Historically, our political system has been strictly categorized into a two-party system and the stakes of the 2020 election have increased division amongst our nation past the established norm.
This election is sure to make history and many young voters are searching for a third option, dissatisfied with the current democratic and republican candidates. #VoteGold has spread across social media, urging citizens to vote for the Libertarian presidential candidate: Jo Jorgenson.
An interview with current CMU sophomore, Kierra Lee, allowed a glance into a libertarian’s perspective of this election. When asked to explain her own definition of a libertarian, Lee responded that the basis of a libertarian perspective revolves around the concept of a small central government.
“Libertarianism should be a step away from anarchy,” Lee said. She believes that the government should only provide the basic essentials for a society.
Libertarians view many current political issues through an individual lens. For example, members of the Libertarian party would often identify as pro-choice when discussing abortion. The majority of libertarian perspectives are pro-choice no matter the issue.
Photo courtesy of Kierra Lee
When Lee was asked about the second amendment (a citizen’s right to keep and bear arms), she replied that there should be basic restrictions surrounding age and mental health, although she agreed citizens should have the right to choose if they would like to remain gun-free or own an AK-47.
Many libertarians hold the belief that the government should not interfere with citizens; their core value is upholding liberty through an extremely limited government. Lee pointed out the fact that each individual is undergoing their own issues and holds their own priorities.
“You can’t tell people hundreds of miles away what is best for them or what to do when you aren’t there,” Lee said.
A central government cannot predict and accurately respond to each individual’s personal situation; only the individual can determine the best course of action for themself.
Voting in Jorgenson is becoming more and more appealing as November draws closer. Throughout history, the social construction of our government has led to a two-party system that doesn’t quite fit the definition of direct democracy.
Many despise the idea of voting for either Donald Trump or Joe Biden but recognize that a vote for a third party may be considered a ‘wasted’ vote. When Lee was asked if she believed Jorgenson could win this election, she held out hope.
“I remember one year Mickey Mouse got something like 2 percent of the votes, so if he can do it, why can’t Jo Jorgenson?” Lee said.
Voting for a nominee who has no chance of winning an election is called a protest vote. Historically, Mickey Mouse has been a protest voter’s favorite option, however, these ballots are not counted and the amount of individuals who vote this way is unknown.
Lee felt Jorgenson would have a much better chance at gaining attention and grasping a win if the popular vote actually meant something in our system, but she expressed that the system doesn’t really care about the popular vote.
While there may appear to be grey areas surrounding a libertarian perspective, that kind of seems to be the point. While discussing the super-rich (a new economic status representing the absolute wealthiest in society) with Lee, she suggested that instead of just increasing taxes on the rich, our system could create incentives for the rich to contribute more to the system. For example, if the rich donated a specific amount annually, their taxes could potentially be reduced. Lee believes it would be extremely beneficial for our system to cease taxing the poor.
Libertarian beliefs and values maintain the ideal that individuals should have autonomous liberty, and they stand to defend those choices and rights.
