By Michael Sutherland | United States

Matt Waters is running for Senator of Virginia as a Libertarian. His opponents are Democrat incumbent Tim Kaine and Republican Corey Stewart. Waters comes from a long line of Virginians and is dedicated to defending civil liberties and being fiscally responsible. He recently talked with 71 Republic’s Michael Sutherland about his campaign and beliefs.

Sutherland: If you become Senator, what will be your first priorities?

Waters: We have to reduce the debt. That is priority number one. Our debt is the greatest existential threat to the future of our republic. To get there, I will introduce multiple bills to eliminate, privatize, freeze, and reduce government spending–based on the Constitution. So, for example, nowhere in the Constitution does the US gov’t have a role in education. Further, we need to end foreign aid, freeze defense spending, bring troops home from overseas (we’re not supposed to have a standing army, much less one standing in over 150 countries). So, ending forward facing bases and moving to a defense powered by Naval power. The second part is moving “entitlements” (that no one is entitled to) to the public sector. This will take 10-15 years, but will ultimately get the government out of the retirement business and the healthcare business. Ending the Dept of Education gets the govt out of the education business. Ending Student Loan programs (that are driving up the cost of a college education) gets the government out of the banking business. Bottom line: we’re broke. We cannot afford to police the world or operate a 1933 retirement program in 2018. Time to move up and move on.

Sutherland: Briefly describe your positions.

Waters: Money = Freedom. Average taxpayer works from Jan 1 thru April 18 to pay federal, state and local taxes. That is more than the average taxpayer pays in groceries, clothing, and housing combined. By “giving taxpayers” “free” college, “free” healthcare, and mandatory federal jobs–Democrats and Republicans must take more of our money. The more money they take–and they take it–the less you have and the less freedom you have to do things. If we “get” “free” education, all of our income through May/June will go to the government. Is that really what we want?

Sutherland: What made you become a libertarian?

Waters: The idea of liberty. Our forefathers came to Jamestown in 1607 to set up an independent colony. That blossomed into an independent republic with the surrender of British troops just down the road at Yorktown. America’s greatest export is liberty–an idea. Not music (British), not food (French?), not fast cars (Italy?). People know us for liberty–freedom of individuals to do as they please without interference from the government. Today, however, all that has changed, and we are worse off. America policy over the last 70 years has been a catastrophe. Since WW2, we have lost 50,000 troops in Vietnam, and 50,000+ troops in Korea — not “wars” declared by Congress — but unconstitutional “conflicts” declared by two failed Presidents. Today we’re still playing war games in Korea. We’re still at war with Korea. End the 68-year Korean conflict now. But while the Congress failed to declare war in Vietnam and Korea, they did boldly declare a war on poverty. Results? Billions of dollars later: Fail. They did declare a war on drugs. The result? Billions of dollars later: Fail. They did declare a war on terror. The result, $5.7 trillion later? Fail. Next, we will declare war on plastic drinking straws…oh wait..there are some who are declaring war on those! But you get my drift.

Sutherland: What areas of Virginia do you think you’ll be the most successful in?

Waters: Hopefully tax reform, smart military spending and budgets aimed at warfare, not politics, protecting other countries, and staying out of everyone else’s business. And “entitlement” reforms–ending social security as we know it, making it a real retirement system to today’s workers.

Sutherland: What are the best ways to expand/popularize the Libertarian Party?

Waters: Be reasonable. To lead with legalizing pot, prostitution and porn are just not where most Americans are. In the margins of a free society, a lot of crap like that will go down. But it does not mean we get out there and lead with that nonsense. No parent wants their child in any one of those industries. We need to get back to basics and do limited government, free markets, capitalism, and individual liberty. Reagan said that behind every “good” conservative stood a libertarian. Reagan was right.

Sutherland: Any final thoughts for the readers?

Waters: Check out my website, MattWaters.com and make a decision in November to do something different: refuse to do the same-old-same-old. Change won’t happen that way. Vote Libertarian.

To support 71 Republic, please donate to our Patreon, which you can find here.

Featured Image Source