from: http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,38748,00.html Click Here: <A HREF="http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,38748,00.html"> Libertarian: Leave Tech Alone</A> ----- Libertarian: Leave Tech Alone by Andy Patrizio 3:00 a.m. Sep. 14, 2000 PDT The Libertarian Party may not be making as much noise as some of the other third parties during this election year, but the party is quietly making more progress than ever in its efforts to attract voters disenchanted by the two major parties. Libertarian presidential candidate Harry Browne is appealing to anyone who wants smaller government, and that should include the technology industry. "Fortunately, we don't have a Department of Software, but we're getting there," said Browne. "The Microsoft case is a great step forward toward government control." The Libertarian Party has grown to 205,000 registered members attracting disenchanted voters from other parties as well as people who had previously just tuned out completely. The party is two-and-a-half times the size it was in 1996, when Browne pulled in 500,000 votes in his run for the presidency, despite the fact that only 24 states currently allow voters to register as Libertarians. This time around, the party has substantially more volunteers, and a lot more money to get its message out. Ads have been running on cable channels like CNN and MSNBC and will soon be on other major networks. While the Republican and Democratic propositions have been described as "trickle down" vs. "soak the rich" propositions, this Libertarian's philosophy might be best described as "flush." Browne's platform would do away with nearly every government agency and Cabinet position and limit the federal government to its role as spelled out in the Constitution. Browne admits this initiative can scare people off, but only when presented in isolation. "When it is presented in combination with the benefits, where we show people how much better off their lives would be without having to pay income tax or to be free from (the) Social Security system, they realize what it's costing them for these alleged benefits from the government," Browne said. Some dot-com millionaires might be drawn by his plan to eliminate all taxation on income, including federal, Social Security, capital gains, and payroll taxes. Browne figures the government would have an income of around $100 billion per year from tariffs and excise taxes, which is more than enough for a secure national defense and to handle constitutional functions like the federal judiciary and the Post Office. "The government cost less than that at the height of the Korean War," he points out. But when it comes to some of the burning technology issues of the 2000 campaign such as the 1996 Telecommunications Act and COPA, Browne has only limited knowledge. He said the Commission on Online Child Protection (COPA) and key portions of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 were found unconstitutional and illustrate the government's placing a regulatory burden on a private industry that should be left to control itself. "In this way, politicians can say, 'Look what I've accomplished, government is no longer out of control,' when in fact the oppression and intrusion is growing just as fast but it's being done through intrusions on private industry," Browne said. Browne says government regulation is usually too far after the fact to make a difference, such as in the case of the sudden legislative interest in the defective Bridgestone-Firestone tires. "We rely on the government to protect us, and the government never protects us, it never delivers," he said. "Every time it fails that's used as an excuse for more government intrusion, when it should be an example of why we shouldn't rely on government." The solution should be competing, private consumer-protection agencies, Browne said. Browne thinks the technology revolution progressed so quickly because the industry is largely unregulated. "The technology industry certainly has been the freest industry in America, which is why it's the most progressive, the most successful and the most effective of all of them." Browne was more informed on tech issues related to privacy and business competition. He said the FBI's Carnivore would become a vegetarian under his administration, as he would do away with it entirely. He wants to completely eliminate antitrust laws and regulation, and opposes the investigation and proposed breakup of Microsoft. He also said Microsoft's enemies made a huge mistake pressing their case to the Justice Department. "They thought they would unleash the government to bring Microsoft down to size," he said. "Then you find out when you support these (regulatory) programs it's your opponent who gets the political influence. They have the wealth to buy the congressmen to make it come out their way." Microsoft never had a political lobbying office in Washington, but it does now, and it has the money to buy influence, Browne said. He thinks this will come back to haunt America Online as it has opened the door for more government interference in the computer industry. Another subject that has tech leaders and government officials butting heads is the subject of H-1B visas. For the last few years, Silicon Valley leaders have gone to Washington to beg for more foreign workers. Browne's solution is rather unique: Get rid of the welfare system that promotes immigration. "Many people are hysterical about immigration, but what they really object to is the welfare state," he said. "I want to shut down the welfare state so people will no longer be afraid of open immigration, so that people will no longer be afraid that people will come here to jump on the gravy train immediately because we have a better gravy train than they have at home." If there is no welfare state, then the government can open the borders and tech companies can hire anyone they want from anywhere, Browne said. Browne argues that one of the reasons tech companies keep looking overseas for help is because they can't find any decent help in the U.S. because of poor public education. Browne's solution is to get the federal government out of education. "Education really started to go downhill in the 1960s when the federal government moved in," he said. Browne's second solution is a repeal of income tax so that parents have the money to put their child in any school they want. Schools, he argue, should be handled on the local level. "The closer it is to the community, the more it reflects community standards," said Browne. "In the final analysis, until we separate school from state, we will never have really good schools in this country." Browne admits he doesn't have as much contact with people in the tech sector as he'd like, but thinks they would fit into the party well, given that they currently face expanding government regulation and heavy taxation of their capital gains from the upswing in the stock market. "As far as entrepreneurs are concerned, they won't come flocking to us until they see where we can succeed," he said. Until then, he encourages technology entrepreneurs to resist the temptation that the government is going to help them, and suggests keeping the federal government as far away as possible. Browne said converted Libertarians primarily come from a one-third split of Democrats, Republicans and independents who simply stopped voting. "We're appealing to people who want smaller government," he said. "If you vote for a Republican or a Democrat, you're just giving up. You're saying, 'We never will have smaller government, so I'm just voting for whoever will take me to Hell at the slowest possible rate.'" "Neither (George W. Bush or Al Gore) is promising anything that would reduce the government in any way whatsoever," said Browne. "Both believe they are best qualified to run your life. Neither one of them believes in freedom, neither one of them believes in the Constitution as a limiting force on government." That also includes Green Party candidate and consumer activist Ralph Nader, whose pro-environment agenda threatens to siphon votes away from Gore. "The Green Party platform is pure fascism and socialism," said Browne. "It's either government regulation to the nth degree, or government taking over to the nth degree." Browne is a realist -- he doesn't expect to trade his Franklin, Tennessee home for one in Washington next January. His goal is simple advancement of the party. "If I could just break into the millions (of votes), it's going to speed up the defections from other parties and inspire people who haven't been voting to vote, because now there's a small government alternative for them to support," he said. This year 1,400 Libertarian candidates are running for federal, state and local offices, which is far more than other parties combined, said Browne. "We may not win this year, but we will be paving the way for Libertarians to get into Congress in 2002 and maybe running an equal race for presidency in 2004." But it won't be Browne at the top of the ticket in 2004. "Twice is enough for anyone." Copyright � 2000 ----- Aloha, He'Ping, Om, Shalom, Salaam. Em Hotep, Peace Be, All My Relations. Omnia Bona Bonis, Adieu, Adios, Aloha. Amen. Roads End <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
