- Abortion issues:
- Position provided directly to SelectSmart.com by Mr. Browne: "The Constitution gives the federal government no authority to legislate on abortion in any way. I oppose abortion, and hold other opinions on social issues, but do not want the politicians to have the power to legislate on any social issues."
- Affirmative action:
- Position provided directly to SelectSmart.com by Mr. Browne: "I oppose Affirmative Action. The federal government should be color-blind, and not take race or gender into account in any way in any matter."
- Campaign finance:
- Position provided directly to SelectSmart.com by Mr. Browne: "I would repeal all campaign finance laws and would allow people to support anyone they choose to whatever extent they choose. Present laws are biased toward incumbents, and toward the two old parties. I would eliminate ballot restrictions that discriminate against third parties and independent candidates."
- Crime:
- Position provided directly to SelectSmart.com by Mr. Browne: "I favor an end to the War on Drugs, to the financing of gang warfare and the criminal profit in drug-dealing. These are just some of the changes needed to help Americans return to our native virtues of individual freedom, self-responsibility, civility, and decency.
The Constitution defines only three federal crimes: treason, piracy, and counterfeiting; it doesn't give the federal government the authority to legislate on any common crimes." - Defense spending:
- Position provided directly to SelectSmart.com by Mr. Browne: "We now have a strong national offense, but a weak national defense. We can bomb anyone to oblivion, but we are completely vulnerable to any two-bit dictator who can get his hands on a nuclear missile. I prefer we rely on private companies to develop and build a missile defense that protects us from nuclear attack -- and end our reliance on offensive nuclear weapons, withdraw American troops from all foreign countries, and stop American interference in the policies of other countries. This will make us safer than we are now."
- Drug policy:
- Position provided directly to SelectSmart.com by Mr. Browne: "I would end drug prohibition and the War on Drugs. The federal government has no Constitutional authority to prohibit any drugs. It required a Constitutional amendment to prohibit alcohol (which produced the same explosion of crime that drug prohibition has caused)."
- Homosexual issues:
- Position provided directly to SelectSmart.com by Mr. Browne: "The federal government has no Constitutional authority to legislate about groups, about marriage, about any personal matters."
- Education money:
- Position provided directly to SelectSmart.com by Mr. Browne: "I would remove the federal government from education entirely. I would repeal the income tax immediately, so parents can afford to send their children to schools of their own choice, or to home-school their children, without having to get vouchers or approval from government."
- Environment:
- Position provided directly to SelectSmart.com by Mr. Browne: "The two largest sources of pollution in America are:
(1) government agencies polluting their own property; and
(2) government allowing private companies to pollute government lakes, rivers, roads, and lands with strip-mining, clear-cutting, and toxic-waste-dumping. Private owners rarely pollute their own properties because they care about the future value of those properties, but when they are allowed to lease or otherwise use government property they have no incentive to protect it. I want to take as much property as possible away from the government and put it into the hands of owners who will care about its future value." - Evolution:
- Position provided directly to SelectSmart.com by Mr. Browne: "I believe in the separation of school and state, which makes the question of what to teach in school completely irrelevant to the government. Parents would choose whether to send their children to a school that teaches evolution or a school that teaches creationism. The government would have no say in the matter."
- Foreign policy:
- Position provided directly to SelectSmart.com by Mr. Browne: "I favor no government aid whatsoever. We can do more for world peace by providing free trade, by refusing to meddle in other countries' affairs, and by not arming the participants in disputes. And if we reduce our federal government dramatically, the resulting prosperity will inspire other countries to do the same--and the smaller their governments, the less likely that they will threaten world peace."
- Gun control:
- Position provided directly to SelectSmart.com by Mr. Browne: "I oppose gun control. I would repeal all federal gun-control laws, so that citizens can defend themselves against predators. I believe the Bill of Rights is a literal document; the Constitution prohibits the federal government from imposing laws relating to common crimes."
- Health care:
- Position provided directly to SelectSmart.com by Mr. Browne: "The federal government is the biggest barrier to good health. Medicare and Medicaid have run up the price of health care; federal and state mandates have priced health insurance outside the reach of young people; federal regulations have overloaded doctors and made them less able to treat their patients efficiently and inexpensively. I would abolish the FDA so that life-saving medicines are available sooner. The federal government has no Constitutional authority to be involved in health care."
- Moral issues:
- Position provided directly to SelectSmart.com by Mr. Browne: "It is ludicrous to look to Washington for moral and ethical leadership. Politicians deceive and pander as a way of life. We must get government out of the way so individuals can take care of themselves and their families. I would repeal the federal income tax immediately, so parents can afford to send their children to private and church schools that support the parents' values, and so one parent can afford to stay home to raise the children, if desired."
- Social security:
- Position provided directly to SelectSmart.com by Mr. Browne: "I would take Social Security completely away from the politicians -- and care for today's retirees with private annuities paid for by selling off federal assets the government has no Constitutional authority to own."
- Tax policy:
- Position provided directly to SelectSmart.com by Mr. Browne: "I would make government so small that we can repeal the income tax and not replace it."
- Trade issues:
- Position provided directly to SelectSmart.com by Mr. Browne: "I believe you should be free to buy whatever you want from whoever is willing to sell it to you, anywhere in the world. Giving the politicians the power to decide what you can buy or sell means giving those with the most political influence the power to forcibly remove competition and run up the prices of the things you buy."
- Harry Browne is an investment advisor, the author of eleven books, radio personality, and public speaker -- and he was the 1996 Libertarian candidate for President of the United States.
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