Document:Missouri State Party Platform 2013

Platform of the Missouri Libertarian Party

(As revised by the voting membership in convention, February 23rd, 2013)

In affirmation of the traditional respect for individual life, liberty, and property, the members of the Missouri Libertarian Party do establish our Platform and Program for the people of Missouri, in accordance with our State Constitution, to ensure harmony, abundance, and self-government to all citizens of our State. To accomplish these goals, we propose the following:

EDUCATION

Responsibility and authority for the education of children belongs with parents.

• Restore local control of all schools.
• Remove restrictions on home schooling.
• Move toward privatization of government public schools.
• Repeal all Federal and State education mandates.

ELECTIONS

Fair elections are the cornerstone of the democratic process.

• Support fair ballot access and free and open elections.
• Support reduction of signatures required for ballot initiative.
• Support legislation requiring a "Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail" when using electronic voting equipment.
• Repeal all Federal and State campaign finance laws which restrict Free Speech.
• Support legislation requiring the use of an objective scientific metric when comparing alternatives for district boundaries to eliminate gerrymandering.
• Have representation for more than just Democrats and Republicans. Elect the 163 representatives in the state house of representatives based on the percentage of the vote received by each established political party. This method is commonly used and often goes by the term Proportional Representation. The actual representatives would be chosen from the lists of 163 names submitted by each of the political parties.
• Require majority rule. Use Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) to require a majority win in all other races with more than two candidates. IRV causes runoff elections to be conducted instantly until someone receives a majority. Voters say who their second choices would be in case their first choice does not receive a majority of the first vote.
• Require true support for tax, bond, and referendum issues. Require them to be fairly represented to the voters. Allow votes on tax, bond and referendum issues to appear on the ballot in November elections only. In the case of a tax or bond issue, require the ballot language to state what the difference in taxes will be if the measure passes as compared to if it fails, and for how many years. For example, "If this school bond issues passes, the owner of a $100,000 home will pay $150 more in taxes each year for the next 30 years than they will if it fails."
• Vigorously combat election fraud. Conduct spot audits of elections.
• Allow voters to express dissatisfaction with their choices. Make "None of the Above" a choice in all candidate elections.
• Eliminate the position of Lt. Governor. Have the state legislature put this constitutional issue to the voters.

HEALTH CARE

Health care, like all economic goods and services is provided most efficiently and fairly by the free market.

• Repeal Obamacare and phase out Medicare and Medicaid
• Oppose any additional federal regulation of health care and government health care options.
• Establish tax-free Health Savings Accounts.
• Make all medical and dental expenses income tax deductible.
• Restore patient choice in medical care by removing interference from the state, including limitations on access to nurse practitioners, midwifery, alternative medicine, and self-medication.
• Restore a true free market in health care by removing federal and state regulations which restrict competition.

JOBS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

When politicians and bureaucrats pick winners, Missourians lose. Resources are most efficiently and fairly allocated by the free market.

• Repeal all subsidies.
• Eliminate mandated benefits.
• Eliminate taxes, do not abate them for certain groups.
• Eliminate the abuse of Tax Increment Financing (TIF).
• Sell all state agencies that duplicate services provided by businesses or charitable organizations.
• Give responsibility for licensing drivers and vehicles over to auto insurers, including standards for vehicle inspections.
• Abolish labor laws and allow employers and employees to freely enter into contracts.
• Create jobs by eliminating red tape and licensing requirements on businesses.

JUSTICE

The purpose of our justice system is to protect individuals and their property, not serve as a revenue stream for the state and a mechanism to punish peaceful behavior.

• Eliminate mandatory sentencing.
• Restore Second Amendment rights.
• Repeal statutes regarding victimless crimes.
• Enact legislation supportive of victims' rights and restitution.
• Privatize prison and parole programs and demand accountability.
• Add an explicit right to a Fully Informed Jury to the State Constitution.
• Amend Missouri's Constitution to require a 'sunset clause' for every new law.
• Require criminals to make restitution to their victims as a condition of parole or early release.
• Prohibit all jurisdictions from seizing property in connection with an alleged crime until such time as the accused is tried and convicted.
• Require Prosecutors to produce actual victims in court as witnesses subject to cross examination when prosecuting so called victimless crimes.

PRIVACY

Privacy in one's home, affairs and effects is a fundamental right of free people.

• Define an explicit right to privacy in the Missouri Constitution.
• Allow citizens to sue public officials individually and personally for violations of citizens' rights.
• Oppose implementation of the "Real ID Act," which requires enhanced security for state driver's licenses - essentially establishing a national ID card.
• Oppose wire-tapping, drones, cameras and other surveillance technology by government entities without a properly executed search warrant.
• Oppose any effort to regulate or prohibit peaceful practices in one's medical, recreational, or other lifestyle decisions.
• Allow consenting adults to marry and enter into other private contracts without requiring permission from any government entity.

PROPERTY RIGHTS AND EMINENT DOMAIN

Property rights are the foundation of liberty and enable a free market economy to flourish.

• End the practice of using eminent domain powers to seize property for the benefit of private developers.
• Repeal the ability of local governments to turn over condemnation authority to independent parties.
• Eliminate the use of "blight" as a rationale for using eminent domain to seize private property.
• Oppose the National Animal Identification System.
• Oppose the use of government mandates to dictate the smoking policies of privately-owned businesses.

STATE SOVEREIGNTY

State sovereignty and the ability to nullify unconstitutional federal laws and mandates are protected by the 10th Amendment to the US Constitution.

• Support efforts to assert state sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment of the US Constitution for all powers not otherwise enumerated and granted to the federal government under the Constitution.
• Support nullification of the laws and mandates put forth by DEA, USDA, FDA, EPA and other federal regulatory agencies.
• Allow the use of alternative currencies in Missouri.

TAXES

Taxes remove revenue by force from productive uses, allocating them less efficiently, and provide the resources for political corruption and cronyism.

• Initiate ceilings on personal property taxes.
• Repeal the state income tax provision of the Missouri Constitution.
• All state and local government functions should, where possible, be funded by user fees.
• By constitutional amendment require 75% voter approval for all tax increases or new taxes.
• Pass enabling legislation to permit voters to repeal, and in the future prohibit sales taxes on food and prescription drugs for counties, municipalities and all other political entities in the state which have authority to levy sales taxes. *This includes the state-wide 1% sales tax for public schools.