Introduction to Libertarianism: The Basic Principles of a Libertarian

"No man's life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session." - Mark Twain

The ideas of Libertarianism are not talked about a lot. The Libertarian Party is a third party, so they get very little attention, especially in the media. When the average American thinks of Libertarians they usually think of radical anarchist conspiracy theorist. And while those do exist within Libertarianism, they only make a small portion of the entire population of libertarians. There is a different, more rational side to Libertarianism that people never hear about. As a result, myths and fictions get intertwined with one another. When you understand the basic principles of Libertarianism, you can understand a Libertarian's position on anything.

 There are two basic principles to Libertarianism. They are the opposition of Government interference and the rejection of force. There two principles guide Libertarians through their beliefs, policies and platforms. These two principles are the center pieces for complete freedom.

So what exactly is Libertarianism?

1. Reduce the size of the government: The government has strict powers and responsibilities granted to it by the United States Constitution. Since the Constitution is the supreme law of the land that protects the rights and liberties of all citizens, the government should shrink to a Constitutional size. Otherwise, what protects our rights and liberties if the politicians and the government don't have a set of rules to follow?
2.  Allow Voluntary Interaction:  When two consenting adults agree on anything, government should not interfere. It does not matter if it is economics (Someone buying a product or service from someone else) or in their personal lives. All consenting adults should be allowed to interact anyway they choose as long as it does not hurt a third party. 
3. War is only Justifiable in self defense:  No preemptive war should be started. Any war created to intervene in a sovereign nation's internal affairs or because politicians use scare tactics against another nation is justifiable or legal.
4. The Constitution is not just a piece of paper: George W. Bush was quoted in saying "Stop throwing the Constitution in my face.  It’s just a goddamned piece of paper.” Whether or not this quote is true, it describes most politician's attitudes toward the Constitution. It just a 200 year old piece of paper. But this 200 year old piece of paper limits the government to a Republic. Without it, the government could transform into any form of tyranny. It could become a Monarchy, Communist government, dictatorship, or any other one man with complete authority. It gives the government limits and states the freedoms and liberties that Citizens have.