Health, Education and Welfare

By Gail K. Lightfoot

Discusses charity, education, substance abuse, environment, land use, health care, social security and medicare.

Education provided by and with parental support and involvement is what this nation needs. Small schools close to home or work meeting the needs of individual students are far superior to large, impersonal institutions.

Substance abuse can be stopped if we focus our time and energy and money on programs that work. Substance abusers have a lack of life skills and only by learning how to build and maintain work and personal relationships will they recover and go on to enjoy a life free of drugs.

A healthy environment is vital to human life. If an individual or business creates an unhealthy environment, they ought to be liable for the damage they cause. When government gets into the act, we end up with some legal acceptable level of pollution. You are not powerless. You can make polluters liable for the damage they cause.

Let private property owners, singly or in association, protect the land they own. Form organizations to buy land for recreation or preservation of the land and wildlife. Land will be maintained as the owners wish it maintained, pristine open space, parks or hunting grounds -- whatever they wish.

Private health care serves the largest number with the care they need at the lowest prices. The federal government allows its workers to self select any health insurance plan they wish with a predetermined amount paid by the government. Employees are free to take more or fewer benefits according to their own wishes. This ensures they are fully informed about their medical benefits. Why is this plan not available to all?

Social Security and Medicare could be removed from federal control to individual account owner control. Many South American nations have done this with great success. We can protect the well being of the elderly now and the well being of our grandchildren in the future by privatizing Social Security completely. There are several plans to make the transition from one system to the other with no loss to the current or soon to be recipients.

Gail Lightfoot California Libertarian for U.S.Senate, 2004