Wes Benedict

Benedict grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Texas in 1991 and his master's degree from the University of Michigan in 1998. His professional experience includes working as an engineer, small businessman, and political consultant. He is the former national executive director of the Libertarian Party.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Benedict grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Texas in 1991 and his master's degree from the University of Michigan in 1998. His professional experience includes working as an engineer, small businessman, and political consultant. He is the former national executive director of the Libertarian Party.

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 and spending.Stop subsidizing new businesses to relocate to Williamson County.Stop arresting peaceful marijuana users and focus on real crimes.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Government is all about forcing people to do certain things, whether it's to behave a certain way or to pay taxes for certain programs. As a Libertarian Party candidate, I believe you should be able to do whatever you want as long as you aren't hurting other people that's why I'm for Maximum Freedom and Minimum Government. It's okay to try to persuade people to change, but using the force of government is wrong and is what creates so much conflict in our society. "Live and let live."

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

Congressman Ron Paul. In the 2007 Presidential Debates, Ron Paul made the provocative but true statement that blowback from America's meddling in the affairs of Middle Eastern countries caused the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Major Rudy Giuliani attacked Ron Paul and demanded Paul retract his statements. But Paul stood firm.

Paul's opponents and the media immediately started piling on attacks against Ron Paul and claimed his campaign was dead.

It wasn't dead. In fact, so many Americans were so inspired by Ron Paul's commitment to the truth that his campaign donations and popularity skyrocketed. Ron Paul proved that standing on principle works, and it's especially important when it's unpopular.

I hope to be like Ron Paul in that Presidential debate.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

I wrote the book, "Introduction to the Libertarian Party," which explains my political philosophy and how Libertarian Party activists work to make the world a better place.

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

Elected officials should care more about making their constituents' lives better than accumulating power and wealth for themselves. Elected officials should focus on making government smaller, less expensive, less intrusive, and fair to everyone.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I have a healthy distrust of government and business. I feel it's always best to err on the side of too much freedom.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Williamson County Libertarian Party

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Benedict grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Texas in 1991 and his master's degree from the University of Michigan in 1998. His professional experience includes working as an engineer, small businessman, and political consultant. He is the former national executive director of the Libertarian Party.

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 and spending.Stop subsidizing new businesses to relocate to Williamson County.Stop arresting peaceful marijuana users and focus on real crimes.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Government is all about forcing people to do certain things, whether it's to behave a certain way or to pay taxes for certain programs. As a Libertarian Party candidate, I believe you should be able to do whatever you want as long as you aren't hurting other people that's why I'm for Maximum Freedom and Minimum Government. It's okay to try to persuade people to change, but using the force of government is wrong and is what creates so much conflict in our society. "Live and let live."

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Wes Benedict served as national Executive Director of the Libertarian Party in Washington, D.C. and is an engineer, small businessman, husband, and father.

Wes Benedict will support legislation to end the wars and bring our troops home. He proposes cutting spending across the board by 25% to balance the budget and will legalize marijuana.

Instead of asking what new program or law is needed in response to every problem, Wes asks, "What laws are causing the problem?"

Libertarians believe you should be able to do whatever you want as long as you aren't infringing on the equal rights of others. Conflict in our society is caused by people trying to force their opinions onto others. Libertarians oppose using force to change people. It's okay to try to persuade others to change, but it's not okay to use government force. Live and let live.

Wes Benedict has a Mechanical Engineering Degree from University of Texas and an MBA from University of Michigan.

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?

End the wars.Downsize government 25% by 2024.Legalize marijuana.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

As a Libertarian, I'm passionate about freedom on every single issue, some that mostly Democrats support, like civil liberties, and some that mostly Republicans support, like low taxes and low government spending. Of course Democrats have failed to protect civil liberties and Republicans have failed to cut government spending. That's why Libertarians are so desperately needed in Congress.

On economic issues: for free markets, free trade, for cutting taxes and spending.

On civil liberties: end the war on drugs, legalize marijuana, end the Patriot Act and stop government spying on Americans, end discrimination against people based on their race, religion or sexual orientation.

Most people realize the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq were mistakes, yet no one in Washington has the courage to end those tragedies. It's time to bring our troops home and cut military spending by at least 25%.

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

Congressman Ron Paul. In the 2007 Presidential Debates, Ron Paul made the provocative but true statement that blowback from America's meddling in the affairs of Middle Eastern countries caused the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Major Rudy Giuliani attacked Ron Paul and demanded Paul retract his statements. But Paul stood firm.

Paul's opponents and the media immediately started piling on attacks against Ron Paul and claimed his campaign was dead.

It wasn't dead. In fact, so many Americans were so inspired by Ron Paul's commitment to the truth that his campaign donations and popularity skyrocketed. Ron Paul proved that standing on principle works, and it's especially important when it's unpopular.

I hope to be like Ron Paul in that Presidential debate.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

I wrote the book, Introduction to the Libertarian Party.

I couldn't find a book that introduced the libertarian philosophy and also gave lots of information about the Libertarian Party from an insider's perspective. So, I wrote the book myself!

These chapter titles really sum up the contents well.

Introduction - How I found the Libertarian Party

PART I THE PHILOSOPHICAL SIDE

1 Don't hit people and don't take their stuff

2 What is a Libertarian?

3 Libertarians on 25 issues

5 Are libertarians too extreme?

6 Republican hypocrites

7 Democratic hypocrites

8 How many Libertarians are there?

9 The Libertarian Party Platform

PART II THE PRACTICAL SIDE

10 The World's Smallest Political Quiz

11 History of the Libertarian Party

12 How the Libertarian Party is organized

13 How I won my first county chairman position!

14 Turning around the dysfunctional Texas Libertarian Party

15 Why run for office as a Libertarian?

16 Life cycle of a Libertarian campaign

17 How to donate and volunteer

18 Are Libertarians wasting their votes?

19 The libertarian movement outside the Libertarian Party

20 Famous libertarians

21 Libertarian infighting

22 Libertarian PACs: where millionaires should donate

23 Hope for the future

What legacy would you like to leave?

I hope to convince America to end the wars overseas, to cut government spending, and to end the war on drugs. If I fail, I want the world to know that at least some of us tried our best.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

The theme song to the cartoon "Puppy Dog Pals." My son loves that show!

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

Government spending is out of control. We need to cut spending to balance the budget by downsizing government 25% by 2024.

It's easy to say things like "government is too big," but politicians almost never propose large, specific cuts. Even Libertarians often speak in vague or generalized ways about cutting government. As a member of Congress, I'll need to propose bills with specific details, and I want to give some details now.

Cutting government spending by 25% across the board will immediately spur economic growth and will make most Americans better off.

In 2019, the federal government spent $4.5 trillion while raising only $3.5 trillion in taxes, for a deficit of $1 trillion. At $4.5 trillion, federal spending is 22% of the total US GDP. To balance the budget without raising taxes, we have to cut federal spending immediately by almost 25%.

Republicans and Democrats usually promise not to cut Social Security, Medicare, and military spending, but those make up 67% of the total budget. Often, they'll make noise about little silly-sounding projects, like crawfish research, but they never address the other 99.9% of the budget.

I'm calling for across-the-board spending cuts of 25%, and that includes Social Security, Medicare, Armed Forces, and all other categories.

To cut Social Security spending by at least 25%, I'd raise the retirement age from 67 to 72, and reduce the benefits paid to current and future retirees by 10%.

To cut Medicare by 25%, I'd raise the eligibility age from 65 to 72, increase deductibles, and eliminate or reduce coverage for some procedures.

To achieve 25% cuts in Medicaid spending, I would lower the income cutoff level, scale back some of the services covered, and tighten the qualifications for disability.

We can cut our military spending by at least 25% and still maintain plenty of military capability to keep us safe.

All other areas of spending should be cut by 25%.

What qualities does the U.S. Senate possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The U.S. Senate, in cooperation with the House, have the power to balance the budget by cutting government spending but they have failed, whether controlled by Republicans or Democrats.

The U.S. Senate, in cooperation with the House, have the power to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but they have failed, whether controlled by Republicans or Democrats, and whether President Bush, President Obama, or President Trump was in office.

The U.S. Senate, in cooperation with the House, have the power to end the war on drugs, legalize marijuana, and release non-violent drug offenders from prison, but they have failed.

We need Libertarians elected to the House and Senate. Libertarians will cut spending, end the wars overseas, and end the war on drugs.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other senators?

Yes. Our Senate is dominated by cowards in both major parties. They need Libertarian leadership and mentoring.

Republicans sometimes talk about cutting spending, but they always chicken out. Even most Republican voters are completely fed up with their elected officials. They hate their own leadership. Libertarian leadership will help educate and remind Republicans how free markets help everyone and will hopefully give some Republican Senators and Representatives some courage to cut government spending.

Democrats use to be anti-war until President Obama was elected. Then they turned into war supporters. I don't think most Democratic Senators are especially pro-war. I just think they are cowards-scared of being called "soft on terrorism," and not smart enough to articulate how invading other countries and killing hundreds of thousands of people causes more terrorism than it prevents. Plus, killing hundreds of thousands of people is evil and a monumental waste of taxpayer funds. They've spent $6 trillion on these foolish wars--$18,000 per American-flushed down the toilet.

Libertarian leadership will give Democratic Senators and Representatives the proverbial slap across the face they need to wake them up, knock some sense into them, and to remind them how costly, evil, and counterproductive war is. War should be a last option, not the standard tool.

I look forward to building relationships with other senators and leading them away from their failed policies, and towards a more Libertarian future.

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