Governor Jesse Ventura - Is Jesse a Libertarian?

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Minnesota Governor James Janos - aka Jesse Ventura. He is NOT a libertarian.      Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura has been quoted that he
     is a libertarian:

     "Sure. I am a libertarian. I've taken the libertarian exam and
     scored perfect on it. There's this 10 question quiz that the
     Libertarian Party puts out. They give you 30, 20, or 10 points
     depending on how you answer the questions. I've gotten
     all 30's."

     -- Reason Magazine April 1999, page 44.

     This page will try to compare former Governor Ventura's rhetoric,
     and most important his actions, to libertarian philosophy.
     Jesse is not a libertarian. He leans libertarian on social
     issues like drugs, but he is not consistent. Sometimes he will
     sound like a libertarian on economic issues, but for the most
     part his actions do not match his rhetoric.

My reply to the Reason article can be found on my Letters to Editor page

The most glaring examples of former Governor Ventura's big government beliefs are in the following areas:

Jesse's Support for Government Education

From Governor Ventura's State of the State Address:

"The goal of this administration is to build the strongest public education system in the world, ... Last month I recommended nearly $600 million in new investments in K-12 education, including a very important incentive fund of $150 million for reducing class sizes kindergarten through grade three. It is my goal to erase the word ``voucher'' from the vocabulary by investing in public education and expecting local school boards to deliver results. "

Jesse's Support for Light Rail and Smart Growth

From Governor Ventura's State of the State Address:

"ANOTHER BIG QUESTION: Why don't we have a transportation system that works after 25 years of investing in planning? I want to stop planning to do something about transit and urban sprawl and get something done. Our roads have grown more congested and the Twin Cities region has become one of the most sprawling in the country. In Minnesota, every day an area the size of the Mall of America gets paved over, and we're still ``planning'' to do something about transit sprawl. I want a transit system that gives people choices, so they can get where they want to go, when they need to get there. I'll know we're successful when I can ride light rail from downtown Minneapolis to the megamall, and take commuter rail from St. Cloud to the Twin Cities. It's time for action on transportation, and it's in the hands of Metropolitan Council Chair Ted Mondale and the Transportation Commissioner El Tinklenberg to develop an action plan that makes sense for the whole state of Minnesota."

Here is Governor Ventura's Transportation Commissioners comments when asked about a Department of Transportation study that showed that the initial 12 mile segment of Light Rail will cost $765 million and the benefits will only be $318 million :

"I believe the people of Minnesota won't be confused by this obvious attempt to cloud the issue at this late date...Simply put, requiring this analysis at the contracting stage of a project, and after all the decisions have been made, is a bad public policy.''

Here is Governor Ventura's comment on hearing of the Federal Transit Administration authorization to begin final design.

"The federal decision re-enforces that LRT in Minnesota is on track. While there continues to be misguided efforts to derail the project back home, Washington clearly sees we have a rail line that merits its support.''

Source: Just Rewards The newsletter for Metro Transit's frequent riders.

The following was excerpted from former Governor Ventura's website: The Big Plan: Healthy Communities. My comments follow each section. For the most "The Big Plan" is exceedingly vague, but as shown below it is generally more warmed over government involvement

JESSE ON EDUCATION

"'I want to erase the word voucher from the vocabulary,' were Governor Ventura's words in his first State of the State address.  By these words, he focused the responsibility for delivering results squarely on every parent, every teacher, every administrator, and every school board member in Minnesota to do what is right for every child.   The K-12 initiatives will involve agencies as diverse as Public Safety, Metropolitan Council, Corrections, and Housing Finance in new discussions of how to improve student achievement...

...The goal is simply this: to ensure the best public education for every child in Minnesota, and an optimal representative governance structure that delivers results."

Libertarian? NO!

Jesse Ventura is an advocate of government run schools. Jesse has also expressed his firm support for Minnesota's Profile of Learning, which is the state's implementation of the Federal Goals 2000.

In my opinion there is nothing more dangerous to Liberty than having the government providing "education" to our children.

JESSE ON LAND USE PLANNING, SO-CALLED "SMART GROWTH."

"Recognizing that growth will occur, communities should be shaped by choice, not by chance.  That Minnesota will grow is given; how we will grow is not.  "Smart growth" principles force tough choices about how we will grow and how the state's resources will be used.  It's a mindset about incentives, not mandates. Minnesota's resources should be focused on helping first those communities that are committed to sustaining existing development and enhancing our environmental resources through the development of greenways and the use of other tools to protect and conserve our open spaces.  Smart growth is creating an environment in which farming and urban development can co-exist.  Smart growth is fostering more reliance on transit and creating housing options that allow families to stay and invest in a community."

Libertarian? NO!

Governor Ventura puts his trust in the government planners, not in the people and the free market.

What others are saying about Jesse and Smart Growth:

"Never before has there been a Minnesota Governor who cares about this issue."

-- Ted Mondale, chair Metropolitan Council, commenting on Jesse positions on "Smart Growth"

JESSE ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING

"Local economies won't be healthy or vital without available, affordable housing for every citizen -- and especially to new workers.  Plant expansion and job growth can grind to a halt if new employees cannot find housing near their work.  Existing businesses may not reinvest in their current location if neighborhood instability or deteriorating housing undermines the appeal of the community for workers and customers.  Housing that is durable and well-maintained is an important part of a community's tax base and infrastructure.  Where the private sector alone cannot produce housing for everyone, the public sector must act in partnership with communities, developers, employers, lenders, churches, schools, and residents to develop housing that is an asset to the community and a necessary support for a vital local economy."

Libertarian? NO!

Governor Ventura once again puts his trust in the government planners, not in the people and the free market. If he were a libertarian he would know that government is a major cause of the lack of affordable housing. He would be working to end government regulations (such as "Smart Growth") that drive up the cost of housing.

JESSE ON WELFARE

"Everyone gets down on his or her luck at one time or another. Minnesota is committed to helping those who are really down, particularly families with children. That help, however, should be temporary, should not substitute for the parents' own responsibility to support and care for their children, and, above all, should encourage people to become as self-sufficient as possible. Minnesota's welfare reform, the Minnesota Family Investment Program, has been successful in helping many people find and keep jobs. Many of these jobs, however, are either less than full time or pay low wages that require continuing dependence on public support. Our commitment to self-sufficiency for all Minnesotans calls for creative effort to identify strategies to help low-income families become truly independent through their own efforts, but with appropriate public support. Our success in moving people toward self-sufficiency depends not just on living support, job training and education, but also on stable and affordable housing, safe child care, accessible health care, and transportation. We need to ensure that all players needed to help people move out of poverty are working together to accomplish that goal, [among others, that counties and various state departments have clearly--defined and mutually supportive roles and responsibilities]."

Libertarian? Too early to tell.

The rhetoric talks about self sufficiency, but then lists many areas that the recipients need help. It remains to be seen what the actual details are.

JESSE ON HEALTH CARE

"We have a great need and a great opportunity to redesign some things about our health system. Individual citizens must play a much larger role in their own health. People should have a greater array of choices and a larger say in how health services are delivered. And we all must take more responsibility for the choices we make about health risk behaviors. The choices we make matter profoundly when it comes to health care. Lifestyle choices directly determine a large percentage -- maybe even the majority -- of all health care spending. A health system built for the future needs to promote and reward healthy choices. We must also become more mindful of how we use health care services. The "entitlement" mindset for many people today is to demand and use health care services without regard to cost because they feel it is their "due"...All of us need to understand the economic stake we have in the overall consumption of health services. If we all shared more of the economic responsibility, we'd probably also demand better value for our investment.

Although Minnesota's health system is generally admired, it can and should be strengthened for the future. There are still too many uninsured Minnesotans, including approximately 70,000 children. The uninsured either go without care and compromise their health, or they get care in the most uneconomical ways -- ultimately paid for by insured citizens and taxpayers. Not only is this system uneconomical, but it is increasingly fragile, with the safety net at risk of collapse as health care institutions are financially squeezed.

The conflicting expectations of various stakeholders are pulling health care in opposite directions and creating an overly complicated system. We need a broad-based community dialogue in order to develop a common view of what we want out of our health system, and more consensus about how to get it. The health system must invest more heavily in and reward prevention, not just treatment. We must help refocus the system on producing better health status for all Minnesotans, not just on producing more and costlier services that fewer and fewer people can afford. Given the stresses on the health system today, and the coming demographic challenges of a more diverse, rapidly aging population, we need a vision of a new health system built not for the last 50 years, but for the next 50 years."

Libertarian? No!.

Governor Ventura does talk about individuals, greater choice and responsibility, but the main emphasis is collective. The Governor talks about redesigning the system and "broad-based community dialogue." All the talk about building, redesigning, investing, reward and punishment, sound more like someone intent on more government meddling in health care, not less.

JESSE ON PARENTING

"It may take a village to raise a child, but not even an entire village can make up the difference if parents do not joyfully accept their first and largest responsibility. The Ventura-Schunk Administration advocates policies and programs that clearly define state government's limited role in raising our children: by returning the emphasis in the school day to classroom education; fulfilling our constitutional role of funding the best public education system we can provide; encouraging parents to be more involved in their schools and communities; continuing to cut tax burdens to give parents more time, energy and personal resources for their children; and helping parents better access the information and services that are available in their communities and state."

Libertarian? ???

Again a lot of this sounds good: responsibility, cut taxes and government's limited role. But again Jesse shows his absolute blind allegiance to government schools.

JESSE ON INDEPENDENT LIVING

"Limitations due to age, physical or mental condition will prevent some members of our communities from achieving complete self-sufficiency. Our goal, however, should be a life as independent and self-sufficient as possible. Senior citizens, for example, should have the opportunity to live in their homes as long as possible and, when that is no longer feasible, to receive the care they need -- both from their families and from professional care-givers -- in a setting that is as supportive as possible. We need to ensure that our policies and programs reflect this perspective and serve our seniors well, but without excessive burden on our society. This will be a growing challenge as population over age 65 doubles in the next 30 years while the number of people of working age shrinks. People with disabilities, in turn, suffer a high level of unemployment -- a serious problem to them and a loss of their skills to an economy that is struggling to find sufficient workers. We need improved strategies to bring disabled people into the workplace in larger numbers, ensuring the possibility for them to become as self-sufficient as possible."

Libertarian? ???

Too vague to Know

JESSE ON LIFE LONG LEARNING

"Minnesota's accessible, vast network of opportunities for continuing informal and formal higher education is the envy of the nation. The state that led the way for community education and early childhood education attached to the K-12 education system also built technical colleges, state colleges, a stellar land-grant university system, and supported some of the nation's finest private colleges. In the year 2000, a vast majority of Minnesotans will have unlimited access to learning options via the Internet. Employers struggling to find and retain qualified workers in a time of full employment value and invest in job training more than ever before. Changing demographics are provoking new demands for learning among people for whom English is not a first language, for senior citizens, and for mid-career professionals seeking new challenges in work and life. The next questions relate to maintaining the infrastructure, making tough decisions to place programs where they are actually needed to serve populations, and surfing the wave of change that technologies like CD-ROM, interactive videodisk, and the Internet provide."

Libertarian? ???

Huh? Really vague. But "life long learning" is Goals 2000 (Profile of Learning) gobbledegook.

JESSE ON TOBACCO SETTLEMENTS

"Good health is both a prerequisite to self-sufficiency and a result of personal responsibility for healthy lifestyle choices. Governor Ventura saw the tobacco lawsuit settlement as a rare chance to make a long-term investment in better health for all Minnesotans today and far into the future. The medical education and research trust funds will be used to keep Minnesota at the forefront in training new health professionals, and in research into prevention and treatment of disease -- including diseases caused by tobacco use. The tobacco prevention and public health endowments will be used to make significant reductions in tobacco use and other risk behaviors by youth. Strategies aimed at changing youth mindsets and community norms will be developed by youth. As a result, Minnesota's young people will be better equipped to make smart choices that will increase both their health status and their prospects for self-sufficiency and future success. Fundamentally, the Youth Tobacco Prevention Initiative is about equipping a whole generation of kids to take responsibility for their own health and to make better choices, now and into the future. Healthy kids learn better, and well-educated healthy adults have far better prospects for employment and economic success. And healthy individuals are at the heart of healthy communities."

Libertarian? No!.

The lawsuit was supposed to recover the State of Minnesota taxpayers' cost of state funded health care for smokers. Ignoring the more than questionable rational of the suit, shouldn't the settlement be refunded to the taxpayers who paid the costs in the first place. Instead Jesse uses Clintonspeak about government spending being "investments"

JESSE ON "REFORMS TO REBUILD TRUST IN GOVERNMENT"

"A government too complex, too mysterious, is also too inaccessible. It unnecessarily excludes the people who form it. Using the best practices and principles of the "already-tried," incorporating vigorous citizen input, and mixing in a whole lot of common sense, the Ventura administration envisions a simpler state government and an involved citizenry. It won't necessarily mean lopping off an arm or leg, but will surely include being put on a diet to be lean.

We'll bring reform to state departments and agencies, reigning in excessive rulemaking, clarifying overlapping roles, bringing greater cooperation between departments to benefit all Minnesotans. One big reform will be our push for a unicameral legislature. We'll introduce a variety of government systems and services reforms, including a simplified tax system and more one-stop government shopping via technology improvements. And we'll support any effort, including the Chief Justice's in regard to the judiciary, to demystify government to make it a friend, not a foe.

In addition, existing laws pertaining to campaigns and elections need to be reviewed and amended to allow for full participation by credible third parties."

Libertarian? No!.

Here we can see Governor Ventura intends to "reform" government by making it more "efficient." Allowing "full participation by credible third parties" sounds good. But look at the actual proposed solution below.

JESSE ON A SINGLE HOUSE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT

"Many state leaders agree that a single house system of government would better serve Minnesotans. A single house would be more open, accountable and responsive. In a more streamlined legislative process, citizens would be able to understand and follow legislation. It would place the responsibility for representation squarely on the shoulders of a single elected legislature rather than on two houses that can hide behind one another to avoid taking responsibility for tough votes. A single house would bring power to the people instead of concentrating power in the hands of a few powerful conference committee members. Every amendment and every bill would be given the respect of a recorded vote. While some powerful leaders may oppose a single house, ultimately we should trust the people to decide this issue."

Libertarian? No!.

Is a "more streamlined legislative process" a good thing. Won't this just make it easier for big government types to pass more and more laws infringing on our liberties?

JESSE ON "A TAX SYSTEM THAT MAKES SENSE"

"Over 150 years, Minnesota's state and local tax system has grown into a jungle of levies, credits, refunds, exemptions, and aid transfers that are sometimes outmoded, frequently contradictory, and that virtually no taxpayer (or even expert) understands well. We need to listen to citizens as well as tax experts to learn what's working and what isn't, and how to build a tax system that is simpler and easier to deal with from the taxpayer's point of view. A better tax system will be more understandable and predictable for taxpayers, so they know how much tax they're paying and why, what government is doing with those dollars, and how to have meaningful influence on the budget and tax processes. A better tax system will be more fair, balancing citizens' ability to pay and the cost and benefits of the government services they consume, and building confidence that the tax laws are being applied evenhandedly to all. A fair tax system will eliminate unfunded mandates by assigning tax responsibility to the same level of government that defines what levels of service will be provided. A better tax system will be modern, reflecting the economy, technology, and society of the 21st century so we can raise sufficient revenue to meet future needs, be competitive with other states and countries and incorporate new technology and ways of doing business. And finally, a better tax system will just make sense for Minnesota, with tax laws that align with our broader goals and don't undermine citizens and communities from doing the right things."

Libertarian? No!.

Again Governor Ventura wants to reform - not reduce government. He talks about fairness and ability to pay not reducing everyone's tax burden.

JESSE ON STATE SERVICES

"The state must reaffirm its commitment to quality service for its citizens, with success measured by actual outcomes rather than process, and to a cost-conscious state government. Duplication of state services will be minimized wherever feasible or practical, and adequate communication between governmental units will be assured. Bureaucracy must be minimized. The use of technology will be employed to permit agencies to deliver more efficient and cost-effective services, and to eliminate redundant systems. Agencies with similar missions, or similar customer bases, will be located in common or clustered facilities to facilitate communication and cooperation. Information and technology needs will be integrated into a comprehensive plan for service provision throughout the State. Our focus is on improving the quality and ability to share information, and the effective use of technology in this endeavor. Increasing the efficiency of government, continuously increasing the quality of services, and obtaining the best value for every taxpayer dollar spent is a hallmark of the Ventura-Schunk Administration."

Libertarian? No!.

Once again Governor Ventura wants to reform - not reduce government. The underlying assumption here is that government should be providing all these"services", only more efficiently.

JESSE ON "REFORMING "POLITICS AS USUAL"

"Today's political campaigns are too often about power and money. Campaign spending is spiraling out of control as candidates squander outrageous amounts of money to sell their packaged, politically-correct "ideas" to voters. Sadly, it's getting to the point where citizens who are interested in seeking public office are often not able to compete with seasoned politicians and their pocketbooks. It's no wonder that people are getting turned off to "politics as usual." Our political process should be driven by the public good, not power-hungry politicians and big-moneyed special interests. If we hope to re-engage citizens in our political process, we must limit the influence of special interests in campaigns, level the playing field between challengers and incumbents, and focus on issues that matter to Minnesotans."

Libertarian? No!.

Governor Ventura toes the statist line here. The way to "better" politics that Jesse is supporting is to throw out the first amendment and free speech and let those in power set rules for campaigns. These same wonderfull politicians will dish out taxpayer money to those who qualify under their rules. Boy, I bet these rules won't favor those in power! How will this help third parties or anyone outside of the ruling class?

JESSE ON "TRADE: TAPPING THE WORLD'S INTEREST IN MINNESOTA"

"Products, services, and ideas don't sell themselves, and the global marketplace is increasingly a noisy, busy, hurry-up kind of place. If we want to stand out in the fray, we must make vigorous efforts to showcase what Minnesota has to offer. With more than $15 billion in foreign sales of our manufactured goods, services, and agricultural products, Minnesota is already an international player. At this time, however, the eyes of the world are upon Minnesota in a way they have never seen before. A singular opportunity exists to convert the world's interest in the State of Minnesota and this Governor into increased trading and business opportunities for Minnesota companies. Our mission is to create a "World Plan" that provides a country-by-country strategic analysis to ensure that state resources are effectively focused on those countries that have the greatest potential for improving Minnesota trade."

Libertarian? No!.

More government planning from Governor Ventura. It is certainly not libertarian to think the government should be out there spending taxpayer dollars to promote the sale of products from selected companies. As I write this (November 7, 1999) Governor Ventura is in Japan spending $100,000 of taxpayer money on a "trade" mission. According to the Taxpayers League of Minnesota the most prominent events on Ventura's schedule are three days of receptions and basketball games between the Timberwolves and the Sacramento Kings.

JESSE ON "DEVELOPING THE WORKFORCE FOR TOMORROW "

"Eight years of economic growth has done us a world of good. Minnesota's overall unemployment rate is lower than ever. But now we face a workforce shortage, which makes us less competitive in a global marketplace. It's vital to our ongoing economic health that we have a well-trained, flexible, and healthy workforce that allows us to be quickly responsive to the opportunities that globalization presents. That means training and retraining constantly during a person's working life. It means looking after displaced workers to get them back into the game with salable skills. It means providing adequate medical care and benefits to injured workers, so that they can return to suitable work as soon as possible. It means finding new workers. When someone says, 'We need good people who can do X, Y, and Z. Do you have them for us?' We want to be able to say, 'You bet we do!' "

Libertarian? No!.

Once again Governor Ventura believes that the government should be involved.

JESSE ON "THE BEST CLIMATE TO GROW BUSINESS"

"For Minnesota to be competitive in today's global environment, our business development initiatives will be focused on high growth industries and high quality jobs. Minnesota's business will continue to prosper with a supportive business environment. The best business we have is the business we have today. So we need to do everything we can to make sure healthy businesses stay in Minnesota - and expand in Minnesota. And we need to encourage and facilitate linkages between community leadership, resources and businesses to ensure expansion occurs statewide.

In today's increasingly mobile and evolving business world, we must help to generate new entrepreneurs and enterprises. To give new businesses every chance to grow into major employers, we will develop programs that speak directly to their needs for capital, for technology, and for entrepreneurial skills and expertise."

Libertarian? No!.

The broken record continues. More government involvement from Governor Ventura.

JESSE ON "JESSE "THE TOURISM GOVERNOR" VENTURA: PROMOTING MINNESOTA, PROMOTING THE INDUSTRY"

"Tourism is about having fun! However, for our Great State, it's also about the bottom line. At a return of $9 to every $1 invested, Minnesota's tourism industry deserves our support and leveraging. A lot of folks are paying attention to Minnesota, so why not capitalize on their curiosity, welcome them with open arms, and show them just why Minnesota is worth visiting and investing in.

Minnesota is truly unique in the Upper Midwest. With our wealth of recreational and cultural attractions, there's much to promote. From this month forward, Governor Ventura will deliver a "monthly Minnesota tourism message" ... that's 39 gubernatorial pronouncements of why the world should come to Minnesota!"

Libertarian? No!.

If the return is $9 for every $1 "invested", why does the government need to be involved at all? More Clintonspeak from Governor Ventura, government spending is an "investment."

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