JOEY BERRY

What is a Libertarian?

The short answer is that a Libertarian seeks preservation and expansion of individual freedoms as a means of improving government, law, and/or all levels of society. A Libertarian's first question should be, "Is there a way this problem could be improved with more freedom?" Generally, Libertarians recognize that less government is better for freedom. Additionally, Libertarians often recognize that aggression must be prevented, corrected, or crushed (to allow long-term peace and prosperity). *The reality is that Libertarians come from a broad range of political views including everything from virtual anarchists to semi-socialists; they can be anywhere from center-left to center-right but they are always toward the center.

What type of Libertarian are you?

I am a Natural Law Libertarian which means that I apply a basic test to all issues: Does the issue reasonably allow people to live and build a better life? -If it does not, Natural Law and common sense demand that the issue must be corrected or opposed. -If it does then the next issue is whether the people most affected favor or oppose the issue; if fundamental Natural Law rights aren't at issue, then the next highest freedom is democratic will (and as a Libertarian I would have to respect the will of the people).

How would you approach problems differently than Democrats or Republicans?

To reduce social programs you don't consider simply the dollar reductions. You have to consider dependence and opportunity in the people affected. The goal is to reduce the need for programs not simply to save a buck. If people can't currently live or build a life without the program, an obtuse reduction or elimination is counter-productive. Taking away people's ability to live would likely result in more desperation and crime which would often trigger an increase in law enforcement and intrusion of law. A blind "reform" could create costs higher than the original program(s) and result in less freedom for all citizens. Reform is more complex than slashing a budget. When we move from more government to less government, there must be a path for society or free markets to provide equal or greater benefits to those who are affected by cuts. The goal of reducing social programs is to remove dependence and avoid the intrusion of government into the lives of the poor while moving away from an unsustainable socialist state. Government programs often come with oversight requirements that deprive people of dignity and giving people an escape from that condition is win-win for society. Our solutions factor in the benefits of greater freedom, smaller government, and the real changes needed in law and society to allow people to live and prosper.

Why do you want to be President?

I don't but I am willing to serve (and I need a position with substantial authority to reform the Judiciary).

Why are you running?

There are three primary reasons:

1. Civic Duty: I believe I am more qualified for the job that any other well-known candidate, therefore, I have an obligation to serve.
2. Judicial Reform: Personal experience with the courts has revealed widespread Judicial corruption/incompetence and erosion of individual rights (with the refusal of the U.S. Supreme Court to review allegations of injustice and lower court incompetence creating a lifetime Natural Law appointment for me to correct both the Judiciary and entrenched injustice); in other words, the courts have failed to correct themselves leaving the responsibility directly to me (and indirectly to all concerned citizens).
3. Social-Media Trailblazing: The growth of social-media reshapes the nature of politics and elections for political office. A portion of the campaign is designed to explore and reveal methods for the "common man" to reach elected office and to bring our Republic closer to the desires of the people.

How do you characterize the job of the President?

The President has several clear duties with some implied obligations. Obviously the President is the Chief Diplomat, Commander-in-Chief, Chief Executive of the government, and a check on the Congress and the Judiciary. The President is also the figurehead of the United States and a global leader.

The U.S. Constitution only requires that the President be a citizen who is 35+ which imples the primary qualification is common sense. Taken together with modern responsibilities, the President must have common sense and a fairly broad range of experience and/or an open mind with a willingness to consult with numerous advisors.

The executive duties of the President are fairly clear. The President must manage the bureaucracy and the military with a blend of command and diplomatic oversight. Many areas of government endure through numerous Presidential cycles and they potentially resist/resent strictly command decisions. Leadership blending a carrot and stick approach whenever possible is necessary to ensure that vital command decisions are not obstructed. An effective President must constantly lay foundations that can support his future directives.

The diplomatic and symbolic duties are more complicated. The President must work with diverse world views and cultures while acting as a representative of all Americans. Both security and economic issues, domestically and globally, must be considered while weighing the short-term/long-term benefits and costs of all actions including inaction.

Military duties require a realistic world view combined with a sense of the nation's likely long-term support to develop a strategy and tactics without squandering the lives of our soldiers, wasting the resources of our nation, or unnecessarily prolonging the horror of war. With ongoing conflicts, the President is a killer on day one and he retains, to some degree, ultimate responsibilty for lives lost and collateral damage on both sides of conflicts. In short, a President must have a willingness to kill and sacrifice for a greater good which is tempered by an understanding of the costs.

In summary:

Executive duties require leadership, judgment, foresight, dedication, perserverance...

Diplomatic duties require compromise, dignity, demeanor, world view, empathy, fairness...

Military duties require killer instincts, perspective, decisiveness, temperan ce, adaptability, resolve, charisma, and tactical/strategic reasoning...

In all duties a President must have an understanding of human nature and Natural Law with sufficient insight and patience to avoid any severe bias to either overreaction or inaction.

Additionally, the President must be a focus point for the people as a clear symbol of accountability and/or comfort. The President must represent all Americans and he owes the same duty to the nation that a father does to his family.

*The primary goal of the "Answers" page is to address points which are raised on the Discussions page. Once that page has substantial activity, we will choose topics based on apparent importance and try to address unanswered questions from those topics and/or establish this campaign's official position on more topical/specific issues.