Newsgroups: talk.politics.misc
Subject: Libertarian Platform, part 3 of 10
From: demon@desire.wright.edu (Stupendous Man)
Date: 9 Apr 92 12:02:39 EST
Organization: Demonic Possesions, Inc.

	Here is (without the Preamble) the LP Platform and my
responses/comments:

Part 3
------------
                          TABLE OF CONTENTS (for part 3)
 
  11. THE RIGHT TO PROPERTY                (3)
 
  12. PROTECTION OF PRIVACY                (3)
 
  13. GOVERNMENT SECRECY                   (3)
 
  14. INTERNAL SECURITY AND CIVIL LIBERTIES (3)
 
  15. THE RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS      (3)
 
  16. CONSCRIPTION AND THE MILITARY        (3)
 
  17. IMMIGRATION                          (3)
 
... 
11. THE RIGHT TO PROPERTY
 
There is  no  conflict  between  property  rights  and  human  rights.
Indeed, property rights  are the rights  of  humans  with  respect  to
property, and as such, are entitled to the same respect and protection
as all other human rights.
 
Moreover, all human  rights are property  rights too.  Such rights  as
the freedom from  involuntary servitude as  well  as  the  freedom  of
speech and the  freedom of press  are based  on  self-ownership.   Our
bodies are our  property every bit  as much as is justly acquired land
or material objects.
 
We further hold  that the owners  of property have the  full right  to
control, use, dispose  of, or in  any  manner  enjoy,  their  property
without interference, until  and unless the  exercise of their control
infringes the valid rights of others.  We oppose all violations of the

		Note that this includes pollution.

right to private  property, liberty of  contract, and freedom of trade
done in the  name of  national  security.   We  also  condemn  current
government efforts to  regulate or ban the use of property in the name
of  aesthetic  values,   riskiness,  moral   standards,   cost-benefit
estimates, or the promotion or restriction of economic growth.

		Some minor quibbles about wording.
		For example, if the property owner in the above example
	wanted help (from the government or anyone else) with economic growth,
	regulation of trade, etc. then the government (or other group) should
	be allowed to provide it.

		The difference is voluntary memborship in regulatory agencies
	or organizations, much like today's BBB.  (The BBB is a mediatory
	body, though.)
 
We demand an  end to the  taxation of privately owned  real  property,
which actually makes  the State the  owner of  all  lands  and  forces
individuals to rent their homes and places of business from the State.
 We condemn attempts  to employ eminent  domain to municipalize sports
teams or to try to force them to stay in their present location.
 
Where property, including  land, has  been  taken  from  its  rightful
owners by the  government or private action in violation of individual
rights, we favor restitution to the rightful owners.  Specifically, we
call for the return of lands taken from Americans of Japanese ancestry
during World War II.

		What if the owners, or even the immediate descendents, are no
	longer alive?  What about the present (and innocent) occupiers of the
	land?
 
12. PROTECTION OF PRIVACY
 
The individual's right to privacy, property, and right to speak or not
to speak should  not be infringed  by the government.  The  government
should not use  electronic or other means of covert surveillance of an
individual's actions or  private property without  the consent of  the
owner  or  occupant.    Correspondence,  bank  and   other   financial
transactions  and  records,   doctors'  and  lawyers'  communications,
employment records, and  the like should  not be  open  to  review  by
government without the  consent  of  all  parties  involved  in  those
actions.

		So surveillance in public is ok (I agree with that), and
	surveillance in all other locations requires the ok of the
	owner/occupant.  Ok, as long as the patrons/guests are made aware the  
        fact that owner/occupant has agreed to letting that place be "watched".

We support the protections provided by the Fourth Amendment and oppose
any government use  of search warrants  to examine or seize  materials
belonging to innocent third parties.  We also oppose police roadblocks
aimed at randomly,  and without probable  cause, testing  drivers  for
intoxication and police  practices to stop  mass transit vehicles  and
search passengers without probable cause.
 
So long as  the National Census  and all  federal,  state,  and  other
government agencies' compilations of data on an individual continue to
exist, they should  be conducted only  with the consent of the persons
from whom the data is sought.

		How about simply stating that all those that would like to
	receieve aid/benefits from the government based on population figures
	fill out the form in return for receiving such aid?
 
We oppose all  proposed regulations of civilian research on encryption
methods. We also  oppose government classification of such research or
requirements that deciphering methods be disclosed to the government.
 
If a private  employer screens prospective  or current  employees  via
questionnaires, polygraph tests,  urine tests for  drugs, blood  tests
for AIDS, or other means, this is a condition of that employer's labor
contracts. Such screening  does not violate  the rights of  employees,
who have the  right to boycott  such employers if they choose. Private
contractual arrangements, including  labor contracts, must  be founded
on mutual consent  and agreement in  a society that upholds freedom of
association. On the other hand, we oppose any use of such screening by
government or regulations  requiring government contractors  to impose
any such screening.

		This is a side note, but if more applicants requested the
	employer to submit to *their* tests as a condition of working there, 
	such tests would soon be out of fashion :).
		In other words, take your own bottle into the interview and
	request that it be filled so you can make sure you're not working for 
        drug addicts :).

We oppose government  regulations that require  employers  to  provide
health  insurance  coverage   for  employees,  which  often  encourage
unnecessary  intrusions  by   employers  into  the  privacy  of  their
employees.
 
We oppose the  issuance by the  government of an identity  card, to be
required for any  purpose,  such  as  employment,  voting,  or  border
crossing.
 
We further oppose  the nearly universal  requirement for  use  of  the
Social Security Number  as a personal  identification code, whether by
government  agencies  or  by  intimidation  of  private  companies  by
governments.

		Another side note, Ohio passed such a law.  It's funny watching
	the look on cashier's faces when they see my SSN is already imprinted
	on my checks :).
 
13. GOVERNMENT SECRECY
 
We condemn the government's use of secret classifications to keep from
the public information  that it should  have.  We favor substituting a
system  in  which   no  individual  may  be  convicted  for  violating
government secrecy classifications  unless the  government  discharges
its burden of proving that the publication:
 
a.  violated the  right of privacy of those who have been coerced into
revealing  confidential  or   proprietary  information  to  government
agents, or
 
b.  disclosed defensive  military plans so as to materially impair the
capabilities to respond to attack.
 
It should always  be a defense  to such prosecution  that  information
divulged shows that the government has violated the law.
 
14. INTERNAL SECURITY AND CIVIL LIBERTIES
 
We  call  for   abolition  of  secret  police,  such  as  the  Central
Intelligence  Agency.   We   support  Congressional  investigation  of
criminal activities of  the CIA and  FBI and of  wrongdoing  by  other
governmental agencies.
 
We  support  the   abolition  of  the   subpoena  power  as  used   by
Congressional committees against  individuals or firms.  We oppose any
efforts to  revive  the  House  Internal  Security  Committee  or  its
predecessor the House  Un-American Activities Committee,  and call for
the destruction of  its files on  private individuals and groups.   We
also call for  the abolition of  the Senate Subcommittee  on  Internal
Security.
 
15. THE RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS
 
The Bill of  Rights recognizes that an armed citizenry is essential to
a free society.   We affirm the right to keep and bear arms and oppose
all laws at  any  level  of  government  restricting,  regulating,  or
requiring the ownership, manufacture, transfer, or sale of firearms or
ammunition. We oppose  all laws requiring  registration of firearms or
ammunition.  We also  oppose any government efforts to ban or restrict
the use of  tear gas, "mace,"  or other self-protection  devices.   We
further oppose all  attempts to  ban  weapons  or  ammunition  on  the
grounds that they are risky or unsafe.

		"Risky or unsafe" meaning because the government doesn't like
	them or because they are old and/or faulty?  Once again some minimum
	standard is needed.
 
We support repeal of the National Firearms Act of 1934 and the Federal
Gun Control Act  of 1968, and we demand the immediate abolition of the
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.
 
We favor the  repeal of laws  banning the concealment  of  weapons  or
prohibiting pocket weapons.  We also oppose the banning of inexpensive
handguns ("Saturday night specials").
 
16. CONSCRIPTION AND THE MILITARY
 
Recognizing  that  registration   is  the  first   step  toward   full
conscription, we oppose all attempts at compulsory registration of any
person and all  schemes for automatic  registration through government
invasions of the  privacy of school,  motor vehicle, or other records.
We call for  the abolition of  the still-functioning elements  of  the
Selective Service System,  believing that impressment  of  individuals
into the armed  forces is involuntary  servitude.   We  call  for  the
destruction of  all  files  in  computer-readable  or  hard-copy  form
compiled by the  Selective Service System.  We also oppose any form of
national service, such as a compulsory youth labor program.
 
We oppose adding  women to the  pool of those eligible for and subject
to the draft,  not because we think that as a rule women are unfit for
combat, but because  we believe that  this step enlarges the number of
people subjected to government tyranny.
 
We support the immediate and unconditional exoneration of all who have
been accused  or  convicted  of  draft  evasion,  desertion  from  the
military, and other  acts of  resistance  to  such  transgressions  as
imperialistic wars and  aggressive acts of  the military.  Members  of
the military should  have the same  right to quit their  jobs as other
persons.

		So long as the military has the right to deny such people the
	benefits of service, like the GI bill and college savings plans.  If
	the parties have already received such benefits (like medical training)
        they should be required to compensate the military.

We call for  the end of the Defense Department practice of discharging
armed forces personnel  for homosexual conduct.   We further call  for
retraction of all  less-than-honorable discharges previously  assigned
for such reasons  and  deletion  of  such  information  from  military
personnel files.
 
We recommend the  repeal of the  Uniform Code of Military  Justice and
the recognition and  equal protection of  the rights of  armed  forces
members.  This will  thereby promote morale,  dignity, and a sense  of
justice within the military.
 
17. IMMIGRATION
 
We hold that  human rights should  not be denied or  abridged  on  the
basis  of  nationality.   We  condemn  massive  roundups  of  Hispanic
Americans and others  by  the  federal  government  in  its  hunt  for
individuals not possessing required government documents.  We strongly
oppose all  measures  that  punish  employers  who  hire  undocumented
workers.  Such measures  repress free enterprise,  harass workers, and
systematically discourage employers from hiring Hispanics.
 
We welcome all refugees to our country and condemn the efforts of U.S.
officials to create a new "Berlin Wall" which would keep them captive.
We condemn the  U.S.  government's policy  of barring  those  refugees
from our country and preventing Americans from assisting their passage
to help them escape tyranny or improve their economic prospects.

		I would support limits that regulate the flow of immigrants. 
	The infrastructure would collapse if we had to accept all commers at
	once.
 
Undocumented non-citizens should not be denied the fundamental freedom
to labor and  to move about unmolested.  Furthermore, immigration must
not be restricted for reasons of race, religion, political creed, age,
or sexual preference.
 
We  therefore  call   for  the  elimination  of  all  restrictions  on
immigration, the  abolition  of  the  Immigration  and  Naturalization
Service and the  Border Patrol, and  a declaration of full amnesty for
all  people  who  have  entered  the  country  illegally.   We  oppose
government welfare and  resettlement payments to  non-citizens just as
we oppose government welfare payments to all other persons.

		The border patrol is required for other reasons besides
	watching for "wetbacks".  In addition the INS can still exist for
	record keeping and informational purposes.
		In most cases, minimization should be the goal, and not total
	elimination.
 
------
end of part 3
 
Brett
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