Libertarian Party of Illinois
Encyclopedia
The Libertarian Party of Illinois is the Illinois
affiliate of the Libertarian Party
. The state chair is Lupe Diaz. There are 7 Libertarian officeholders in Illinois.
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
affiliate of the Libertarian Party
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
. The state chair is Lupe Diaz. There are 7 Libertarian officeholders in Illinois.
Mission statement
Libertarian Party of Illinois mission is: To elect Libertarians to office and move public policy in a libertarian direction.Key tenets of the party platform
Key tenets of the Libertarian Party platform include the following:- Adoption of laissez-faire principles which would reduce the state's role in economic government. This would include, among other things, markedly reduced taxation, privatization of Social SecuritySocial Security (United States)In the United States, Social Security refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program.The original Social Security Act and the current version of the Act, as amended encompass several social welfare and social insurance programs...
and welfare (for individuals, as well as elimination of "corporate welfareCorporate welfareCorporate welfare is a pejorative term describing a government's bestowal of money grants, tax breaks, or other special favorable treatment on corporations or selected corporations. The term compares corporate subsidies and welfare payments to the poor, and implies that corporations are much less...
"), markedly reduced regulation of business, rollbacks of labor regulations, and reduction of government interference in foreign trade. - Protection of property rights.
- Minimal government bureaucracy. The Libertarian Party states that the government's responsibilities should be limited to the protection of individual rights from the initiation of force and fraud.
- Civil libertarianismCivil libertarianismCivil libertarianism is a strain of political thought that supports civil liberties, or who emphasizes the supremacy of individual rights and personal freedoms over and against any kind of authority...
: Support for the protection of civil libertiesCivil libertiesCivil liberties are rights and freedoms that provide an individual specific rights such as the freedom from slavery and forced labour, freedom from torture and death, the right to liberty and security, right to a fair trial, the right to defend one's self, the right to own and bear arms, the right...
, including the right to privacy, freedom of speechFreedom of speechFreedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used...
, freedom of associationFreedom of associationFreedom of association is the individual right to come together with other individuals and collectively express, promote, pursue and defend common interests....
, and sexual freedom. - Opposition to civil rightsCivil rightsCivil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
laws that regulate the private sector, such as affirmative actionAffirmative actionAffirmative action refers to policies that take factors including "race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national origin" into consideration in order to benefit an underrepresented group, usually as a means to counter the effects of a history of discrimination.-Origins:The term...
and non-discrimination laws. - Support for the unrestricted right to the means of self-defenseSelf-defenseSelf-defense, self-defence or private defense is a countermeasure that involves defending oneself, one's property or the well-being of another from physical harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in times of danger is available in many...
(such as gun rights, the right to carry maceMace (spray)Chemical Mace is a tear gas in the form of an aerosol spray which propels a lachrymatory agent mixed with a volatile solvent. It is sometimes used as a self-defense device...
, pepper sprayPepper sprayPepper spray, also known as OC spray , OC gas, and capsicum spray, is a lachrymatory agent that is used in riot control, crowd control and personal self-defense, including defense against dogs and bears...
, or tasers etc). - Opposition to the censoring and the engineering of foreign radioRadioRadio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
pathways. - Abolition of laws against "victimless crimes" (such as prostitutionProstitutionProstitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
, driving without a seatbelt, use of controlled substancesProhibition (drugs)The prohibition of drugs through sumptuary legislation or religious law is a common means of attempting to prevent drug use. Prohibition of drugs has existed at various levels of government or other authority from the Middle Ages to the present....
, fraternizationFraternizationFraternization is "turning people into brothers"—conducting social relations with people who are actually unrelated and/or of a different class as though they were siblings, family members, personal friends or lovers....
, etc.). - Opposition to regulations on how businesses should run themselves (e.g., smoking bans)
- A foreign policy of free tradeFree tradeUnder a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
and non-interventionismNon-interventionismNonintervention or non-interventionism is a foreign policy which holds that political rulers should avoid alliances with other nations, but still retain diplomacy, and avoid all wars not related to direct self-defense...
. - Support for a fiscally responsible government including a hard currencyHard currencyHard currency , in economics, refers to a globally traded currency that is expected to serve as a reliable and stable store of value...
(commodity-based money supply as opposed to fiat currency). - Abolition of all forms of taxpayer-funded assistance (welfare, food stamps, public housingPublic housingPublic housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is owned by a government authority, which may be central or local. Social housing is an umbrella term referring to rental housing which may be owned and managed by the state, by non-profit organizations, or by a combination of the...
, Health careHealth careHealth care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
, etc.) - A belief that abortionAbortionAbortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
is a personal issue, and should not be part of government.
State and student affiliates
- Bond-Fayette County Libertarians
- Carroll County Libertarians
- Champaign County Libertarian Party
- DuPage Libertarians
- Eastern Illinois University
- Elmhurst College
- Fox Valley Libertarian Party
- Illinois State University
- Libertarian Party of Chicago
- Libertarians of Western Illinois University
- Loyola University
- McHenry County Libertarian Party
- McLean County Libertarian Party
- Metro-East Libertarians
- Northwestern University
- Northern Illinois University Libertarians
- Outright Libertarians of Illinois
- Rockford Area Libertarians
- Rock Valley College Libertarians
- Sangamon County Libertarian Libertarian Party
- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Will County Libertarian Party
- Western Illinois University
2010 campaigns
| Office | Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | Lex Green | 34,170 | 0.9% |
| Lieutenant Governor | Ed Rutledge | 34,170 | 0.9% |
| Secretary of State | Josh Hanson | 113,813 | 3.10% |
| Attorney General | Bill Malan | 53,858 | 1.50% |
| Treasurer | James Pauly | 67,958 | 1.90% |
| Comptroller | Julie Fox | 119,638 | 3.30% |
| US Senate | Mike Labno | 86,185 | 2.40% |
2008 campaigns
| Office | Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| President | Bob Barr | 19,645 | 0.36% |
| Vice President | Wayne Root | 19,645 | 0.36% |
| US Senate | Larry Stafford | 50,228 | 0.94% |
2006 campaigns
| Office | Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Congress 2 | Anthony Williams | 5,422 | 3.33% |
2004 campaigns
| Office | Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| President | Michael Badnarik | 32,442 | 0.62% |
| Vice President | Richard Campagna | 32,442 | 0.62% |
| US Senate | Jerry Kohn | 69,253 | 1.35% |
| Congress 2 | Stephanie Sailor | 26,990 | 11.51% |
| Congress 4 | Jake Witmer | 4,845 | 3.88% |
| Congress 12 | Walter Steele | 4,794 | 1.67% |
| State Rep 11 | Jason Briggeman | 1,770 | 3.99% |
| State Rep 53 | Scott Bludorn | 3,673 | 8.22% |
| State Rep 64 | Jim Young | 2,022 | 3.95% |
| State Rep 85 | Austin Hough | 7,945 | 25.09% |
| State Rep 95 | Steve Dubovik | 1,317 | 2.92% |
2002 campaigns
| Office | Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | Cal Skinner | 73,794 | 2.09% |
| Lieutenant Governor | Jim Tobin | 73,794 | 2.09% |
| Secretary of State | Matt Beauchamp | 78,830 | 2.24% |
| Attorney General | Gary Shilts | 87,949 | 2.51% |
| Treasurer | Rhys Read | 66,593 | 1.92% |
| Comptroller | Julie Fox | 144,066 | 4.23% |
| US Senate | Steven Burgauer | 57,382 | 1.65% |
| Congress 1 | Dorothy Tsatsos | 4,741 | 2.62% |
| Congress 4 | Maggie Kohls | 4,328 | 5.20% |
| Congress 5 | Frank Gonzalez | 6,638 | 4.34% |
| Congress 7 | Martin Pankau | 2,436 | 1.53% |
| Congress 9 | Stephanie Sailor | 4,779 | 2.89% |
| State Rep 11 | John Yackley | 3,371 | 12.82% |
| State Rep 28 | Jerome Kohn | 1,241 | 4.21% |
| State Rep 41 | John Tepley | 1,034 | 2.76% |
| State Rep 42 | Michael Mandel | 1,123 | 3.28% |
| State Rep 48 | Chandler Hadraba | 3,440 | 11.22% |
| State Rep 52 | Matthew Paul Burns | 1,190 | 3.92% |
| State Rep 64 | Jim Young | 2,214 | 7.35% |
| State Rep 85 | Eric Ferguson | 4,922 | 20.32% |
| State Rep 95 | Steve Dubovik | 4,191 | 14.61% |
2000 campaigns
| Office | Candidate | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| President | Harry Browne | 11,623 | 0.25% |
| Vice President | Art Olivier | 11,623 | 0.25% |
| Congress 4 | Stephanie Sailor | 11,476 | 11.37% |
| Congress 5 | Matt Beauchamp | 20,728 | 12.73% |
| State Rep 34 | R. Brian Poynton | 1,230 | 4.04% |
| State Rep 39 | Elizabeth Quaintance | 10,103 | 26.20% |