Comments on: Immediate, Equal Statehood. http://chester4solomon.com/posts/immediate-equal-statehood/ The Liberty & Democracy Candidate for Solomon Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:59:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Jacques Chester http://chester4solomon.com/posts/immediate-equal-statehood/#comment-61 Jacques Chester Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:17:31 +0000 http://chester4solomon.com/posts/immediate-equal-statehood/#comment-61 The idea is twofold. First, being a state gives Territorians legal rights through the legislature which they do not enjoy currently. This has consistently hurt us -- have a look at my previous piece about the <a href="http://chester4solomon.com/posts/the-tyranny-of-the-faraways/" rel="nofollow">Tyranny of the Faraways</a>. More generally, libertarians support competitive federalism and subsidiarity. Having states instead of a purely unitary government allows decisions to be moved closer to the people who are effected. It allows governments to tailor policies to their own areas rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. It also keeps them in check: if they get out of hand people and business will start to move elsewhere. Is it populism? Sure, but only because it's popular. People in Darwin and the NT generally want statehood because they've been screwed by the Commonwealth before -- after Tracy, euthanasia legislation -- the list just goes on and on. Don't we deserve the same rights and responsibilities as other Australian citizens? The idea is twofold. First, being a state gives Territorians legal rights through the legislature which they do not enjoy currently. This has consistently hurt us — have a look at my previous piece about the Tyranny of the Faraways.

More generally, libertarians support competitive federalism and subsidiarity. Having states instead of a purely unitary government allows decisions to be moved closer to the people who are effected. It allows governments to tailor policies to their own areas rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. It also keeps them in check: if they get out of hand people and business will start to move elsewhere.

Is it populism? Sure, but only because it’s popular. People in Darwin and the NT generally want statehood because they’ve been screwed by the Commonwealth before — after Tracy, euthanasia legislation — the list just goes on and on. Don’t we deserve the same rights and responsibilities as other Australian citizens?

]]> By: Jimbob http://chester4solomon.com/posts/immediate-equal-statehood/#comment-60 Jimbob Mon, 19 Nov 2007 22:38:38 +0000 http://chester4solomon.com/posts/immediate-equal-statehood/#comment-60 It seems a bit of a funny position for an anti-government Libertarian to take, doesn't it? Pushing for statehood? Many (not myself) would argue that "states" represent a completely useless level of government that could probably be scrapped altogether to increase the efficiency of government and save lots of money. The same goes for senators - why would a Libertarian want another 10 senators on the tax-payer's payroll? It seems like a position more related to populism in the Darwin community, rather than coming from any small-government ideal, Jacque. It seems a bit of a funny position for an anti-government Libertarian to take, doesn’t it? Pushing for statehood? Many (not myself) would argue that “states” represent a completely useless level of government that could probably be scrapped altogether to increase the efficiency of government and save lots of money. The same goes for senators - why would a Libertarian want another 10 senators on the tax-payer’s payroll? It seems like a position more related to populism in the Darwin community, rather than coming from any small-government ideal, Jacque.

]]>