UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Thursday, October 17, 1996
7A
Libertarians pursue freedom
Students want less government personal liberty
By Erin Rooney
Kansan staff writer
Bill Maher, Thomas Jefferson and a handful of KU students have a unique political ideology that binds them together. The political satirist, the political leader and the students are known to be Libertarians.
The Libertarian political party is made up of individuals who believe liberty is essential for a free society. The students in the KU Libertarians hold this pursuit of freedom in the highest regard and, with a quiet voice, are working to spread their message.
"A lot of Libertarians don't wear their hearts on their sleeves," said Clark Massey, Plano, Texas, junior. "It's hard for them to talk about libertarianism without alienating themselves, because it attacks a lot of fundamental assumptions that people
make about politics."
Libertarians are often alienated because of their ideology, which states that government is a bureaucratic association of men and women that uses coercion to stifle liberty. Libertarians like Massey support a society with less governmental involvement in people's lives.
This perception of failure to properly provide for the people, led Libertarians to pursue tenets in civil liberties, economic liberties and non-foreign intervention.
"I believe that each and every person has a right to live their life in the way they want to live, without my consent, as long as they're not infringing on my rights," said Ben Shockey, Overland Park freshman.
Libertarians believe that people have a right to all civil liberties such as private health care, insurance, medicinal and recreational drug use and marriage contracts without governmental intervention.
Marriage is an issue that has hit close to home for Ena Wheeler, Wichita senior, who is planning to get married this spring. She and her fiance have decided to go through traditional practices, but she disagrees with the interference of the government in her private affairs.
"The government should recognize contracts between two people, such as marriage," Wheeler said. "But it is not the government's place to regulate or define any portion of a marriage contract, like who can or cannot enter, in same sex marriages."
This desire for an increase in economic liberty from the status quo means libertarians think roads and schools should be supported by user fees$ and donations, not through taxes.
Classical liberalism promotes the philosophy that individuals have the right to do what they wish with their own property short of damaging other individuals or their property.
The Republican Party has difficulties accepting this ideology. Samantha Bowman, Wichita junior and former president of the College Republicans, said she believed in economic liberty but that there needed to be limits.
"User fees are a good idea for some instances but to completely do away with taxes would devastate our government with a huge loss of revenue,"
And Libertarians also believe that non-foreign intervention is a solution to many social problems in the United States. They are against governmental welfare, military spending in foreign affairs, being forced to join the military through a draft and taxes.
she said.
"Most people think that Libertarians are those people who just don't want to pay their taxes," he said. "Which is true, we don't want to pay our taxes, but there's more to it than that."
Stevie Case, Olathe junior and a member of the Democratic Party, said that without social programs the poor would suffer.
"Unfortunately, many children grow up without adequate education," Case said. "Without essential programs, poor members of society would be left to fend for themselves, creating a destitute lower class."
Democrats fail to put any level of faith in the human spirit, Wheeler argued.
"The Libertarian party is the only party that allows people to take responsibility for all issues, personal and economic," Wheeler said.
Libertarians seek seats in House
By Erin Rooney
Kansan staff writer
While the presidential debates were on television last night, the KU Libertarians turned their attention to two of their party's candidates running for the U.S. House of Representatives.
Charles Clack and his brother Art Clack spoke to a group of 15 at 8:30 p.m. last night at the English Room in the Kansas Union. Charles Clack is running for the third district congressional seat, which includes Lawrence, and Art is seeking the seat for the second district, which is west of the third district.
Issues discussed in the open forum included decreasing or eliminating taxation, balancing the budget through cuts in government spending and the decriminalization of drug possession and usage.
Charles Clack said that he believed current legislators cared more about the welfare of the government than in the welfare of the citizens.
"What the government is taking in taxes is way more than we would pay voluntarily," he said. "And they're not taking this money voluntarily."
He also said that cutting programs and taxes would lead to a balanced budget. His brother agreed.
Chris Wiswell, Overland Park senior and president of the KU Libertarians, said he supported Charles Clack.
"He seems to be more of a moderate Libertarian," Wiswell said. "I think Charles is the kind of candidate who could appeal to a more broad base of voters than perhaps more than an extreme or abrasive individual. Charles seems like a really nice guy."
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