May 25, 2006

Vermont Libertarian Party Adopts New Platform

(Montpelier) The Vermont Libertarian Party (VTLP) adopted a new platform at their state convention in Montpelier. Their single-page platform covers the specifics of fifteen areas libertarian legislators will work on over the course of the next few legislative sessions.

Hardy Machia, chairman of the Vermont Libertarian Party, stated, “We taken another step into the realm of practical politics with our new platform. It lays out a sensible middle ground toward more freedom, lower taxes, and smaller government-which a majority of Vermonters support.”

A few highlights of the Libertarian platform are:

1. ECONOMY: We believe in competitive free enterprise as the source of wealth for our people, jobs for our labor force, and the tax base necessary to support the legitimate demands of government.

2. TAXATION: We will adopt a Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights to limit the growth of government to the rate of inflation, and to require a voter referendum to raise any tax.

4. PROPERTY RIGHTS: We will protect the human right of private property ownership against government regulation, confiscation and eminent domain.

8. HEALTH CARE: We believe health care should be affordable and available to all Vermonters. We believe health care decisions are between patient and doctor, not patient, doctor and legislature.

15. LIBERTY: We will pass up every opportunity to tell peaceable, independent Vermonters how to live their lives.

The VTLP’s 2006 platform is available online at
http://www.vtlp.org/main/media/papers/VTLPPlatform.pdf