MILWAUKEE — Libertarian Vice Presidential nominee Mike ter Maat is campaigning in Wisconsin this week, but why bother? The State is expected to be won by either former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamal Harris, and by a razor-thin margin.
“If you’re voting for the Republican party you’re sending a signal to that party that you think it’s on the right track, and the same thing with the Democratic Party. I’m going to go out on a limb and say most people don’t feel that way,” ter Maat tells Wisconsin’s Morning News.
The economist, former police officer and former Republican understands Wisconsin is a battleground state. He understands fewer than 30,000 votes have separated the Democrat from the Republican in the last two elections here.
He also understands that many voters have suggested they’re not pleased with either choice for President. If you want viable alternate parties, and you want more than two choices, ter Maat says you’ve got to vote that way:
“You’re going to have to disappoint a politician, hold back a vote, and vote for your ethics, your principles, your values. Vote for the change that you want.”
A pillar of the Libertarian party is a smaller government, and ter Maat says it’s the only way America gets inflation under control.
“You’ve got to stop the government from spending so much money. All of our economic problems come from the fact that the government has too broad a scale, and too deep a scope,” he told Wisconsin’s Morning News. He also wants the U.S. to pull back tens of billions of dollars in foreign aid:
“We should not be passing out foreign aid for a couple of different reasons. One, I just don’t find it to be an ethical proposition to be taking money away from Wisconsiners or people in Illinois where I grew up or anywhere else in the United States, many of whom can’t afford it by the way. And using that money to send to other nations, other nations’ government, for the sake in many cases of propagating war. I just don’t think that is an ethical proposition and as a practical matter, what does it buy you? It does not buy you influence with these governments. That has been proven.”
These types of policies, as well as a hesitancy to support military intervention, often cause Libertarians to be branded isolationists, but ter Maat rejects that characterization.
“I firmly believe that our militaristic foreign policy keeps us from engaging with the rest of the world in a real, robust economic fashion,” he explained.
Widely traveled, ter Maat says his interactions with people across the world want better relations with the U.S.
“I find that a lot of folks love Americans, love our economy, love to do business with us, and absolutely hate our foreign policy. They resent it. They don’t understand it, and I think most Americans would agree that our foreign policy doesn’t align with their own ethics.”
Chase Oliver is the Libertarian Party nominee for president. He and ter Maat will appear on the Wisconsin ballot on November 5th.
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