Your Monday Message from the Libertarian Party:

On Dec. 10, the Libertarian Party put out a press release calling the logic behind the auto bailout, "insane." In it, we stated that "it's insane that we keep going back to the taxpayers to bail-out struggling corporations who, for lack of good management and sound business practices, have become unprofitable."

We also said that "the Libertarian Party favors letting these companies file Chapter 11, instead of risking taxpayer dollars for promises of reform."

The Kansas City Star, a McClatchy publication in Kansas City, Missouri, was rather offended with our assessment of the situation:

In case you missed it, the nation’s largest third party also opposed appropriating $14 billion of taxpayer money to bail out the American automotive industry.

“It’s insanity,” said Libertarian Party spokesman Andrew Davis. Instead, the Libertarians favored letting the auto companies file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, taking down the U.S. economy with them.

Now, that’s sane.

The Libertarian Party — founded in 1971 as an alternative to the two main political parties — proudly stands for smaller government, lower taxes and more freedom.

The Buzz says the party also stands to lose just about every election its candidates run in.

Given that the KCS is one of the newspapers that has suffered quite a drop in circulation, its snide tone with us seems a little out of place.

However, this was our response that should run in the near future:

It's nice to see the editors of the Kansas City Star are putting the interests of grossly mismanaged corporations over that of taxpayers. In a recent edition of "The Buzz," the KCS took offense to our insinuation that the recent auto bailout was based on "insane" logic. Instead, the newspaper chose to side with the White House and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson--who still won't reveal where $2 trillion of taxpayer money went in the last bailout. The Libertarian Party is not oblivious to the economic impact of a Big Three bankruptcy; we simply recognize bailouts don't work and have disastrous long-term consequences.

The bailout of the American automotive industry will do nothing to fix the problems that got them into their current situation: grossly incompetent CEOs, destructive union contracts and an unwillingness to keep up with automotive trends. If the bailout occurs, as is the hope of the KCS, we will see no change in Detroit. Rather, the Big Three will be back in Washington in a few months asking for more time and more taxpayer money.

This is what the KCS calls the "sane" option? The Libertarian Party, and a majority of American taxpayers, respectfully disagree.

There is a certain element of insanity to keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again, always hoping for a different result. This condition of insanity can be applied very aptly to the bailout-mania plaguing Washington. It also can be aptly applied on a much bigger scale to how people rush to government looking for a solution to problems government often times helped create.

Do we look to arsonists to put out fires? No. Then, why do we look to government to solve government's problems each time they arise?

We've talked at length about the long-term dangers of government programs. We looked at the New Deal and the problems it created in modern times with agencies like Fannie Mae—a product of the New Deal. We also looked at the economic consequences of government intervention, especially in regards to this latest bailout.

It seems like common knowledge that this is a bad idea, yet people still run to government.

However, Americans are waking up, and they are waking up to the Libertarian Party.

The moral of the story is this: Keep at it.

We've been on the bailouts since they were first discussed, and we've had a consistent message against them. Republicans and Democrats have waffled on them, depending how much money was at stake and how their constituents would react (and some without even regard to that!). Yet, the Libertarian Party has been saying the same thing over and over again: "NO MORE!"

I think it's finally catching on.

Please take the lessons you gain from these emails, and use them to help explain why government is not going to help, and why free market alternatives are better for the long-term viability of our economy.

And, if you'd like to send a letter to the Kansas City Star, you can do so by emailing jrehm@kcstar.com.

Shoot one over to your local newspaper, too.

Live free,
Andrew Davis
Director of Communications
Libertarian Party