The Libertarian Party is America's third largest political party, founded in 1971 as an alternative to the two main political parties. Our vision is for a world in which all individuals can freely exercise the natural right of sole dominion over their own lives, liberty and property by building a political party that elects Libertarians to public office, and moving public policy in a libertarian direction.

Libertarians believe the answer to America's political problems is the same commitment to freedom that earned America its greatness: a free-market economy and the abundance and prosperity it brings; a dedication to civil liberties and personal freedom that marks this country above all others; and a foreign policy of non-intervention, peace, and free trade as prescribed by America's founders.

Where We Stand:

* Foreign Policy: We support the maintenance of a sufficient military to defend the United States against aggression. The United States should both abandon its attempts to act as policeman for the world and avoid entangling alliances.

* Gun Laws: We affirm the right to keep and bear arms, and oppose the prosecution of individuals for exercising their rights of self-defense. We oppose all laws at any level of government requiring registration of, or restricting, the ownership, manufacture, or transfer or sale of firearms or ammunition. For the LP's amicus brief in the Heller Supreme Court case, visit here.

* Healthcare: We favor restoring and reviving a free market health care system, and oppose any attempt by the government to regulate healthcare.

* Privacy: We support the protections provided by the Fourth Amendment to be secure in our persons, homes, and property. The government should not engage in illegal surveillance of American citizens.

* Social Security: Retirement planning is the responsibility of the individual, not the government. We favor replacing the current government-sponsored Social Security system with a private voluntary system.

* Poverty and Welfare: The proper source of help for the poor is the voluntary efforts of private groups and individuals--not the government.

* Taxes: All persons are entitled to keep the fruits of their labor. We call for the repeal of the income tax, the abolishment of the Internal Revenue Service and all federal programs and services not required under the U.S. Constitution.

* Immigration: We seek a balance between the need to protect the nation's health and security through control of our border with the need for a free-flow of human capital to fill our economic demand for cheap labor. While recognizing illegal immigration is a growing problem in the United States, we believe ineffective laws governing immigration are at the root of this problem.

* Monetary policy: Individuals engaged in voluntary exchange should be free to use as money any mutually agreeable commodity or item. We support a halt to inflationary monetary policies, the repeal of legal tender laws and compulsory governmental units of account.

* Crime and Violence: Libertarians want a safe society where citizens do not feel that they are threatened by other individuals or by government itself. By focusing manpower on real crimes instead of prosecuting people for nonviolent, consensual crimes, police will be able to better protect and serve society.

* Environment: Protecting the environment requires a clear definition and enforcement of individual rights in resources like land, water, air, and wildlife. Free markets and property rights stimulate the technological innovations and behavioral changes required to protect our environment and ecosystems.

LP Platform: http://www.lp.org/platform
LP Issues: http://www.lp.org/issues

The Issues: