Dr. Davis' February 2010 Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor:

Recently a reporter called to inquire about my reaction to developments in the congressional campaign and he made a comment about “conservative libertarians.” While there may be such individuals, in general the term indicates a misunderstanding of both conservatives and libertarians.

My understanding of “conservative” indicates a desire to preserve and maintain the status quo. The status quo in government and the constitution that libertarians identify with was accepted as the norm from about 200 years ago to at least 120 years ago. Before that, from about 1765 to about 1800, it was clearly revolutionary.

From the “Progressive Era” beginning around 1890 to the present we have generally seen the expansion of the power of the federal government and its influence on the economy at many levels, as well as increasingly aggressive action in foreign affairs, all at increasing rates. This is not a status quo that libertarians accept, and, in fact, opposition to these things was in great measure responsible for the establishment of the Libertarian Party.

As a result, we have come full circle, to where the ideas of federal government limited and constrained by the Constitution, with a peaceful, neutral, noninterventionist foreign policy have again become what might be considered revolutionary.

It is with this in mind that I (and others) am running for Congress, with an aim to rolling back the expansion of the federal government in favor of more individual responsibility and self-government, less government in the economy, and noninterventionist foreign policy.

Sincerely,

Richard J. Davis, D.D.S.

Libertarian for Congress, First District