Commentary: Libertarianism Is America’s Last Best Hope

Editor's note: Yahoo News asked young libertarian-minded voters to share why they're drawn to the either the Libertarian Party or to libertarian political principles in general. Here's one first-person account we received this week.

FIRST PERSON | My name is Nancy Hernandez. I'm 33 years old, and I am probably on the Department of Homeland Security's terrorist watch list. I live in a small city called Van Buren, which is located on the Arkansas-Oklahoma border. I've lived in this area most of my life, and I love it here.

I am also a staunch constitutionalist. As a result, though I'm not registered with the Libertarian Party, I have very strong libertarian leanings. I believe in the right to the right to bear arms, personal liberty, small government, and free enterprise. I believe that more government is never the answer to any problem that our nation is facing, and I believe that the current size of our government is a hindrance, rather than a help, to our economy. It is also a massive threat to personal liberty, and the U.S. Constitution.

There was a time when I was blinded by the words of the two bigger parties. In fact, until recently, I was a registered Democrat. It was inevitable that I changed my registration.

On July 4, 2009, I took my first real steps toward libertarianism. I realized how much it angered me that Independence Day had become nothing more than an excuse to party and light fireworks. Few people even stop to think about what the holiday actually symbolizes. This anger resulted in an open "Letter to America," which later resulted in a book called "Letters From an American Woman," (which can be found at Createspace.com) that I co-authored with my best friend.

The process of writing this book included a great deal of research that made me even angrier. I uncovered legislation, introduced by both Republicans and Democrats, that is designed to strip liberties and grow government. For instance, many people know about the Patriot Act, but how many of you have actually read the text? Then there is Presidential Directive 51, signed by Bush 43, which gives the president unprecedented and far-reaching powers.

Also of concern is The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. There are many more, and I cover some of them in my Yahoo! Voices article, The Coming U.S. Revolution. I discovered the true extent of the nation's current financial problems, and the extent to which our legislators are willing to go to deceive the American public.

Since writing my book, I pulled my children (ages 5, 11, and 14) out of public school, took steps toward going "off the grid," such as buying a generator and building wind turbines, started a garden, and I have begun stockpiling food. There are those who have begun calling me a conspiracy theorist, but I disagree. What I am is an American citizen who has done her homework, done incredibly in depth research, and I have reached intelligent conclusions. Our government is collapsing in upon itself, and our only hope as a nation may very well rest with the Libertarian Party.

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Commentary: Libertarianism Is America's Last Best Hope