36 Reasons to Change Parties

I took the basic platform from the Libertarian Party of MN and edited some of the more irritating points and made them my own. I don't agree with everything the Party says, so I modified these slightly... I think, an improvement. But in a nutshell, this doesn't sound too bad to me.

1. Property Rights: The most basic property one has is one's own body one's own life. If one chooses to use one's life to acquire honestly and peacefully other property by industry, gift or trade, such acquisition represents that part of one's life. Therefore property rights are part of individual rights. Freedom of privacy, speech, press, and religion are conditions of property rights.
2. Protection of Privacy: The individual's privacy, property, and right to speak or not to speak should not be infringed by the government. The government should not use electronic or other means of covert surveillance of an individual's actions or private property except in the case of known criminal activity.
3. Freedom of Speech: Freedom of speech and communication is essential to a free society. Any attempt by government to control communications, whatever the medium, is an attack on freedom of speech. We oppose any attempt by government to regulate film, recording, the Internet, other electronic media, or publishing industries, including the press. We oppose all forms of censorship, including the laws and regulations on pornography, broadcast programming and content, and advertising.
4. Freedom of Expression: We defend the right of individuals to use their own property to express their own beliefs, no matter how repugnant to others; but not to infringe upon the property of others in that expression, no matter how benign the infringement.
5. Freedom of Religion: We defend the rights of individuals to engage in or abstain from any religious activities that do not violate the rights of others. In order to defend religious freedom, we advocate a strict separation of church and state. We oppose government actions that either aid or attack any religion.
6. Abortion and Population: We oppose government actions that compel, prohibit, regulate, or subsidize abortion, sterilization or any other forms of birth control. We oppose all coercive measures for population control. We urge the elimination of special tax burdens on single people with few or no children.
7. "Victimless Crime": We hold that any action that does not infringe upon the rights of others cannot properly be termed a crime, therefore we favor the repeal of all federal, state and local laws creating "crimes" without victims. In particular we are opposed to all regulation of activities such as gambling, prostitution, juvenile "status offenses," use or possession of medicines, drugs, drug paraphernalia, vitamins and firearms, and mandatory usage of seat belts and helmets. We call for the repeal of all laws regarding consensual sexual acts. The state has no right to proscribe any lifestyle that is freely chosen. We call for an end to state oppression and harassment of homosexual men and women.
8. Gambling: Because gambling is a voluntary activity, and therefore a victimless crime, we oppose the government monopoly in or regulation of all forms of gambling.
9. Drugs, Tobacco and Alcohol: Each individual, as sole owner of his or her own body, can morally decide what or what not to put into it. We favor the repeal of all prohibition-type laws against the sale or use of any drug, tobacco or alcohol. However, users of drugs, tobacco and alcohol must be held fully responsible for their actions. We call for an end to the "War on Drugs," which like all previous wars on drugs is in reality a war by the federal, state and local government on the people it is supposed to protect from war. Until such time as the prohibition of drugs is repealed, we call for an end to the denial of pain relieving drugs such as marijuana and heroin to those who are suffering.
10. Children's and Dependents' Rights: Children and others who are dependent have the same right to be free of coercion as all other people. We accordingly call for the repeal of the Juvenile Justice System and all juvenile status offenses such as truancy, under age smoking, curfews, etc. We support the efforts of parents or guardians to protect their dependents from force or fraud.
11. Government and "Mental Health": We support the right of people to the control of their own minds. The involuntary commitment of an individual not convicted of a crime, but merely asserted to be different or incompetent, is a violation of liberty.
12. Secession: We recognize the right to political secession. This includes the right of secession by political entities, private groups, or individuals.
13. The Right to Keep and Bear Arms: In recognition of the fact that individuals are their own last source of self-defense, and the fact that arms are property, we support the right of individuals to keep and bear arms. Minnesota is one of only seven states whose Constitution does not contain the right of individuals to keep and bear arms. We call for an amendment guaranteeing this right.
14. Due Process for the Criminally Accused: We defend the premise of "innocent until proven guilty," therefore we oppose current "no knock" laws, preventative detention, and all similar measures which destroy liberty.
15. Restitution for the Falsely Accused: We support full restitution for all losses suffered by persons arrested, indicted, imprisoned, tried or otherwise injured in the course of criminal proceedings against them that do not result in their conviction or which is later overturned. Funding of restitution will be the responsibility of those persons initiating criminal action against the falsely accused. Because life cannot be restored to a person who is wrongly executed, we oppose the death penalty in all cases.
16. Restitution for Victims of Crimes: We support restitution for the victim to the fullest degree possible at the expense of the criminal or wrongdoer. We accordingly oppose "no fault" insurance laws, which deprive the victim of the right to recover damages from those responsible.
17. Juries: We advocate replacing mandatory jury duty with voluntary juries and private arbitration.
18. Freedom of Association: We support the right of individuals to peacefully assemble for any purpose. We oppose any government attempts to regulate private discrimination, such as in employment, housing, education, social clubs, or gatherings and business. The freedom to choose with whom to trade, assemble or associate includes the freedom to choose with whom not to trade, assemble or associate. Therefore, we oppose government laws and policies requiring forced segregation or forced integration.
19. Equal Protection Under the Law: No individual's freedom should be denied or abridged by the laws of the State of Minnesota or any locality on account of sex, race, color, creed, age, national origin, or sexual preference. Protective labor laws and other laws which violate rights selectively should be repealed entirely rather than be extended to all groups.
20. Native Americans and the State: We deplore the Federal and State governments' continued paternalistic and exploitative policies toward the Native American. We call for the abolition of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which throughout its history has sought forcibly to make Native Americans wards of the State by destroying their individuality and traditional culture. We call for an end to Federal, State, and local interference in the property rights and civil liberties of Native Americans. We call on the State & Federal governments to honor all current treaty obligations.
21. Taxation: We advocate systematically replacing taxation with a contractual means of financing those services of government individuals want. Taxation, the current taking of people's wealth by force and threat of force, is legalized theft and extortion by the government.
22. Subsidies: In order to achieve a free economy in which government victimizes no one for the benefit of anyone else, we oppose all non-voluntary government subsidies, special interest laws, tariffs or quotas for anyone for any reason.
23. Employment and Licensing: We seek the elimination of protectionist occupation licensing and mandatory certification laws, which prevent individuals from working in whatever trade they wish. We advocate privatizing the current Government Licensing Bureaucracies, removing their monopoly status, and letting them compete in the free market.
24. Welfare, Poverty and Unemployment: We advocate replacing the current counter-productive political welfare system with private charitable efforts. We advocate a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for all charitable contributions. Welfare and unemployment programs appease those whom government has oppressed, and keeps them dependent. Free markets typically generate more jobs than there are job seekers.
25. Unions and Collective Bargaining: We support the right of free persons voluntarily to establish, associate in, or not associate in labor unions. An employer should have the right to recognize, or refuse to recognize, a union. We oppose government interference in bargaining, such as compulsory arbitration and right to work laws. Strikes or boycotts do not justify the initiation of violence against other workers, employers, strike-breakers, or anyone's property.
26. Consumer Protection: We support strong and effective laws against fraud and misrepresentation. However, we oppose paternalistic government regulations that dictate to consumers, impose prices, define standards for products, or otherwise restrict risk-taking and free choice.
27. Right to Die: Because all individuals should have full responsibility and control over their own lives, anyone, including terminally or hopelessly ill persons should have the right to die at the time and place and under the conditions of their own choosing. In keeping with the principle of non-coercion, no individual shall be forced either to continue or terminate life sustaining care.
28. Freedom of Marriage: We hold that unions between adults are a private matter, and should not be the subject of government licensing, regardless of sex. We call for the State of Minnesota to not restrict or give preferential treatment to private contracts between adults.
29. Pollution: Pollution of other people's property is wrong. Strict liability, not government agencies and arbitrary standards, should regulate pollution. We advocate repeal of the laws that prevent full ownership of the air and water above and below land, thus denying individuals protection under the law against polluters. Private property rights must replace public property. We advocate the repeal of Sovereign Immunity laws, which protect those in charge of government property, utilities and military installations from the personal liability of pollution.
30. Public Entertainment Facilities: We advocate a free market in entertainment; accordingly we call for the privatization and deregulation of all government ownership, financing or involvement in stadiums, fairs, malls, convention centers, racetracks, etc.
31. Education: In order to achieve the best possible opportunity of education we advocate bringing the positive benefits of competition to the monopolistic government schools. As an interim measure we advocate tax credits for any individual or business sponsoring a person's education, equal to the amount of that assistance. We also support open enrollment and the expansion of Minnesota's charter school program which allows parents, students and educators to independently set up semi-autonomous schools operating under reduced public authority.
32. Campaign Laws: We call for the repeal of restrictive state laws that effectively prevent new parties and independent candidates from being on the ballot. We urge the repeal of federal and state campaign finance laws, which repress the voluntary support of candidates and parties, compel taxpayers to subsidize politicians and political views they do not wish to support, and entrench the two major political parties.
33. None of the Above: We propose the addition of the alternative "none of the above is acceptable" to all ballots. In the event that "none of the above" wins, the elective office for that term will remain unfilled and unfunded.
34. Government Accounting Practices: We support requiring government to follow generally accepted accounting principles and require the elimination of off-budget items.
35. Rotation of Legislative Committee Chairs: We support requiring the rotation of committee chairpersons and limiting their chairship to four years.
36. Foreign Policy: The principle of non-initiation of force should guide the relationships between governments. We call for a non-interventionist foreign policy of avoiding entangling alliances, quarrels and treaties, and recognizing the right to unrestricted travel, trade and immigration.