Official Libertarian Party of California Program (PDF)
(Adopted at the August 7, 2023 meeting of the Executive Committee of the Libertarian Party of California)
Plank #1: Defend the Guard
Each state maintains a reserve military force of part-time soldiers and airmen to serve during emergencies such as natural disasters and riots. Known as the National Guard, these troops are also used to augment the active-duty military when the nation is at war.
Although the United States has not declared war since 1942, the US military has become increasingly engaged in overseas combat operations without clear goals or definitions of success; this has resulted in several prolonged operations that have cost millions of lives and trillions of dollars.
Since the attacks on New York City and the Pentagon in 2001, Congress has authorized several unaccountable military operations absent a formal declaration of war that have resulted in the deployment of state national guard troops to augment combat operations. Guardsmen have served on multiple deployments—often in short time spans—that have disrupted their families, careers, and lives beyond the reasonable burden of part-time service. They have done so in conflicts that have objectively produced more risk than benefit to American interests.
By using National Guard forces outside of a formally declared war, Congress is enabling the Executive Branch to engage in prolonged, unsustainable imperial wars that are destabilizing entire geographic regions around the world and further endangering American lives.
The Libertarian Party of California Supports:
- The prohibition of the deployment of California National Guard forces overseas without a formal declaration of war.
- The prohibition of the deployment of California National Guard forces or material to combat operations or theater support missions without a formal declaration of war.
Plank #2: California High Speed Rail
The California high-speed rail is costing far more than expected, is over a decade behind schedule, and, if it ever goes into service, will transport far fewer passengers than planners originally forecast. As such, the project is a waste of federal and state taxpayer money, and it is also a poor use of agricultural land— some of which has been acquired through eminent domain.
- An immediate cessation of land acquisition for the bullet train project.
- The winding down of all operations by the High-Speed Rail Authority.
- State government consultation with community members in the Central Valley about how to best use the existing right-of-way and structures built thus far. A limited amount of state funding should be available to implement these plans so that residents are not subjected to unused, blighted infrastructure.
Plank #3: California Water Policies
The Libertarian Party of California recognizes the failure of government water policies that have left the State reeling from changes in weather patterns. These policies have forced large cities like Los Angeles to pillage water from the Central Valley, which harms farmers and destroys California agricultural production. The policies have also left the people paying higher prices for the water they need and for the crops and food that are grown here.
- An end to efforts by the California Coastal Commission to impede the construction of desalination plants along the Pacific Ocean so that coastal cities and communities can achieve water self-sufficiency irrespective of population growth and changing weather patterns.
- State deregulation of home water collection systems. Individuals should be able to use their property as they see fit so that they may be less reliant on public water sources.
- Construction of additional reservoirs. The State should work with Native American tribes to build infrastructure on their land and let them control the reservoirs, giving benefit to all of the people of California along with California tribes.
Plank #4: Housing Crisis
The Libertarian Party of California recognizes that the answer to the housing crisis is the free market. Government has promised solutions to this problem but its solutions have only made things worse. Government does not take into consideration the fact that policy decisions involve trade-offs and fails to take responsibility for the negative consequences of its actions.
The Libertarian Party of California Supports:
- Repeal of all rent control, as this limits the number of housing providers.
- An end to government construction deals with crony contractors which often result in an overdensification of communities. Protecting property rights will help assure that there will be more housing available in the future while keeping green spaces available for communities and wildlife without overtaxing our natural resources.
- An end to such social engineering initiatives as mandatory solar panels on new construction, bans on natural gas appliances, and mandatory air conditioners in rental properties. These requirements may be well intended, but they cause less housing to be available and they increase the cost of housing that is available.
- Repeal of zoning laws that prevent property owners from developing their property to build needed additions. A repeal of zoning laws would ease the housing crisis by making more housing available and helping stakeholders earn needed income. Water collection and storage could also be used if it were made easier for property owners to invest in water systems.
- Repeal of zoning laws that prohibit multi-use properties. Such restrictions also have negative effects on residence and business owners. If property owners were allowed to run businesses from their properties, they would no longer have to commute, and this would make housing and other necessities more readily available within neighborhoods.
- Repeal of zoning laws that restrict housing in apartments in commercial areas so that unused buildings such as empty malls and shopping centers can be converted into housing, revitalizing neighborhoods by getting rid of unused or dilapidated structures.
- Repeal of zoning laws that restrict subdividing apartments, which deny people who cannot afford, or who do not need as much space, the freedom to have more affordable and suitable housing. These restrictions force individuals to live in larger, more expensive apartments than they may need, taking up space that others could use.
Plank #5: Medical Freedom
The state has enacted multiple regulations against individuals seeking medical freedom. It is entangled with insurance companies and other lobbyists and has a willing partner in the California Medical Board. Families have fought against school mandates for childhood vaccines, dying individuals have struggled for right to try interventions and others just want to use alternative therapies to help their quality of life.
Ironically, medical care costs have increased dramatically due to over-regulation and lack of true competition. The costs of healthcare are increasing rapidly, and patients still suffer without adequate or affordable treatment.
There has long been difficulty with access to care for all the people of California. Since the government’s response to COVID-19, however, the problems have been magnified.
Policies that allowed no debate, such as indiscriminate masking, vaccine mandates and prohibitions on alternative COVID therapy, were egregious violations of individual liberty. The State Assembly passed a law, AB 2098, to remove the licenses of physicians who attempt to discuss alternative treatments for COVID illness (in direct contradiction to SB 577 of 2021). Insurance companies, and other healthcare organizations along with government appointed bureaucrats would prefer to decide what is best for families.
With the post-Pandemic hindsight, we see that their policies have either had no impact or even increased the suffering, yet the authoritarian policies remain.
- The right to try treatments as standard policy between a clinician and their patients. Off label use of medications should be permitted.
- Patients’ ability to choose how to proceed with all healthcare, without imposing limits on allowable treatments.
- Prohibition of future vaccine mandates, which, during the COVID-19 era, proved oppressive and tyrannical.
- Self-ownership and bodily autonomy including the right to refuse treatment and control of end-of-life decisions.
To find out more about how the Program Committee decided on these planks and to get context, listen to this episode of Liberty Blues on Spotify or Apple Podcast.