By Samantha Manning
The proposal that drug abuse is “none of the government’s business” is one assertion made by Libertarian candidate for the U.S. Senate, Jeffrey Russell.
Drug abuse is a “two sided coin” in which the involved parties should never have their civil liberties infringed upon, while also keeping in mind that they should not infringe upon the liberties of others, Russell said in a phone interview on Oct. 23. Thus, if a crime is committed under the influence, the appropriate punishment would be executed.
In addition to drug abuse, Russell’s platform for his senatorial campaign included the immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq and the revocation of the Patriot Act and the Department of Homeland Security. Russell finds both issues to be an intrusion on civil liberties.
The government should be able to preserve civil liberties and still make everybody feel secure, implying that alternative measures should be taken in ensuring the safety of the nation without violating our civil liberties, Russell said.
Particularly pertaining to college students, Russell believes in the abolishment of the draft registration, stating that the draft registration is “the same thing as slavery.” He also added that a lack of nationwide volunteers for the war implicates a lack of national support for the war.
Concerning college students as well, Russell believes that young workers should contribute nothing into social security, and should be left to decide their retirement fund individually.
Russell graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., in 1972 and worked as a computer programmer for 30 years in the New York State office for technology. Russell has been a member of the Libertarian Party since 1980.
In 1984, Russell was arrested for possession and sale of marijuana. He was sentenced to four years in prison, but only served 16 months.
When asked for his reason for running for Senate in November, Russell proclaimed that he was “outraged by Sen. Clinton’s support for the war, Homeland Security and the Patriot Act,” leading him to confidently indicate that he is the only candidate who will “stand up against Bush” and defend the civil liberties of the people in America. He said that his opponents, the incumbent Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee John Spencer, have wrongfully displayed support for President Bush’s actions regarding the war.
The Libertarian Party identifies itself as “The Party of Principle.” According to the party’s official Web site, “By almost every objective measure, the Libertarian Party is the third-largest political party in America.” There are over 200,000 registered Libertarian voters in the country, according to their site.
Russell said all college students entering their ballot on Nov. 7 should keep in mind that a vote for the Libertarian Party would lead toward a more “peaceful and honest future.”
