9 for ’08 Series- George Phillies

11Mar07

Welcome to Mango Ice Cream’s second installment of the “9 for ’08 series.” As we all know, the political scenery has been and is still dominated by two major parties. A great number of highly qualified candidates go completely unnoticed, year to year, election to election, simply because they fly under this Republican vs. Democrat radar.

The goal of this series is to present interviews with a selection of those candidates- you can read it to either (a) expand your knowledge about American political issues even if you’re already a supporter of another party or candidate, or (b) seriously consider voting for the interviewee if his/her views match your own.

Without further ado, here’s the second installment- Libertarian candidate George Phillies. (Read the first one here.)

MangoIceCream: Your website homepage begins with the phrase “America is in real trouble…” Could you briefly explain the ways in which that idea rings true?

George Phillies: 5/6 of all Americans agree that America is on the wrong track. Democracy Corps has the polling on that. Note issues such as the War on Iraq, Civil Liberties, stagnant paychecks, soaring energy costs, educational quality, college tuition costs.

MangoIceCream: Many libertarians say that the role of a very limited government should be: “to protect Americans’ lives, rights, and property, equally and impartially.” If that is true, then how do you justify your pro-choice stance on abortion?

George Phillies: I see no conflict between protecting all Americans and being pro-choice. Quite the contrary; “pro-choice” is at the core of the libertarian position. I oppose compelled parenthood.

MangoIceCream: You have mentioned your desire to cut the “grandfather tax” in the past; could you elaborate on both the tax itself and your opposition to it?

George Phillies: The “grandchild tax” is the national debt. We spend money through Washington, and send the bills to our grandchildren to pay, via the national debt. I have offered on my web pages at http://www.phillies2008.com a detailed plan for paying off that debt and ending the grandchild tax.

MangoIceCream: One idea floating around is the formation of the “hybrid ticket” incorporating Green views with Libertarian ones. What are your ideas on that concept?

George Phillies: I am not aware of any credible proposals along this line. The Green and Libertarian parties each have Presidential candidates, aspiring for the nomination, and no candidate is pursuing the other party’s nomination. Having said this, there are a range of positions on which Greens and Libertarians agree, notably social freedom issues.

MangoIceCream: What are your thoughts on the current civil liberties state of America and what, if anything, would you do to change it?

George Phillies: The state of civil liberties in America is abysmal, and getting worse. Note warrantless wiretaps, the Guantanamo Bay prison camp, warrantless searches, property seizure without due process, and the extrajudicial fate of Jose Padilla. Many of these Federal actions are crimes. I will ask Congress to create a Corps of Special Prosecutors to prosecute all the people who have committed crimes against the Constitution.

MangoIceCream: Could you describe the energy policy you endorse?

George Phillies: I have proposed on the campaign web site http://www.phillies2008.com a carbon replacement policy under which the Federal government offers to buy energy from renewable resources, e.g., wind, at competitive prices via long-term fixed rate contracts, until the Federal government is buying all its energy from renewable sources, with trades for points where hydrocarbon fuels are needed. This policy will offer to buy all the renewable energy that can be brought on-line during my administration, even assuming rapid growth in wind turbine etc production. However, under my plan all production and research issues are in private hands. The Federal government only buys the outcome of private research, development, and investment.

MangoIceCream: What do you see as the three most important issues of the 2008 race, and what are your stances on them?

George Phillies: The War on Iraq should be brought to an end. Civil Liberties including habeas corpus should be restored, with vigorous criminal prosecution of people who have violated the civil liberties of their fellow Americans. Government should be greatly reduced in size, e.g. no child left behind should be repealed.

MangoIceCream: You wrote your own interesting “State of the Union” message on your website in January; could you please summarize the main points of that for readers?

George Phillies: See the entire message at http://www.phillies2008.com . The core theme is ‘Peace, Liberty, Prosperity’. End the war on Iraq, with an independent commission to determine how we actually got into it. Restore civil liberties, and prosecute opponents of civil liberties who have committed crimes. Move to discharge the national debt. Repeal no child left behind, and give tax credits for educating children. Reduce carbon emissions via renewable energy purchases at fixed cost. Cut health care costs a third by banning transfer payments. End the racist war on drugs, and pardon all the young people who have lost their civil rights as a result of possessing products that have been made legal.

MangoIceCream: Name the three Bush administration policies you disagree with most, and why.

George Phillies: ‘Signing statements’ saying the President will ignore the law are a subversive concept dangerous to the Constitution. The War on Irag, which has killed nearly 4000 Americans and perhaps a half-million Iraqis, was based on lies, and should be ended promptly. Unconstitutional acts ignoring civil liberties such as warrantless wiretaps, conducted in the name of security, destroy our country’s way of life.

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