Libertarian Party Says State in a Sorry State

2/1/01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Tim O'Brien
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DEARBORN. "The fact of the matter is that our state is in a pretty sorry state," said Libertarian Party of Michigan Chair Stacy Van Oast. "And with the kind of leadership we're getting from Republicans it's easy to see why."

Ms. Van Oast was responding to Governor Engler's State of the State address last night to the people of Michigan.

"What kind of duplicity does it take," she asked incredulously, "for the same governor who has led efforts to tax e-commerce transactions to now turn around and say that we need to give tax breaks to corporations engaged in e-commerce?

"I guess this is just one more example," she answered her own question, "of the Republican view of taxes -- increase them on consumers, while reducing them on big business."

And the LPM chair's ire wasn't confined to the governor's economic plans.

"Then he proposes to max out our constitutional limit of 20 cabinet-level agencies by creating a brand, new Department of History, Arts and Culture," she added. "Since when are these social institutions something to be determined by government?" she asked.

"I certainly hope," she continued, "that people will finally stop being fooled by the Republicans' posturing as advocates of individual freedom and limited government and recognize just how socialist they really are. Tax increases on consumers, but tax breaks for multi-national corporations. Even a Ministry of Culture! What more evidence could anyone possibly need?" she wondered.

"It's not surprising that Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson is talking about chasing out the last of the libertarians from the Republican Party. Well," she concluded, "they will be welcomed with open arms into the Libertarian Party. It ought to be obvious from the governor's State of the State address that they should have been here all along."