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The Great Libertarian Offer

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"Would you give up your favorite government programs if it meant you never had to pay Income Tax again?"

Harry Browne, the 2000 Libertarian Presidential candidate, outlines his plan to dramatically reduce the size and scope of government in this excellent, interesting, and readable campaign book.

Using a format similar to that of his landmark best-seller, "How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World," Mr. Browne outlines practical proposals on how a Libertarian president would offer "Freedom from Crime," "Freedom from Moral Posturing," "Freedom from Income Taxes" and so much more.

A Libertarian constitutional government could be financed, demonstates Browne, on tarriffs and excise taxes alone, freeing us forever from Income and Social Security taxes.

Mr. Browne also demonstrates how ending the War On Drugs, repealing victimless crimes, and repealing gun control laws would actually reduce crime and end countless civil rights abuses.

He also argues for a strong national DEFense rather than a national OFFense meddling in other countries, dismantling unconstitutional government agencies (the CIA, DEA, FDA, BATF, and so forth) and ending government welfare for individuals, corporations, and of course political parties.

A wonderful update and elaboration on "Why Government Doesn't Work," his 1996 campaign book, Harry Browne's "The Great Libertarian Offer" should appeal to the converted Libertarian and the curious alike.

This book should have special appeal during this election season as more and more Americans become dissatisfied with the candidates offered up by the two major, and increasingly similar, political parties. The Libertarian alternative should be refreshing to those looking beyond the dysfuntional Green and Reform parties for a third choice.

I didn't start out being cynical about politics and politicians. It is something I learned after being let down so many times. I didn't start out being pessimistic about the prospects for freedom. Looking around me---grasping reality---seemed to give me no choice. Then, I read Harry Browne's book, The Great Libertarian Offer. This book is gives me more optimism and hope for me and my children living in a society of peace and freedom than any other book I have ever read. The Great Libertarian Offer solves a riddle: How can the power of focused, well-funded special interest groups be defeated by millions of people who are too busy with daily life to lobby for constitutional government? With the Great Libertarian Offer, it can be done! Without resorting to moral arguments, Harry Browne has convinced me that he is as moral and wise a man as I have ever known. He consistently showed me that initiating force does not solve problems. He consequently has given me a potent tool for analyzing and synthesizing public policy. Whether the libertarian constraint on public policy---it cannot entail the initiation of force---is new to you or is something that you have investigated thoroughly, Harry Browne's book is a gift of fresh insights. His plain-spoken description of The Princples, and his chapters on drug prohibition, foreign policy, schools, crime, and moral posturing (among others) are each well worth the price of this book.

Here is a book that may well change the world. Have you ever read a book that is so good that you immediately bought several copies to give away. I haven't---until I read Harry Browne's The Great Libertarian Offer. I just bought five more copies from Amazon, and expect to buy more later.

Harry Browne continues his wonderful streak of books dedicated to liberty, libertarianism, and the free-market.

In his bid for the Presidency of the United States, he has been ignored by the mainstream media that caters to the pro-government Bush and Gore syndicate. In "The Great Libertarian Offer," Mr. Browne offers countless examples of the federal government's failure to keep promises and the resulting chaos of failed federal programs. After identifying the problems with government, he lists examples of tried free-market solutions that have brought prosperity and freedom to citizens worldwide.

Mr. Browne offers a logical and workable solution to problems that most politicians just ignore or sugar-coat. The great part about this book (and libertarianism) is the fact that this solution is very simple: get the federal government out of our lives.

While exploring this book, readers will pleasantly discover that Libertarian ideas mirror the ideas of our country's founders - ideas of liberty, privatization, and individual responsibility.

In this book Harry Browne explains his Libertarian views on each major issue confronting the United States today. The book goes issue by issue and gives conscise steps to solve these problems with Libertarian values. He also details how he would restore liberty to the country if he were elected President. this restoration includes reduction of the government back to its Constitutionally defined level.

For those of us who are new to the Libertarian party it is an invaluable tool to more clearly define the party's platform. If you enjoy this book I would also recommend to you Charles Murray's "What it means to be a Libertarian: a personal interpretation". It also is an exceptional book for the Libertarian novice or expert.

Once again, Harry Browne has outdone himself and produced yet another fine blueprint for restoring freedom and responsibility to our country. Page after page Browne shows the "good intentions" big government bureaucrats have and the dismal results they produce.

Advocating a limited government, bound by the chains of the constitution, Browne shows us how and why we'd be better off with less government intervention. Although many of the same arguments can be found in his 1996 book, "Why Government Doesn't Work", the book is updated with new issues and data that support the arguments he puts forth. This book even includes a budget plan, should he get elected, which I found to be an excellent addition.

All in all, this book should be read by those interested in libertarian ideas and also for those already accustomed to libertarianism to recharge their passion for freedom.

Reading Browne's book gave me the same feeling about politics that scientists must have had about the heavens during the Copernican revolution in the 16th century. Once you get the principles, everything else falls into place. Politics makes sense for the first time, just like the movement of the stars and planets must have made sense for the first time to the post Copernicus astronomers. Once you have read this book you will never have to figure out why the politicians do what they do. All of a sudden, it makes perfect sense. Plus..he offers a breathtaking simple solution to most of our political issues.

This book is a must read for anyone who believes that the federal government is looking out for the interests of the voters. Virtually everything in this book makes such obvious sense that it's amazing the politicians of either of the major parties can spew their drivel with a straight face. Bottom line is the more areas the federal government gets involved in, the more POWER they have over ALL voters. In addition, as Harry points out, just about everything the government trys to "fix" or make "better" winds up worse than it was. If the federal government was only the size it should be according to the Constitution we wouldn't be seeing the desperate biting and clawing for the Whitehouse that's going on right now. There simply wouldn't be that much power at stake. We also wouldn't see the intense division in this country since the government wouldn't be able to make promises to ANYONE, thereby pitting one group against another. READ THIS BOOK! You may not agree with all of it but you will find it interesting and it WILL cause you to see things in a different light.

In this day and age of politicians who offer little and deliver even less, Harry Browne is what we need. His book reads quite easily and is full of facts and figures which prove his arguments.

Mr. Browne starts off with an outline of what the Great Libertarian Offer is: "Would you give up your favorite federal programs if it meant you'd never have to pay income tax again?" Browne then goes on to explain how this is entirely possible. How, if we bring the size of government back to it's constitutionally mandated size, we can have extremely low taxes and we will be better off.

The first part of the book describes the Principles of Libertarianism and how government currently operates. Mr. Browne does a great job of explaining, in layman's terms, just what the problem is and contrasting that with libertarian ideals. The rest of the book, chapters 7-22 describe the Libertarian solution. He discusses freedom from the income tax, freedom from war, and the Freedom to make your own choices.

Finally, in the final chapter, Mr. Browne discusses whether or not this can be done and what must be done to achieve it. As he says to sum up his beliefs (in his america) "you'll be a free, responsible, self-governing individual. No one will ask for your papers, no one will attach a number to you, no one will extort a share of your income. You'll be free to pursue the life you've dreamed of."

This book is well written and well thought out. I recommend it to anyone who truly loves liberty and wants to see America return to the free Republic it once was.

If you want a systematic and thorough analysis of the debacle that is our federal government, you would be hard pressed to find anything as current, as accurate, and yet as remarkably constructive and positive as Harry Browne's latest. Each chapter speaks to the various areas in which the Federal government acts in injudicious and ultimately devestating ways - from the failure of the war on drugs to the mess of a health care system that charlatan politicians have foisted on us in the last few decades. In addition, Harry illustrates how a Libertarian government would allow freedom and responsibility to prevail without an intrusive federal government -a government that more than ever, has been perpetuated by power seeking wolves in sheeps' clothing who pose, posture, and justify the destruction of your liberty and ability to lead your life as you see fit. This is a terrific book that has given me, and I'm sure others, a lot of hope for the future - a future free of peoples and interests pitted against one another in a ferocious fight to impose their will on others. Read this book and see how things really work in Washington (and even better - see how we can fix it).

Fantastic book. I had a feeling that government was inefficient and wasteful, but the reality of how it actually works is downright shocking. Why hasn't anyone told us these stories before? You can consider yourself forwarned now; but nothing will change until you make your voice heard. Reclaim your freedom to live your life on your terms.

Register & Vote Libertarian.