With only a few weeks left until the 2024 presidential election, Davidson students are getting excited about the Phi Eu presidential debate between the Davidson College Democrats and the Davidson College Republicans. Traditionally, the Davidson College Libertarians endorse a presidential candidate from one of the two major parties that aligns most with our values and debate for that candidate. In 2016, our club supported Hillary Clinton for president and debated with the Davidson College Democrats. However, for the 2024 election, the Davidson College Libertarians have decided not to support a particular candidate. Instead, we aim to create a club that stands for principles. The club welcomes all students and promotes classical liberal ideals, prioritizing ideas over supporting candidates tied to personality-driven campaigns that rely on demagoguery. We believe that Libertarianism offers a better alternative to the policies of both major parties.
Despite the common belief that Libertarianism is a fringe movement, the political philosophy has a long intellectual tradition. The American philosopher David Boaz traces the beginning of some Libertarian ideas back to Lao Tzu in 6th-century BCE China. In fact, Libertarians in the United States have made significant contributions to economics, law, philosophy, literature, and science. For example, some of the greatest economists and Nobel Prize winners of the 20th century, such as Milton Friedman and Friedrich Hayek, were Libertarians. Libertarianism can be summed up in one sentence, as Harvard political philosopher and Libertarian Robert Nozick said: “Individuals have rights, and there are things no person or group may do to them (without violating their rights).”
Our club stands behind the belief that Libertarianism offers evidence-based solutions to the problems facing Americans today, such as inflation. We believe the U.S. economy overheated due to the Federal Reserve’s failure to achieve its inflation target of 2% and the Biden administration spending too much. For example, Biden spent $1.9 trillion in a recovering economy with only 6% unemployment, almost the same amount spent when the U.S. was in the middle of a pandemic. Unlike Kamala Harris’s claim that inflation is due to “price gouging,” a claim rejected by over 77% of professional economists in a recent poll by the University of Chicago with none supporting the idea, we believe that inflation is caused by the government’s reckless monetary policy and borrowing.
Additionally, both Democrats and Republicans in the United States support protectionist tariffs that go beyond any need for national security. Centuries ago, economists Adam Smith and David Ricardo criticized this economic policy for its flawed reasoning. Tariffs raise prices for American consumers and harm economic growth. Current-day economists agree with us. According to a poll conducted by the University Chicago IGM panel of leading economists of all political affiliations, 95% of economists polled said they agreed that U.S. consumers pay for the cost of tariffs. Ultimately, tariffs are just another tax on Americans that hamper economic growth.
Libertarians have a better path for economic policy. The Federal Reserve should follow a rules-based monetary policy that keeps nominal spending growing at a constant rate to prevent inflation and recessions. This will create tight labor markets, boosting workers’ wages and bargaining power. We believe in reducing or eliminating unnecessary labor regulations so more Americans can find jobs. For example, this includes eliminating college degree requirements for public-sector jobs, unnecessary licensing for occupations like cutting hair or selling flowers, and reducing double taxation and other barriers to remote work.
As a club, we agree with Americans frustrated that home ownership is no longer affordable in the United States, but politicians are proposing the wrong solutions. Politicians often push for housing subsidies, such as Harris’s $25,000 down payment plan. However, we feel strongly that this will worsen the issue by increasing demand when the real problem is a limited supply of housing. To make housing more affordable, we believe that state and local governments should focus on making it easier to build homes, which will increase supply and lower prices.
We hold that Libertarians have better policies to address immigration, a top issue for many voters. First, we propose that the rule of law must be enforced because order and domestic security are necessary for any functioning society. However, we also believe that the United States has always been a nation of immigrants and is a great country because of it. We feel that because of the opportunities our country provides, people from other countries will want to move here and become citizens. An immigration system ought to welcome with open arms patriotic people who want to come to the U.S. to support their families, escape persecution, and start a better life. Thus, legal immigration and the path to citizenship must be made easier for future Americans. As former President Ronald Reagan said, “we lead the world because, unique among nations, we draw our people — our strength — from every country and every corner of the world.”
Besides standing for these policies, the Davidson College Libertarians advocate for classical liberal principles on campus. We will continue to support the college’s efforts at protecting the free speech rights of students and faculty, even when we may disagree with their views. Despite our strong faith in Libertarianism, we acknowledge that our beloved beliefs may ultimately not be the best public policy when new evidence arises, just like all other beliefs. Thus, we believe that a free marketplace of ideas is necessary. Historically, both major parties have suppressed dissent. As Libertarians, we will continue to always condemn such actions, no matter the political content of the speech. Freedom from partisan sedition will allow everyone to decide what beliefs match their personal interests and values.
Finally, as Libertarians, we will always voice our support for groups and individuals who have historically been oppressed by the government and denied their rights by others. For example, we stand for the right of the LGBTQIA community to live their lives without government harassment and the right of American citizens to be free from unconstitutional government surveillance. We believe that in most cases, the government should never interfere in our personal lives. The manner in which one chooses to act in their private life should not be a concern to anyone besides themselves. The Davidson College Libertarians choose to believe in freedom.
Not only do we believe that Libertarianism is the best policy in an economic and social context, but we also believe that Libertarianism is naturally the most just system. When people are able to live however they want and possess the liberty to pursue their dreams, true happiness becomes more attainable.