PBS Wisconsin Public Affairs

I'm Patrick Baird and I'm running for lieutenant governor for the Libertarian Party. Journalists and supporters of the two-party status quo argue that because they supposedly can't win, there's no point in paying attention to third parties. Let me give you just one example of why limiting coverage to two corporate-sponsored parties

is a bad idea

healthcare reform. Scott Walker wants to bail out Obamacare with $200 million in taxpayer money to lower premiums for a handful of middle-class voters whose incomes put them just above the line for regular subsidies. This is a bribe to voters who will be going through open enrollment right around the election time and it's also a direct handout to insurance companies. Tony Evers and the Democrats want to accept the Medicaid expansion and are proposing more spending and expanding mandates. More government interference in healthcare markets, more cost to taxpayers, less freedom for consumers. Only the Libertarian Party stands against government meddling in the healthcare market. This is not a radical position. This was actually the stated position of the Republican Party before they became corrupted by insurance company and big pharma donations and by the lure of dangling goodies to taxpayers. This viewpoint, however, will not be offered during the two-party debates offered by the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association. Instead you will have two candidates pretending to show how much they care for voters by offering differing forms of handouts and government interventions. Platitudes and sound bites versus real insight. Speaking of handouts, how about the millions of dollars that flow into the bank accounts of broadcasters every election year from corporate-sponsored campaign advertising? Or how about the $147 million tax break broadcasters got from the Wisconsin legislature last year? I'm sure none of that influences broadcasters and journalists views on which parties are newsworthy, which issues get addressed or which viewpoints get ignored. Libertarians believe that if you want to get corporate and special interest money out of politics, you need to get government out of people's lives. The Libertarian Party offers bold and innovative ideas on other issues as well. We favor ending the war on drugs through total legalization of marijuana and decriminalization of harder drugs. We favor universal open enrollment for K-12 students, giving parents a real choice in how their kids are educated. We propose eliminating the state income tax. None of these ideas are crazy; all have been implemented elsewhere. My running mate Phillip Anderson would represent real change in Madison. Not only because of fresh ideas, but also because he would be able to work with both parties in the legislature to get things done. Without the burden of partisanship or special interest pressure, Phil could lead Wisconsin to greater personal freedom, local independence, and reduced power in Madison. Don't let the media and their corporate sponsors make your election choices for you. For more information on the Libertarian Party, check out TeamGuv.org. That's TeamGuv, g-u-v.org. Thank you.