Libertarian Mark Wicks on the issues – The Bozeman Daily Chronicle

Mark Wicks feels like hes got a chance.

The Inverness rancher who also delivers the mail is the Libertarian Partys candidate for Montanas U.S. House seat, which was left vacant when Ryan Zinke became Interior Secretary. Wicks faces Republican Greg Gianforte and Democrat Rob Quist in the May 25 race, and as a third-party candidate, hes not expected to win. But hes convinced hes got chance to give his opponents a tough challenge.

Im pulling votes off both of them, the 47-year-old said Friday. Theyre not very shiny candidates.

After impressing panelists in the recent Congressional debate between the three of them, Wicks is doing more to get his name out there. He did an AMA on Reddit on Friday. He held an event in Bozeman, too. Hes working on getting some ads on Facebook, and hes trying to tell people why his philosophy might help solve problems in Washington, D.C., particularly the divisiveness between the parties.

I think we need some voices in there that are not so partisan, he said.

He sat down with the Chronicle to talk about his stance on various issues.

Wicks said candidates for office are always talking about cutting the budget and that it never seems to get done.

I think there needs to be somebody out there thats being a little louder than whats happening, he said. Were $20 trillion in debt. We havent even slowed down the growth of the debt yet, and its going to catch up with us. Lets try to get ahead of it for a change instead of always reacting to the situation after its bad.

To get ahead of the debt, Wicks said he wants to see budget cuts across the board, and that certain agencies are spending too much on the buildings theyre housed in.

Wicks said he wants to get rid of the Affordable Care Act.

Im a repeal guy. Ive been a repeal since day one, he said. Lets make sure the Medicare, Medicaid patients are protected, and lets kick it back to the states and make some common sense solutions.

He said he wants to see tort reform. He also said the costs of health care and prescription drugs need to be reduced, and that insurance companies need to be able to cross state lines.

He also said he wants to give veterans a Medicare card so they can turn to places other than Veterans Affairs for health care. He thinks VA clinics do well at a couple of things prosthetic limbs, traumatic head injuries and treating post-traumatic stress disorder.

If they stuck to those three, I think they do well. But just for common, everyday treatment, I dont think its cost-effective or even having good outcomes, he said.

He also said he is opposed to transferring money away from either Medicare or Social Security to fill gaps in other parts of the budget.

The transfer of public lands to the states has been a hot button issue in the West for a long time. Wicks said that conversation begins with whether the states want the lands, and he doesnt want to end up with private ownership of some federal lands.

I dont believe that national forests or wildlife sanctuaries, national parks should ever be transferred to private hands, Wicks said. Its just not going to happen ... Its just not on the board for anybody.

Wicks doesnt want to rule out any transfers, because he doesnt like to put things in a big lock box and saying this is how it is. He said any transfers should be analyzed on a site-specific basis and that any transfers of public lands need to ensure that people retain public access.

If it is transferred it has to have a conservation easement on it so Montanans can always access that land forever, he said. So even if they sell a section of ground out in eastern Montana, people can go hunt, hike, do whatever on it.

Same-sex marriage isnt much of an issue for Wicks. He supports it, citing a common Libertarian principle.

You can do what you want as long as youre not hurting anybody else, Wicks said. I dont see where theyre hurting anybody, so its none of my business.

On abortion, Wicks said he doesnt like the issue, and that theres no answer that satisfies everyone.

Im reluctantly pro-choice, he said, before adding that he doesnt like certain kinds of abortions.

Wicks said hes a big supporter of gun rights.

Im probably the most pro-Second Amendment guy that has ever came through running for Congress, Wicks said.

He dismissed any ideas about further background checks for people trying to buy guns, saying theres no way to pass a law that will keep guns out of the hands of criminals.

Thats why theyre criminals, Wicks said.

See the article here:

Libertarian Mark Wicks on the issues - The Bozeman Daily Chronicle