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NEWS FROM THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY
2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Suite 100
Washington DC 20037
World Wide Web: lp.org
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For release: October 4, 2000
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For additional information:
George Getz, Press Secretary
Phone: (202) 333-0008 Ext. 222
E-Mail: pressreleases@hq.LP.org
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Why wasn't the word "liberty" used
even once in the presidential debate?
WASHINGTON, DC -- While political experts debate who won or
lost the first presidential debate last night, the real losers were the
American public -- who didn't get to hear a genuine smaller-government
alternative like Libertarian presidential candidate Harry Browne, the
Libertarian Party said today.
"The presidential debate wasn't a choice -- it was an echo,"
said Steve Dasbach, the party's national director. "In a 90-minute
debate, the words 'liberty' or 'freedom' weren't mentioned a single
time.
"Instead, you had one candidate, Republican George W. Bush, who
wants to make government much bigger, and you had another candidate,
Democrat Al Gore, who wants to make government much, much bigger.
"Where was the candidate who could forcefully argue that
government is already too big, that taxes are too high, that Social
Security needs to be completely replaced by private retirement
accounts, that government intervenes too much in medical decisions, and
that schools can only be truly reformed by the power of the free
market?
"That candidate would have been Harry Browne -- but he was
locked out of this non-debate so Bush and Gore could engage in a pro-
government love fest."
In the first of three scheduled presidential debates last night
in Boston, Massachusetts, Bush and Gore used the word "government" 30
times; talked about "seniors" 42 times; and mentioned "Social Security"
53 times, noted Dasbach.
"But not once did Bush or Gore use the words 'liberty' or
'freedom' -- since those concepts are irrelevant to their plans to make
the federal government bigger, more expensive, and more intrusive," he
said.
"Neither Bush nor Gore made the case that the federal
government is already doing too much, and doing it badly. Neither made
a principled case for limited government, individual liberty, and
personal responsibility."
Take the debate over tax cuts, said Dasbach.
"Bush wants to grant a tax cut of $1.3 trillion over 10 years,
which, as he noted, would amount to 5% of the $25 trillion the federal
government expects to collect in revenue over the next decade. Gore, by
contrast, wants to dole out a tax cut of $500 billion. That amounts to
2% of the federal government's revenue over 10 years.
"And there you have it -- their so-called difference. Gore
wants to make sure the government gets 98% of its expected revenue;
Bush wants the government to pocket 95% of its expected revenue. That
isn't a debate; that's a profound agreement, with some quibbling over a
few minor details."
Or take education.
"Both Bush and Gore advocate an expanded role for the federal
government," said Dasbach. "Gore wants the government to recruit
100,000 new teachers, fund universal preschool, and mandate tests for
teachers. Bush wants the government to mandate tests for students,
consolidate federal education programs, and fund a limited voucher
program.
"And there you have it -- their so-called difference. Neither
wants to reduce the role of the federal government in education, or
allow parents to keep their own money so they can afford to send their
children to the private school of their choice."
Or take Social Security.
"Both Bush and Gore want to protect the bankrupt program," said
Dasbach. "Gore wants to continue to pile up government IOUs in a so-
called lockbox, and offer tax-funded bribes so people will save
additional money for retirement. Bush wants to continue to pile up
government IOUs, and allow people to invest a small part of their
Social Security funds in government-controlled, semi-private accounts.
"And there you have it -- their so-called difference. Neither
one admits that Social Security still faces a $10 trillion unfunded
liability, and that massive tax increases are inevitable. And neither
wants to give Americans the freedom to keep their own money, and save
for their own retirements with private accounts that politicians can't
touch."
The fact that Gore and Bush fundamentally agree about the size
and cost of the federal government effectively torpedoed any chance
that the first presidential debate would be, well, a debate, said
Dasbach.
"If you want to put some debate into the next debate, then
Libertarian Harry Browne should be invited to participate," he said.
"Only Harry Browne is guaranteed to mention the word 'liberty.' Only
Harry Browne will champion the proper, limited role of government. And
only Harry Browne will stand up for individual Americans -- and against
the big-government visions of Al Gore and George W. Bush.
"Now that would be a debate worth seeing."
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