Saturday, August 20, 2016

We need to stop criminalizing personal choice

Gary Johnson: We Need To Stop Criminalizing Personal Choice | TIME:

August 16, 2016 - "It is shockingly simple — revolutionary, and yet common sense: People should be free to make their own choices in their lives, as long as those decisions don’t adversely affect others.

"I’m a fierce defender of civil liberties, perhaps because individual freedom is very personal to me. I decided at a very early age that I wanted the freedom to do what I want with my life, to achieve whatever my talents and determination would allow without hindrance from the government or anyone else who might want to take my freedom away....

"The freedom to be an entrepreneur and succeed made it possible for me to run for Governor of New Mexico — and to serve two terms. I was able to make a difference.... The financial and personal freedom I earned from my entrepreneurial hard work also allowed me to pursue my personal passions: Being a 'fit for life' athlete, climbing the highest peak on each of the 7 continents, including Mt. Everest — and today, offering a simple approach to leading our increasingly complex nation.

"That approach is financial responsibility, less government, greater individual freedom, and a foreign policy that distinguishes between truly making us safe and engaging in ill-advised interventions abroad....

"When government grows and takes more of our money in taxes, we lose freedom.... when government tries to impose values on society and limit personal choices, it doesn’t work — and it shouldn’t.

"Our nation learned from Prohibition that arbitrarily and unnecessarily banning behavior doesn’t work. The same lesson should be applied to marijuana....

"Fortunately, the Supreme Court finally confirmed that the Constitution protects Americans’ freedom to marry who they wish. That decision was long overdue....

"Freedom isn’t complicated. It just requires us to remember who we are as Americans. Unfortunately, the politicians in Washington, Republicans and Democrats alike, have forgotten that simple, foundational American value."

 Read more: http://time.com/4452373/gary-johnson-personal-choice/
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