Brennan Barrington

Brennan Barrington earned a high school diploma from Licking Heights High School and a bachelor's degree from Ohio State University in 2019.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I was born and raised in central Ohio, and have lived here for all but two years of my life. I earned a Bachelor of Science in aerospace engineering from OSU. I have been an advocate for electoral reform since the 2016 elections, which convinced me that a fundamental solution to the spoiler problem was needed. I have been a delegate to the Libertarian National Convention twice, once as a member of the Platform Committee (which recommends revisions of the national LP platform). I am a member of the Libertarian Party of Ohio's Central Committee.

In my spare time, I enjoy grand strategy games (including modding), distance running, and baking. I love to spend time with my nephew and niece (who devour my brownies and pumpkin bars).

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Cut taxes, spending, and regulations: My goal is to return as much power as possible from DC to states, cities, and most of all individual citizens. I believe this is the best path to avoiding authoritarian rule from DC, breakup of the United States, or civil war. With the states free to provide as much or as little government as the residents prefer, Americans will be free to vote with their feet, moving to states whose people share their values. However, I believe the principle of the 14th Amendment must still be upheld: states' powers must not be allowed to extend to violations of fundamental human rights.Electoral reform: ranked choice voting for all Senate elections, proportional representation within each state for House (like the Swiss system), and expanding the US House (to about 1000). This solves both gerrymandering and the spoiler problem (i.e., Green takes votes from Democrat so Republican wins with plurality, or vice versatum with a Libertarian). Political parties select lists of candidates through internal process or primaries, and voters then select one (or an independent) on election day. Parties then win seats in proportion to vote share: X% of votes gets a party X% of seats. This would ensure the full range of American ideas are represented in Congress, and legislation would require a broad consensus to pass.Instead of punishing productive work, tax nonproductive extraction from the economy. Instead of taxing capital gains on stocks and leaving real estate appreciation tax-free, we should do the opposite; this would encourage real investment, not hoarding valuable homes and using local government to make them artificially scarce. Likewise, along with eliminating all "clean energy" subsidies and rules (used to buy votes from special interests), tax greenhouse gas emissions (including on foreign imports via border adjustment), with enough of the revenue paid out in a flat dividend to all citizens to keep it from being regressive. Coastal billionaires who use yachts and private jets pay heavily; the rest of us get compensated for their pollution.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I try not to think of policy in terms of distinct areas or problems and solutions. Rather, policy is a single enormous optimization problem. Every possible action by a government cascades into everything to at least some degree. However, I find myself particularly drawn to electoral processes (how best to improve on FPTP), tax policy (how best to reduce them), environmental policy (how to be good stewards of the Earth), and trade and immigration (how to reap the huge potential benefits without the catastrophic failure modes).

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

See https://barrington.lpo.org/influences/

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Legislators should always remember that in making a law, they are saying that someone should be killed if necessary to enforce a rule, and consider carefully whether the rule is that important. Any law which is not merely a suggestion must be enforced by armed people who are given the power to kill those who resist their control. In that light, it should be clear that there should never be such a thing as a victimless crime.

Elected officials should see themselves as entrusted to act on behalf of the public, not merely a conduit for their opinions. They should express their stances and ideas clearly, attempting to persuade voters of the rightness of their ideas instead of merely following opinion polls. Officials in disagreement with a majority of their constituents on an issue should vote their consciences, explain the reasons for their position as best they can, and accept it in good grace if they are then voted out. Of course, this attitude tends to be inconsistent with electoral success, which is why it is tragically rare. But, in times of true crisis, it is also necessary.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The Democratic and Republican parties seem to believe that it is to raise money by shaking down people and businesses so they can get more people elected to do the same thing.

I believe there are two core responsibilities: to inform oneself about issues, events, and legislation in detail so as to be able to cast informed votes and propose beneficial bills; and, personally, to listen and respond to the concerns of one's constituents, including assisting them with the pervasive and dysfunctional bureaucracy.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I officiated youth soccer games (U6, U8, and U11 leagues) for three seasons.

What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

National debt including Social Security insolvency

Disruptions related to artificial intelligence

Effects of invasive species proliferation

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Yes. The electoral system I support is almost designed to force compromises, by producing legislatures composed of many parties, so that any bill must be acceptable to a coalition.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Libertarian Party of Ohio

What was the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember?

9/11. The response to it in the years afterward made me deeply (and, as it proved, correctly) suspicious of the "War on Terror" and the mentality which created it.