As anyone active in politics would know, infighting is the quickest way to derail attempts to make progress. When faced with a problem, it becomes very easy to shift focus away from the problem itself, and instead focus on those who have a different analysis of that problem. In the end, those who otherwise could have made a difference expend their energy fighting each other, leaving the problem free to grow. I believe that this is what America is facing today in regard to the current political climate.

Our problem is a government that has spiraled out of control. In my estimation, Americans are now losing their freedom faster than at any other point in our history. Our elected officials knowingly and blatantly disregard the Constitution, violate individual liberty, and steal from the taxpayers to enrich themselves and their wealthiest supporters. For once, Americans of all political persuasions are recognizing, despite their differences of opinion, that there is a problem with our current political system. Conservatives, libertarians, greens, and many others are increasingly concerned that their government is now free to do anything it wants without regard to the rule of law. Now, more than ever, we need to follow the example of those who would become federalists and antifederalists, who fought together for freedom from Great Britain, and work together with those who recognize the corruption in our current system.

While conservatives, libertarians, greens, etc. have widely varying ideas on how to make the system right, we all recognize that the current system is wrong. While some of us favor smaller government, and some of us favor more active government, we all believe that government should be restrained by the rule of law. I argue that our greatest problem at the moment is not liberalism or conservatism, but despotism. I call on all Tea Party supporters to focus on the problem at hand, and at least temporarily work with others who wish to help make things right.

Josh Hanson
Chair, DuPage Libertarians