Harry Browne in 2000 National Political Awareness Test
On Abortion:
No gov’t funding of abortion, but no prohibitions either
On abortion: Browne supports the principle of prohibiting public funding of abortions and public funding of organizations that advocate or perform abortions. He says, “Abortion is wrong but government prohibition would only make the problem
worse. Not a federal government issue.”
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
On Budget & Economy:
Decrease defense & police $; eliminate everything else
Browne would eliminate funding for the following:- Agricultural programs
- Arts funding
- Education
- Environmental programs
- International aid
- Medical research
- NASA
- National Parks
- Scientific research
- Transportation and Highway
Infrastructure
- Welfare.
Browne would greatly decrease funding for the following:- Defense
- Law enforcement.
Browne supports enforcing the spending limits agreed to in 1997 by the President and Congress to balance the budget.
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
On Civil Rights:
Racism is immoral; but end affirmative action
Browne agrees that the federal government should discontinue affirmative action programs. He would “support a color blind society based
on merit. Racism is immoral and inefficient such that it serves no ones self-interest.”
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
On Crime:
No federal law enforcement; let states handle crime
Browne supports reducing prison sentences for those who commit non-violent crimes. Browne says, “Pardon all non-violent drug and tax offenders. Remove the Federal government
from law enforcement, as it is no constitutional authority.” Regarding juvenile crime, Browne says, “Let the states handle all crime.”
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
On Drugs:
Decriminalize pot; end the war on drugs
Browne supports the following principles concerning illegal drugs.- Decriminalize the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.
- Decriminalize the production and use of industrial hemp for agricultural purposes.
- Eliminate federal funding
for programs associated with the “war on drugs.”
- Browne concludes, “Repeal all federal drug laws.”
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
On Education:
Separate school and state
Browne on K-12 education: “End all federal involvement in education. Repeal the income tax so that parents will have the resources necessary to choose the school they want.”On college: “By ending the income tax most families will have the resources
necessary to choose the college they want. Government involvement has increased the cost of higher education.”
On religion in schools: “We should separate school & state so individuals can make the right choices for themselves & their children.”
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
On Environment:
Solve enviro problems via private property rights
Browne would reduce current federal regulations on the environment. “The solution to most environmental problems is private property rights. Some of the worst environmental care-taking is occurring on government lands. I would sell most of these assets t
people who would have a vested interest in caring for them,” he says. Browne does not support the UN’s Kyoto treaty regarding global climate change.
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
On Foreign Policy:
End foreign aid to individual countries as well as agencies
Browne would eliminate foreign aid to the following countries and agencies:- Colombia
- Egypt
- Israel
- Kosovo province
- Mexico
- North Korea
- Russia
- Turkey
- African Development Fund
- Agency for International
Development(AID)
- International Monetary Fund (IMF)
- NATO Peace Keeping Missions
- UN Crisis and Humanitarian Aid
- UN Peace Keeping Missions
- World Bank
Browne says, “Eliminate all foreign aid by government.”
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
On Foreign Policy:
Mideast: End meddling with embargoes & peace negotiations
Browne supports the following principles concerning the Middle East:- The US should end the economic embargo against Iraq.
- The US should not continue to play a prominent leadership role in the peace process between Israel and the Palestine
Authority.
- Browne says, “The US has no business meddling in the affairs of other countries.”
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
On Foreign Policy:
Exit UN; extend diplomatic relations to all countries
Browne supports the following principles concerning the UN & diplomatic relations:- The US should not commit military troops to UN peacekeeping missions
- The US should withdraw completely from the UN
- The US should have full diplomatic
relations with Cuba
- The US should have full diplomatic relations with China
- The US should recognize and extend full diplomatic relations to Taiwan
- The US should have full diplomatic relations with nations with documented human rights abuses.
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
On Free Trade:
Let in the huddled masses
Browne does not support any INS activities nor any immigration restrictions. He says, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free!”
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
On Free Trade:
Open trade policy without NAFTA or WTO
Browne supports the following principles concerning free trade:- Against NAFTA
- Against GATT
- Against membership in the WTO
- Against imposing tariffs on products imported from nations that maintain restrictive trade barriers on American
products
- A nation’s human rights record should not affect its MFN trading status
- Supports MFN status with Vietnam
- Against the trade embargo on Cuba
- Against strengthening the anti-dumping laws
- Support an open trade policy
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
On Government Reform:
Remove both campaign spending limits and donation limits
Regarding campaign finance issues, Browne supports: - Eliminating publicly financed matching funds for presidential campaigns.
- Increasing the amount individuals are permitted to contribute to federal campaigns.
- Browne
says, “Remove all limits on campaign contributions and spending.”
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
On Government Reform:
Reducing government promotes personal responsibility
Browne agrees that there has been a decline in moral and ethical standards in America over the last four decades. To address this, he would “reduce the size of government so that people have more responsibility over their lives. Responsibility promotes
virtue - responsibility is a virtue. An honest man would zealously preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. I consider it a grave responsibility to uphold my oath of office.”
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
On Gun Control:
Gun restrictions are unconstitutional
Browne would repeal federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns by law-abiding citizens. He says, “The federal government has no constitutional authority to restrict gun ownership in any way.”
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
On Health Care:
Get government out of health care & costs will plummet
Browne agrees that providing health care is not a responsibility of the federal government. He says, “By getting government out of the healthcare industry, healthcare costs will plummet, innovation will increase, and more people will have access to the
healthcare they need.” Browne would not support increasing taxes on alcohol and cigarettes to help defer costs of Medicare and Medicaid.
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
On Homeland Security:
Fund SDI, pay, & readiness; cut CIA & everything else
Browne would adjust funding as follows:Greatly Increase- National Missile Defense Program
Maintain Status- Pay for active duty personnel
- Troop & equipment readiness
Slightly Decrease- Modernization of weaponry & equipment
-
Programs to improve military retention rates
- Research & development of new weapons
Greatly Decrease - Military hardware
Eliminate- Covert intelligence operations
- Defense plant conversion
- Military space shuttle missions
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
On Homeland Security:
Deploy SDI; no need to fight spread of nukes
Browne supports the following principles concerning defense issues:- End the cooperative threat reduction programs with Russia to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons to unfriendly nations
- Modify the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty in
order to deploy the National Missile Defense System
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
On Principles & Values:
Priorities: End income tax, drug war, & commercial meddling
Browne’s priorities if elected would be:- Restore Constitutional limits on government spending so we can free everyone from the Income Tax and replace it with nothing.
- Create a Nation of Millionaires by privatizing Social Security
- Free
America from the nightmare of the insane War on Drugs
- Implement a foreign policy of Peace Through Commerce & Constructive Disengagement.
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
On Social Security:
End the government Social Security system
On Social Security:“End the government Social Security System. Sell federal assets to finance the purchase of private annuities for those currently dependent on Social Security.”
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
On Tax Reform:
Eliminate most fees & taxes, including income tax
Browne would eliminate the following taxes:- Income Taxes on Family Income
- Income Taxes on Retiree Income
- Capital gains taxes
- Cigarette taxes
- Corporate taxes
- Estate taxes
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
On Tax Reform:
No flat tax nor sales tax; super-majority to raise taxes
- Does not support replacing the current US income tax structure with a flat income tax.
- Does not support instituting a national sales tax.
- Supports requiring at least a 2/3 majority (super-majority) vote in both houses of Congress to raise
taxes.
- Would cut taxes if there were an operating surplus.
- Would not cut taxes by using Social Security surpluses to supplement the difference.
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
On Technology:
Keep government out of the Internet
Browne agrees that regulation of the Internet should not in any way controlled by the federal government.
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
On War & Peace:
US should not be involved in Kosovo at all
Browne indicates that the US should not maintain ground troops in the Kosovo province. “The US should not be involved in any way,” he says.
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
On Welfare & Poverty:
End unemployment programs; feds out of employment biz
Regarding employment issues, Browne supports:- Reducing government regulation of the private sector in order to encourage investment and economic expansion.
- Eliminating any federal programs designed to reduce unemployment.
- Browne
says, “The federal government has no constitutional authority to be involved in any of this. By ending the income tax employees will have far more options to choose from when determining their benefits.”
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
On Welfare & Poverty:
Religious & community-based charities should handle welfare
On welfare:“The federal government has no constitutional authority to be in this area. True compassion requires religious and community based charities to handle welfare. Government is neither efficient or compassionate in this area.”
Source: 2000 National Political Awareness Test
Jan 13, 2000
Page last updated: Nov 29, 2018