By Michael Bandarik

My name is Michael Badnarik and I’m the Libertarian Party’s 2004 presidential nominee.

Nowhere is the increasing failure of the American political system more apparent than with respect to younger voters, and it is primarily you I now address.

My opponents are long on promises. They can afford to be, because they think in terms of the next four years and of their own political careers. Those terms are not compatible with long-term thinking about your future. As a Libertarian, I have a longer planning horizon. My concern is not with short-term political gain, but with your future and the future of the nation we proudly call home.

America’s foreign policy continues to put young Americans in harm’s way, both as targets of terrorism and as potential conscripts in future wars made necessary by our politicians’ predilection for interfering in the affairs of, and the arguments between, other nations.

Our retirement policy continues to tax young Americans to sustain a failed Social Security system which, according to the statements of its own trustees, will be bankrupt within your working lives.

Our health policy continues to drive the cost of health care up and the availability and quality of health care down.

Our drug policy continues to threaten Americans — mostly younger Americans — with harsh punishments for actions which ought not to be considered crimes at all.

Our tax policy makes it more difficult for your parents to send you to a good school, or for you to send yourself to one.

Our spending policy continues to pass the buck — or, more accurately, the bill. Deficit spending accrues to a national debt which must be paid back at some point. That point, for our politicians, is always “someday” — meaning that they are counting on younger Americans to pay higher taxes later in their lives to support government profligacy now.

As a presidential candidate, my focus is unlike that of my opponents. It’s on the future. Your future.

As president, I’ll work to re-orient American foreign policy to a non-interventionist, pro-defense standard, making American civilians safer and putting American military personnel to their legitimate work of defending our nation, not invading other nations. I’ll veto any bill which introduces a military — or civilian — draft.

As president, I’ll work to move Social Security into the private sector so that one generation isn’t retiring on the back of the next. Americans will control their own destinies and make their own decisions on how to provide for their retirement.

As president, I’ll work to end the disastrous government intervention in health care, meaning that more Americans will be able to afford better care — and get it.

As president, I’ll take concrete steps to end the failed and vicious “war on drugs.” I’ll pardon all non-violent drug offenders in the federal prison system. I’ll veto legislation containing funding for prosecution of the war on drugs. And I’ll lobby congress to repeal the unconstitutional drug laws which have torn the very fabric of American society.

As president, I’ll insist on a balanced federal budget — and on a much smaller federal budget — which leaves more money in your pocket. You earned it. It’s yours. You should be able to keep it.

As president, I’ll steadfastly work to get the federal government out of your bedrooms, out of your wedding plans and out of your wombs.

I’ve touched on only a few of the issues which are most relevant to younger Americans, but I think you get the basic outline of my approach: I’m the candidate who trusts Americans and believes in America. I’m the candidate who regards government as a poor solution at best, and almost always not as a solution at all, but rather part of the problem. This approach is all that stands between your generation and the crushing weight of past mistakes. And time is running out.

— Michael Bandarik can be reached at [email protected].