On the Issues: Other Technologies

Advanced technologies (many of which came originally from defense applications) such as fiber optics, broadband infrastructure, and Internet technologies hold great promise for education, decentralized economies, and local control of decision-making. I believe we must move toward decentralization of these efforts, carefully protecting our individual rights as we go forward.
I support the creation of a federal Technology Assessment Office to evaluate government/defense technologies developed with tax-payer funding for potential release to the free market. Technology not critical for the national defense would be released as freely-available, open-source technologies or licensed to third-parties for commercialization. These license fees would be used to fund future research or pay off the national debt.
I favor increased support for government and civilian space programs; telecommunications systems; defense systems; energy; research initiatives for sustainability science, environmental protection, ecological economics and transportion; and, high-speed computers.

Space Policies

I support continued funding for NASA in conjunction with supporting private partnerships to facilitate space exploration, commercialization, and eventual settlement much like we did with the western frontier.
I oppose the development of treaties or other restrictions that seek to prohibit or limit U.S. access to or use of space.
I support the use of extremely long-term, renewable "leases" allowing commercial entities to explore, mine, develop, commercialize, and settle that region of foreign bodies. By staking their claims and having it governmentally-recognized, private organizations will have incentives to pick up burdens associated with space exploration.
I support the development of the next generation of space vehicles, completion of the International Space Station, continuation of unmanned missions, monitoring the forces and effects of climate change, supporting scientific research, and maintaining surveillance to strengthen national security.

National Infrastructure

I support spending hard-earned tax dollars on our infrastructure, such as the national Interstate system, rather than building up those in foreign countries.

Data Security

I support mandates forcing the federal government to better manage its computer data from compromise and attack.

Encryption Technologies

The Libertarian Party is the only political party in the United States with an explicit stand against censorship of computer communications in its platform. The Libertarian Party also opposes restrictions on the development and use of cryptography.

I oppose the federal government's adoption of any standard that establishes an encryption standard for use by businesses other than for federal computer systems.
I oppose government mandates requiring encryption keys or direct computer access to the systems of private businesses and individuals.
I support the prohibition of exporting encryption technologies to hostile nations.
I support the legalization of activities necessary to develop, sale, and use encryption technologies

Open-Source Software

Open-source software may be commercial or available at no charge; the primary Open-source software is necessary to to achieve personal, cultural, and organizational security in the fact of technological threats brought by corporate and individual criminals.
Government should invest in open systems where feasible. The U.S. government is large enough to influence the computer and software systems through purchasing. The federal government should always consider storing information with open-source, commercially-supported software instead of only proprietary systems andsoftware. One way to achieve this would be to add a virtual bid for in-house, open-source development whenever a software purchase goes out to bid.

Copyrights and Patents

I support the protection of software (free or commercial, open-source or closed-source) by means of copyright.
I oppose the granting of software patents. Mathematical algorithms are discovered, not invented, by humans; therefore, they are not patentable. The overwhelming majority of software patents cover algorithms and should never have been awarded, or they cover message formats of some kind which are essentially arbitrary. Format patents only exist to restrain competition, and the harm falls disproportionately on programms who work independently or for the smallest employers.
I oppose patenting or copyrighting life-forms, algorithms, DNA, colors or commonly-used words and phrases. I support broad interpretation and ultimate expansion of th Fair Use of copyrighted works. I support open-source models in order to promote the public interest in and the spirit of collaborative progress.

Democracy-in-Action initiative

In order to protect the integrity of elections, the federal government should support the development, certification, monitoring, and audit of open-source, electronic voting systems that are secure and auditable.

DNA Fingerprinting

I support the collecting of DNA for identification purposes providing participation is no more mandatory than it is under current fingerprinting guidelines.

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I believe we must move toward decentralization of these efforts, carefully protecting our individual rights as we go forward. I support the creation of a federal Technology Assessment Office to evaluate government/defense technologies developed with tax-payer funding for potential release to the free market. Technology not critical for the national defense would be released as freely-available, open-source technologies or licensed to third-parties for commercialization. These license fees would be used to fund future research or pay off the national debt. I favor increased support for government and civilian space programs; telecommunications systems; defense systems; energy; research initiatives for sustainability science, environmental protection, ecological economics and transportion; and, high-speed computers. Space Policies I support continued funding for NASA in conjunction with supporting private partnerships to facilitate space exploration, commercialization, and eventual settlement much like we did with the western frontier. I oppose the development of treaties or other restrictions that seek to prohibit or limit U.S. access to or use of space. I support the use of extremely long-term, renewable "leases" allowing commercial entities to explore, mine, develop, commercialize, and settle that region of foreign bodies. By staking their claims and having it governmentally-recognized, private organizations will have incentives to pick up burdens associated with space exploration. I support the development of the next generation of space vehicles, completion of the International Space Station, continuation of unmanned missions, monitoring the forces and effects of climate change, supporting scientific research, and maintaining surveillance to strengthen national security. National Infrastructure I support spending hard-earned tax dollars on our infrastructure, such as the national Interstate system, rather than building up those in foreign countries. Data Security I support mandates forcing the federal government to better manage its computer data from compromise and attack. Encryption Technologies The Libertarian Party is the only political party in the United States with an explicit stand against censorship of computer communications in its platform. The Libertarian Party also opposes restrictions on the development and use of cryptography. I oppose the federal government's adoption of any standard that establishes an encryption standard for use by businesses other than for federal computer systems. I oppose government mandates requiring encryption keys or direct computer access to the systems of private businesses and individuals. I support the prohibition of exporting encryption technologies to hostile nations. I support the legalization of activities necessary to develop, sale, and use encryption technologies Open-Source Software Open-source software may be commercial or available at no charge; the primary Open-source software is necessary to to achieve personal, cultural, and organizational security in the fact of technological threats brought by corporate and individual criminals. Government should invest in open systems where feasible. The U.S. government is large enough to influence the computer and software systems through purchasing. The federal government should always consider storing information with open-source, commercially-supported software instead of only proprietary systems andsoftware. One way to achieve this would be to add a virtual bid for in-house, open-source development whenever a software purchase goes out to bid. Copyrights and Patents I support the protection of software (free or commercial, open-source or closed-source) by means of copyright. I oppose the granting of software patents. Mathematical algorithms are discovered, not invented, by humans; therefore, they are not patentable. The overwhelming majority of software patents cover algorithms and should never have been awarded, or they cover message formats of some kind which are essentially arbitrary. Format patents only exist to restrain competition, and the harm falls disproportionately on programms who work independently or for the smallest employers. I oppose patenting or copyrighting life-forms, algorithms, DNA, colors or commonly-used words and phrases. I support broad interpretation and ultimate expansion of th Fair Use of copyrighted works. I support open-source models in order to promote the public interest in and the spirit of collaborative progress. Democracy-in-Action initiative In order to protect the integrity of elections, the federal government should support the development, certification, monitoring, and audit of open-source, electronic voting systems that are secure and auditable. DNA Fingerprinting I support the collecting of DNA for identification purposes providing participation is no more mandatory than it is under current fingerprinting guidelines.
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