Nathan Larson: Difference between revisions
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'''Nathan Larson''' is a Libertarian | '''Nathan Larson''' is a Libertarian candidate for the 1st District of Virginia Congressional race in 2008. Prior to that, he was a student senator at GMU. | ||
==Ballot access== | ==Ballot access== | ||
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==Structure== | ==Structure== | ||
Larson is considering structuring his campaign like a corporation. Donors of money and in kind services would receive shares. Each share would entitle the holder to one vote. After Election Day, any excess campaign funds would be distributed back to shareholders in proportion to shares held. Shareholders would be allowed to trade and sell shares. Proxy voting would be allowed. | Larson is considering structuring his campaign like a corporation. Donors of money and in kind services would receive shares. Each share would entitle the holder to one vote. After Election Day, any excess campaign funds would be distributed back to shareholders in proportion to shares held, or perhaps they would be given to the Libertarian Party of Virginia. Shareholders would be allowed to trade and sell shares. Proxy voting would be allowed. | ||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
Revision as of 01:57, 22 May 2008
Nathan Larson is a Libertarian candidate for the 1st District of Virginia Congressional race in 2008. Prior to that, he was a student senator at GMU.
Ballot access
Larson filed his declaration of candidacy on May 7 with about 1,075 signatures and is preparing a supplementary filing of another 325 signatures, for a total signature count of 1,400. 1,000 valid signatures are required to get on the ballot. The deadline is June 10.
Nomination
Arrangements are hastily being made to have a 1st Congressional District Libertarian convention, which would probably be held in Fredericksburg. The party chair would need to certify Larson as an LP candidate by June 16, per http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/cms/documents/Cidates/Bulletins/08Nov_USH.pdf .
Platform
Nathan Larson is running for Congress for the 1st District of Virginia, seeking to solve traffic congestion, preserve environmental quality, open our country's borders, bring our troops home from Iraq, abolish mandatory Social Security payroll taxes, and using competitive markets to improve education, police, courts, and national defense.
Specifically, Nathan supports auctioning off the interstate highway system, segment by segment, to private investors. He supports doing the same with Amtrak and other government-owned rail systems. The new owners could fund further expansion of these systems and compete with one another to provide the best service at the lowest price.
Environmental quality should be preserved through the establishment of property rights over land, water, air and other natural resources. The dead zone in the Chesapeake Bay, for instance, can be eliminated through the enforcement of nearby landowners' rights. Common law nuisance actions would compel area farmers to switch to no-till methods that would reduce nitrogen runoff into the Bay.
Nathan advocates removing all restrictions on immigration. This will increase the supply of labor, driving wages down and thus helping businesses cut costs. This will allow savings to be passed on to consumers and enhance the competitiveness of American businesses in the global economy. Studies by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and others have found that immigrants are more likely than natives to start new businesses. Google, Yahoo, and Sun Microsystems, which employ thousands of skilled American workers, were founded by immigrants. We should take full advantage of the opportunity immigration offers to create more American jobs.
The war in Iraq should be immediately ended and the troops brought home. The impetus for the invasion was to eliminate the threat posed by weapons of mass destruction. There being no evidence of such Iraqi weapons posing a threat to her neighbors at this time, and the security situation in Iraq appearing to have reached a plateau, there is little justification for our continued presence there.
The Social Security system should be abolished. The moneys paid into this system are invested in low-yield government bonds that earn approximately 1% per year. Meanwhile, millions of Americans are saddled with credit card debt bearing 19% or 24% annual interest rates and mortgage payments consisting primarily of interest rather than principal curtailments. The mandatory Social Security payroll withholdings leave them with less money to pay down their debts, effectively earning them a negative rate of return. This is not the way to fund a secure retirement.
Nathan supports providing police, court, and national defense through the private sector. To help prevent abuses, it is desirable that citizens and communities be allowed to choose among competing vendors of these services.
Structure
Larson is considering structuring his campaign like a corporation. Donors of money and in kind services would receive shares. Each share would entitle the holder to one vote. After Election Day, any excess campaign funds would be distributed back to shareholders in proportion to shares held, or perhaps they would be given to the Libertarian Party of Virginia. Shareholders would be allowed to trade and sell shares. Proxy voting would be allowed.