserve. Institute a Monetary Commission devoted to studying the implications of replacing central banking with “Free Banking,” and abolishing laws of legal tender.
- Abolish the existing, complicated tax code that discriminates against the most productive Americans, and replace it with a simple, flat tax at the lowest rate necessary to support the core functions of government. Seek voluntary ways to fund public services where possible, lotteries, tolls, etc.
- Streamline our immigration system by following updated “Ellis Island” styled protocols. Security check. Disease check. Done.
- Work with Congress to institute new protocols that will protect national security while placing the balance of weight towards due process and individual rights. No beheadings without due process.
- Reclassify the war on drugs as a medical problem, not a criminal problem. Deschedule drugs at the federal level.
- Allow young people to opt out of Social Security.
- Overturn Obamacare. Seek out market alternatives to problems of health and wellness.
- Defend Life – Encourage a culture of life, and adoption, and educate Americans about the “consistent pro-life ethic,” which also means abolishing the death penalty.