J. Robert Latham

I affirm a culture of life and a future in which abortion would be unnecessary. Under what circumstances should elective abortion be allowed cannot be responsibly articulated without clarifying: Allowed by whom? And by what means? Might it look like the fictional, authoritarian societies Leni Zumas’s “Red Clocks” or Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” describe and in which few would want to live? Persuasive, non-aggressive approaches to protect life are moral, effective, and preferable.

Agree

Although I agree with this statement’s sentiment, recent experience teaches us about the unreliability of state agencies that promulgate safety and efficacy standards. Furthermore, state agencies — especially if captured by pharmaceutical firms — may pressure health care providers to prescribe unsafe or ineffective drugs. I affirm medical freedom for patients and health care providers alike. I also favor peer and consumer review, and independent audits, to protect consumers from unsafe drugs.

Strongly Agree

My support for the separation of medicine and state flows from both my support for medical freedom and opposition to taxation. Accordingly, my opposition to extorting taxes to pay for any medical procedure is across the board and is not exclusive to abortion care.

Disagree

A former deputy prosecutor, now a Congressional chief of staff, told me that one can get away with murder by making it look like a suicide … because cops are lazy. This validates the observations of “Corruptible” author Brian Klaas and indicates the personality traits of many who crave power. Decriminalize so voluntary guidelines and transparency implemented by covenanting communities can protect the vulnerable from autonomy violations. A state with the power to ban euthanasia can mandate it.

Strongly Agree

History affirms the value of upholding both free enterprise and our right to acquire, hold, use, and exchange private property in improving our quality of life. As economist Murray Rothbard observed, property that has not been justly acquired is subject to being returned to its rightful owners of their heirs, or homesteaded. The principle of self-ownership flows from the affirmation of private property; if we do not own ourselves, then we are someone else’s slave.

State-imposed minimum wage laws violate individual autonomy and freedom, disrupt market dynamics leading to unemployment and inefficiency, and interfere with the ability of wealth-creating entrepreneurs to discover and adjust to economic conditions.

Yes

Existing investments of state-controlled funds are already influencing the culture, perhaps detrimentally, and the critique of ESQ ratings is being led by legacy cronies and interests that stand to lose continued investments by state-controlled funds. To the extent that the state of Utah invests its funds, one should not assume that incumbent investments, such as in so-called “sin stocks” issued by polluting industries and military weapon manufacturers, yield optimal returns for our community.

A covenanted government or intentional community created by the informed consent of those who contract to abide by its rules may properly set conditions for church closure. As the U.S. Supreme Court has recently held, in a compound, constitutional republic such as ours — with both federal and state constitutional guarantees protecting the free exercise of religion against state interference — there would be few scenarios in which the federal or state government could properly close a church.

Strongly Disagree

I encourage readers to consult the Libertarian Party's "Statement of Principles" to better understand the philosophical and moral underpinnings as to why individuals and businesses should *not* be required to provide a service -- under *any* justification, penalty of law, or other institutionalized aggression -- even if it would not violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.

As a supporter of medical freedom and a freed and abundant market for healthcare services created by the separation medicine and state, answer D most closely matches my view on healthcare.

I affirm our individual right to make medical choices, and an employer’s and property owner’s right to decide with whom to contract or allow entry. State-initiated bullying cannot justify martyring its victims to oblige opponents of coerced behavior.

Agree

The Chinese Communist Party does pose various threats. Libertarians advocate non-interventionist foreign policies emphasizing international peace and no entangling alliances. We advocate for ending foreign intervention, including military and economic aid, tariffs, economic sanctions, and regime change. It is important to address these threats through diplomatic means and by protecting individual rights and sovereignty. Intellectual property is anti-consumer and should be abolished.

Libertarians advocate non-intervention and respect for individual sovereignty. Although the U.S. has a close relationship with Israel, it is essential to evaluate the nature of this relationship based on the principles of individual rights, non-aggression, and self-determination. The importance of the relationship with Israel should be based on mutual respect for sovereignty and the right of all nations to self-govern, not the interests of the military-industrial or national security complexes.

Disagree

The U.S. needs to get out of the way so market-based border solutions can be discovered and implemented. The federal government’s rationing of access across the southern border has effectuated state-sponsored chaos, resulting in bottlenecks and under-investment in boundary management technologies and services that could otherwise make migration as orderly as booking a cruise. The fees paid to “coyotes” would be better spent on accredited migration navigators, basic necessities, and safe housing.

Agree

I favor so-called “backpack funding” of students over the current state-sponsored schooling regime, although I favor the separation of school and state even more. The involvement of the federal and state governments into education may be the policy most responsible for the looting of wealth from our nation’s citizens by elites, the rise in militarism and mass incarceration, and the loss of individual and community values that distinguished our country as a beacon of liberty across the globe.

Agree

Libertarians believe in protecting the rights and well-being of all individuals, including not just children but also vulnerable adults. It is essential to safeguard the vulnerable from abuse, exploitation, and harm — narrowly defined — and not delegate the job to family-policing bureaucrats. Allegations of harm should not be a pretext for state-sponsored child trafficking, foster parent welfare, or a child’s genetic severance from their birth family and adoption by politically-favored adults.

Agree

I am a parental defender who champions family integrity and its autonomy to make decisions for its minor children. Parents have the right to raise their children according to their own standards and beliefs, while also supporting their children’s well-being and safety. However, parental rights are not absolute and must be balanced with the child’s rights and interests. Children should be protected from abuse, neglect, and harm — narrowly defined — and their autonomy respected as they mature.

Strongly Disagree

Neutral

I support restoring the separation of marriage and state.

I challenge the omnipotent state cult and defend individual rights. Individuals have the right to control their own lives and live as they choose, provided they do not infringe on others’ rights. Historically, monopoly governments (states) have often controlled individuals’ lives and labor. In the U.S., all political parties except mine allow this. I reject this and assert that states inherently violate individual rights, including the right to life, liberty of speech and action, and property. States shouldn’t interfere in voluntary and contractual relations among individuals. People shouldn’t be forced to sacrifice their lives and property for another’s benefit. The free market is the only economic system compatible with individual rights.

Neutral

I favor requiring photo identification to vote given current resource capacities, unless a voter can cite financial, accessibility, geographic, or other administrative barriers to obtaining an acceptable photo identification. However, because a photo does not guarantee proof of identity, if another technology could validate a voter’s identity to the same or a greater degree with a similar or lower cost, I would favor the use of that technology.

Disagree

I favor the Fair Representation Act, which features: 1) proportional representation so States with more than one Representative may establish multi-member districts to elect multiple Representatives, and 2) ranked choice voting, ensuring that more votes contribute to the election outcome. These reforms make elections more competitive and representative. I also favor authorizing local governments to try policy juries (a.k.a. "sortition") as a method of community decision-making without elections.

Although racism itself may not pose a direct threat to domestic security, state-sponsored racism can lead to indignities, social unrest, division, and injustice within society. Official racism undermines the principles of equality, liberty, and justice for all individuals, which are essential for a peaceful and harmonious society. It is important to address institutionalized racism through education, dialogue, and respect for individual rights to foster a more inclusive and equitable society.

Disagree

Agree

It is important to consider the concerns regarding fair competition in sports and privacy in certain spaces. One approach to address this issue could be to allow private organizations, such as sports leagues, to establish their own policies regarding participation and access based on their specific circumstances and values. This approach respects the autonomy of individuals and organizations to make decisions that align with their beliefs and priorities.

C. I value environmental protection to safeguard natural resources and ecosystems along with innovation and economic growth. Excessive regulations can create barriers to entry for new energy technologies and increase the cost of compliance for energy producers, which can ultimately impact energy independence and the reliability of electricity sources. It is essential to strike a balance between environmental protection and energy development to ensure a sustainable and efficient energy sector.

I am not an energy expert, but the consensus of those whose opinions I value favor nuclear power and small modular reactors to meet the growing demand for electricity, if they can overcome political hurdles. Renewables are increasingly reliable.

No

No

The proper role of government should be limited to dispute resolution. I am not opposed to government. I am opposed governments that claim a monopoly over dispute resolution. To quote economist Murray Rothbard: “If the bulk of the public were really convinced of the illegitimacy of the State, if it were convinced that the State is nothing more nor less than a bandit gang writ large, then the State would soon collapse to take on no more status or breadth of existence than another Mafia gang.”

Lean Liberal

I am a libertarian and uphold the non-aggression principle. Libertarians share values in common with both conservatives and liberals, if by "liberal" one uses the word in its classical and true sense. If conservative means small government, frugality, lower taxes, non-interventionism, and more freedom and respect for individual rights, free minds, and free markets, then I am a conservative. If conservative means the conservation of power and privilege, then I am not a conservative.

Disagree

Libertarians advocate for a decentralized approach to public safety, for example, the Threat Management Center, where communities have the flexibility to determine the best allocation of resources based on their unique circumstances and priorities. By promoting accountability, transparency, and community involvement, we can work towards a more effective and responsive system of public safety that respects individual rights and promotes community well-being.

Libertarians believe in the individual right to keep and bear arms guaranteed by the Second Amendment. We support the right of law-abiding citizens to possess firearms for self-defense and other lawful purposes. Libertarians prioritize protecting individual rights, while recognizing the importance of public safety. As to restrictions on gun ownership, Libertarians generally advocate for a focus on addressing victimizing behaviors rather than imposing new restrictions on law-abiding citizens.

Yes

Teachers be allowed to carry guns at schools that allow teachers to carry guns at school. Because monopoly government-run schools must comply with constitutional restrictions on state action, such schools may not be able to regulate the presence of guns at school as can proprietary schools.