Libertarians are FOR

Personal Liberty
Your body, mind, and spirit belong to you and no one else. You have the right to life, to liberty, and to pursue happiness in any way that doesn’t harm others. No one, especially the government, has the right to tell you what you cannot or must do in your personal life, as long as you do not infringe on the rights of others to live in peace.

Personal Responsibility
You and you alone are responsible for your actions. If you work hard and act wisely and responsibly, you deserve to reap the rewards of your actions. If you are lazy, irresponsible, or make unwise choices, you shouldn’t expect other citizens to bail you out of trouble with their tax dollars.

Small Government
Federal, state, and local governments should be limited to only those functions that are spelled out in their constitutions or chartering documents. Anything not explicitly authorized as a government function should be run by private enterprise or individuals.

Libertarians are AGAINST

The “War on Drugs”

This is really a thinly veiled war on the Bill of Rights. Besides the fact that drug prohibition interferes with your right to control your own body, government’s failed attempt to rid our country of certain substances has resulted in no-knock raids, forfeiture of assets by people who have never been convicted of (or even charged with) a crime, and numerous other violations of constitutionally guaranteed rights. Plus, incarceration of drug “offenders” crowds prisons and results in violent offenders like murderers, rapists, and armed robbers being released early. Libertarians “just say no” to the War on Drugs!

Taxes (beyond what is absolutely necessary to provide constitutional government functions)
Services should be paid for by user fees whenever possible. Taxes take money away from hard-working Americans and should be reduced or eliminated wherever possible. Income taxes are the worst form of taxation because they force private citizens to reveal their financial affairs to government bureaucrats. Libertarians say, “fight organized crime … abolish the I.R.S.”

Learn More

What is the Libertarian Party? (lp.org)
Animated Introduction to the Philosophy of Liberty (isil.org)
The World’s Smallest Political Quiz (theadvocates.org)