Matt Waters (Virginia)

Vote Libertarian Party
The Republican Party has officially abandoned any pretense of balancing the budget, or cutting spending. In this regard, they join their colleagues at the Democrat Party.

The Libertarian Party is the only party confronting the single biggest threat facing the US today: the national debt.

So, why vote for a candidate running as a Libertarian? Here is what we believe:

• The fundamental unit of society is the individual. Because individuals are moral agents, they have the right to be secure in their life, liberty and property. These rights are not granted by government or by society.
• Individual rights. Each individual is endowed by their Creator with individual rights, right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
• Rule of Law. Libertarianism is not libertinism. Without virtue, this Republic will not flourish, and government will not be limited. We propose a society of liberty under law, in which individuals are free to pursue their own lives so long as they respect the equal rights of others.
• Limited Government. The role of government is to protect our rights (life, liberty, property). That’s it. Government is a dangerous institution, as Lord Acton once said, power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
• Free Markets. To survive and flourish, individuals need freedom to pursue economic activity; countries are less free where economic opportunity does not exist.
• Peace. Libertarians put a premium on peace, and we denounce the constant wars, and warfare state.

Restore Fiscal Responsibility
In order for the Republic to survive, we must cut government spending now. The biggest consequence of our massive federal government spending today is the federal debt. As of February 2018, the USA is $21 trillion in debt. That number more than quadruples to $120 trillion when you include unfunded liabilities.

By enacting spending freezes, privatizing multiple agencies, repealing multiple job-killing regulations, we can restore our liberty. Additionally, we must strengthen Social Security (via private accounts), Medicare and Medicaid, which represent 60% of total spending. All three programs will run out of money in 2035, 2029, and 2028 respectively.

We must stop borrowing over $1.5 trillion a year to fund useless, wasteful, and unconstitutional programs and departments.

Enacting spending freeze at Department of Defense, Dept. of Agriculture, Dept. of Justice, Dept. of Homeland Security, Dept. of State.

Privatize Energy, HUD, Commerce, Interior, and Education Departments; Postal Service and Amtrak.

Defund Public Broadcasting, National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, Planned Parenthood.

Repeal ObamaCare, Dodd-Frank, federal minimum wage, National Labor Relations Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, Davis-Bacon Act.

Tax Reform
At one time, American workers kept 100% of their paychecks. But in 1913 the US Congress amended the Constitution in order to bypass the original intent of the Founding Fathers and levy a direct tax on American citizens.

As Senator, I will support the following initiatives. This list is not comprehensive, as there are many other tax cutting/elimination measures I support, like ending the death tax.

• End automatic federal tax withholding; have taxpayers write a check to the federal government every pay period. This will show all taxpayers how much we are paying for government.
• Support Fair Tax. Fair Tax eliminates the 16th Amendment, and replaces the personal federal income tax with a sales tax.
• Eliminate the Federal Income Tax outright and replace it with nothing. This action would give every American a 7-10% pay raise across the board and force massive cuts to federal government spending.
• Call for “Tax Freedom Day” holiday; This is the day taxpayers stop paying federal, state and local taxes. The average taxpayer paid all of his/her income earned from January 1 through April 18, 2017 to the federal, state and local government–this represents more than housing, food and clothing combined.

Monetary Reform
The goods and services that you could buy for $1 in 1913 (the year the Federal Reserve was created) would cost you $24.50 today.

Another way to look at this is this: the government and its banking cartel have together stolen $.95 of every dollar that you have earned as they have pursued a relentless inflationary policy. The devaluing of the dollar represents a massive Inflation Tax on the American people.

As Senator, I would submit a bill to audit with an eye towards phasing out the Federal Reserve, and stabilizing both the U.S. Dollar and the economy. In fact, it is the failure of centralized banking that has given rise to libertarian cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. Individuals are choosing to trust other individuals rather than a centralized entity with the power to manipulate currency at will. Additionally, cryptocurrencies have a ceiling or maximum amount that can be made or distributed, thus causing them to keep their value, unlike the dollar.

Choose Life
As a high school student in Hampton, I was convinced of the pro-life position by Jesse Jackson and Al Gore before they exchanged their beliefs for PAC contributions from Planned Parenthood. I believe we must defund Planned Parenthood.

Our Declaration of Independence states that every individual has rights to “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” – and the right to life is the first right individuals share. While life begins at conception, it certainly doesn’t end there. I will personally work with highly successful non-profit charitable organizations such as maternity homes, adoption agencies, pregnancy centers, suicide prevention centers and hotlines to help grow their presence in local communities.

Additionally, I will call for an end to the federal government’s War on Drugs that is a major contributing factor to gun related homicide in urban areas, as well as the ongoing War on Terror that is responsible for killing an estimated 210,000 (2015 stats) innocent civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001.

Indeed, two of our Libertarian mottos are “Don’t tread on anyone” and “Do no harm,” and I intend to uphold these values as your Senator in Washington, D.C.

Money Equals Freedom
One of my campaign slogans is, Money Equals Freedom. This is a basic truth, and forgotten by the advocates of Big Government. The average American taxpayer works from Jan. 1 through April 18 just to pay their share of local, state and federal taxes. That’s right, you’re giving 25% of your income to the government. That’s why I am an advocate of a new holiday, Tax Freedom Day, celebrating the day when American taxpayers can keep their own money.

Think about this: if we could end the IRS (by repealing the federal income tax and abolishing the 16th Amendment) the average taxpayer would receive a $12,000 pay increase. What would you do with an additional $12,000…every year?

My Republican opponent raised taxes 6 times. My democrat opponent is advocating for free college, free healthcare and a higher minimum wage mandated from Washington. How will two political parties pay for all of the free stuff? By taking more of your money, and making you less free, and more dependent on them!

I say it’s time for Americans to keep 100% of their property (income) and let Washington figure out how to pay for all of their free stuff.

I believe that you can spend your money better than the politicians in Washington can.

Choose Peace
What is the cost of freedom?

The recent and ongoing “War on Terror” in Iraq and Afghanistan over the last 15 years cost $17,500 for every US citizen. For a family of seven, the cost of freedom is $122,500. For the entire country, the “cost of freedom” is estimated at $5.6 trillion and still counting. Is it worth it to you, Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer?

Was it worth it for the 6,251 US families who lost loved ones serving overseas? Is it worth killing 215,000 innocent civilians in the Middle East? Should our military men and women be stationed in over 120 countries, including Niger, Diego Garcia, Iceland and Syria?

I believe that it is time to restore “defense” to the Defense Department. This would reduce our standing army as well as our military budget, which is currently larger than the military budgets of China, Russia, the U.K., France, Japan, and Germany combined.

As Senator I would call for a Virginia Peace Plan modeled after Virginia President George Washington who sought to avoid foreign entanglements. I would advocate for an immediate Peace Accord with North Korea (and finally end the 67-year Korean War) and call for the immediate removal of all 28,000 U.S. troops from Korea and 50,000 troops from Japan.

I will introduce legislation to end highly expensive forward-facing military bases (like those in S. Korea and Japan) in favor of a military that respects the borders and sovereignty of other nations, and that relies upon ships, subs, missiles, and aircraft as the primary means to defend the USA.

Immigration Reform
My maternal great grandparents immigrated from Poland and Czechoslovakia (then Austria-Hungary) in the early 1900’s. Both came through Ellis Island, NY. They were lucky, because in 1920 the US Government implemented immigration policies in order to keep Italians and Jews from immigrating to the US. Those racist laws were eliminated in 1965, but immigrating to the US is no easy feat, which is one reason why so many people come to the US illegally.

There are essentially two ways to immigrate to the US: family-based immigrants (who are sponsored by relatives who previously immigrated) and employment-based immigrants (who are sponsored by an employer). Both are subject to two caps. The category cap sets the maximum number of annual admissions in those categories at 366,000 (226,000 for the family-sponsored and 140,000 for the employment-sponsored).

Given that the US Government makes the process to immigrate to the US extremely difficult, I am in favor of broad reforms to the current broken system.

Broadly:

• I oppose the building of a $70 billion border wall because it will not work. 70% of illegal immigrants come to the USA via International air travel and overstay visas.
• I support e-verify of legal status at employer workplace.
• I support changing the law on chain migration, as 70% of all immigrants to the USA are relatives.
• I support merit based immigration base on skills and America’s labor needs. The majority of Hispanics agree with this.
• I support a pathway to legal residency.
• I support renewal work permits, as this would raise salaries of immigrants so they don’t undercut US salaries.
• I support tighter border security, and the rule of law.
• I recognize that immigrants from Latin and South America are more law abiding than US Citizens, contrary to what many politicians assert.

America’s free markets, rule of law, property rights, and standard of living are admired the world over, so it should surprise no one that so many wish to immigrate to the United States.

Ultimately, I will work towards reforming the immigration system in a fair and equitable way, that is consistent with our history as a nation—that of a shining city on a hill.

Immigration Reform
My maternal great grandparents immigrated from Poland and Czechoslovakia (then Austria-Hungary) in the early 1900’s. Both came through Ellis Island, NY. They were lucky, because in 1920 the US Government implemented immigration policies in order to keep Italians and Jews from immigrating to the US. Those racist laws were eliminated in 1965, but immigrating to the US is no easy feat, which is one reason why so many people come to the US illegally.

There are essentially two ways to immigrate to the US: family-based immigrants (who are sponsored by relatives who previously immigrated) and employment-based immigrants (who are sponsored by an employer). Both are subject to two caps. The category cap sets the maximum number of annual admissions in those categories at 366,000 (226,000 for the family-sponsored and 140,000 for the employment-sponsored).

Given that the US Government makes the process to immigrate to the US extremely difficult, I am in favor of broad reforms to the current broken system.

Broadly:

• I oppose the building of a $70 billion border wall because it will not work. 70% of illegal immigrants come to the USA via International air travel and overstay visas.
• I support e-verify of legal status at employer workplace.
• I support changing the law on chain migration, as 70% of all immigrants to the USA are relatives.
• I support merit based immigration base on skills and America’s labor needs. The majority of Hispanics agree with this.
• I support a pathway to legal residency.
• I support renewal work permits, as this would raise salaries of immigrants so they don’t undercut US salaries.
• I support tighter border security, and the rule of law.
• I recognize that immigrants from Latin and South America are more law abiding than US Citizens, contrary to what many politicians assert.

America’s free markets, rule of law, property rights, and standard of living are admired the world over, so it should surprise no one that so many wish to immigrate to the United States.

Ultimately, I will work towards reforming the immigration system in a fair and equitable way, that is consistent with our history as a nation—that of a shining city on a hill.

Civil Liberties
Criminal Justice Reform/War on Drugs

In 1974, President Richard Nixon started a war, a War on Drugs. And we know the drug war has created staggering racial disparities.

• African Americans and Latinos use and sell drugs at similar rates to white people. But they’re disproportionately targeted for arrest and punished more harshly. The result?

The Federal Bureau of Prisons is operating at nearly 140% capacity, costing $7 billion a year. Half the people locked up are there for nothing more than a drug law violation. 2/3 women are there for nonviolent drug offenses. Most are mothers.

When the Drug Enforcement Agency started it had 1,500 employees. Today there are nearly 10,000. Their budget grew from $75 million to more than $2 billion. And guess what? The War on Drugs is a colossal failure. There are more people dying from drugs today than ever before, and drugs are easier to get. My campaign will call for eliminating the Drug Enforcement Agency and ending the War on Drugs.

Don’t Spy On Me/Fourth Amendment

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall be issued, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the person or things to be seized. ~ 4th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution ~

The 4th Amendment is critically important. Today, many federal government agencies routinely ignore it and have no qualms about spying on American citizens. Examples abound: the IRS targeting Tea Party organizations, the FBI illegally spying upon political opponents, and the revelations of NSA spying on Americans.

All of these actions represent an unConstitutional violation of our liberties. These agencies should be investigated and held responsible for their actions.

Gun Rights/Second Amendment

The Founding Fathers established the Second Amendment to preserve our liberties against tyrannical government. And while I personally conceal and carry and am a Life Member of the NRA, I have concerns, but they are not “bump stocks” and AR15s.

For voters concerned about gun violence, I too share this concern. Of the 38,000 gun related deaths in 2016, 25,000+ are suicides by mostly white men, age 25-65. Black on black violence contributes to an additional 8,000 gun related deaths annually. Combined, these statistics represent over 87% of the gun related deaths in America.

If we desire to reduce gun violence in America, we must address medical depression and we must end the failed War on Drugs policy that is a cause of violence in urban areas. As Senator, I will call for an end to the War on Drugs, and the elimination of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). This will help drive down black on black violence, and ultimately save lives. Regarding depression and other causes of suicide, this is an area that is best left to families, specialized non-profit organizations and the medical profession to treat.

Social Security Reform
In 1960, the Supreme Court ruled (Fleming v. Nestor), that US workers have no legally binding contractual rights to their Social Security benefits, and that those benefits can be cut or even eliminated at any time.

According to the latest projections by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Social Security benefits must be cut 21% in the year 2034 if nothing is done to fix the system.

Options include: raise taxes, cut benefits, or get a higher rate of return through private capital investment.

I will work to restore Social Security by allowing individuals to privately invest in private retirement accounts, while maintaining benefits to today’s retirees. Allow younger workers to privately invest a portion of Social Security taxes in individual accounts will not only increase retirement security, but it will create a system that treats women, minorities, and young people more fairly. ^[2]