Candidate for
Member of the State Assembly; District 12

Libertarian philosophy is the very simple idea that you have the right to be free, as long as you don't interfere with anyone else's right to be free.

There should be laws against murder, assault, rape, theft, vandalism, and fraud. The government at the state and local levels should maintain police, courts, and prisons to deal with offenders of these laws - nothing more.

People who make unwise personal decisions, such as consuming harmful drugs, should be held responsible for the consequences of those decisions. If someone commits murder while under the influence of a chemical, he or she should be held fully responsible for the murder - regardless of the influence. If he or she harms no one else, then the law should not get involved.

We already have laws against murder, assault, rape, theft, vandalism, and fraud. But we have a full-time legislature in Sacramento, and their job is to sit and think of new laws to pass. Since all the good laws have already been made, they get increasingly bizarre or intrusive. Meanwhile, legislators "take walks" rather than take stands on legislation.

Unless out of Sacramento completely, I will vote on every piece of legislation before the Assembly. I will vote for any law that increases our freedom, and I will oppose any law that takes any freedom away, however, small.

In addition, with a full-time job at $99,000/year, many of our legislators are professional politicians, out of touch with real-world issues. A part-time citizen legislature would allow citizens with "real jobs" to serve in Sacramento while still keeping at least one foot in reality. The Assembly should take about as much time as the National Guard.

If we cut state spending back to pre-dot-com days, the budget would be back in the black and we could even cut taxes. From there, we can look at more ways to reduce the intrusion of government into our everyday lives.

Imagine if, instead of paying your state taxes to a wasteful bureaucracy, you could spend them directly and locally. I propose a dollar-for-dollar tax credit: if you give $100 to a local homeless shelter, you take $100 off your state income tax. Not off of your gross income - off your taxes. Give your money directly to your local school district, rather than sending it to Sacramento and watching as it comes trickling back in pennies on the dollar.

Libertarians are sometimes accused of not caring about the poor and the environment. I feel that some issues are too important to leave in government hands!

The best way to help the poor is with a vigorous economy. There will still be some people who are unemployable, but with a booming economy, there is more than enough to go around that those people can get the help they need.

The government does a terrible job protecting the environment; the biggest polluter in the US is the US! Meanwhile, the Audubon Society and the Nature Conservancy create beautiful, well-maintained preserves. Strong property rights are the key to environmental protection.