Where does the Libertarian Party stand on abortion?

Question

Thomas SR? Are you okay today?

Answer 1

real Libertarians are pro-choice.

Answer 2

The LP party officially is pro-choice, however it's an issue that deeply divides the party. The majority of the members are pro-choice (and the party votes on its platform). They believe that making abortion illegal is one way some governments enslave and oppress women.

However, there are a significant fraction of pro-life libertarians in the party. They believe that abortion is State-sanctioned murder and that one of the few legitimate roles of government is to protect those too weak to protect themselves.

But, to be clear, the Party's official platform is pro-choice. The majority of Libertarians believe that the State has no right to enslave women by forcing them to carry a fetus they do not wish to carry. They believe a person has the absolute right to control their own body.

(Most of the pro-life Libertarians, at least in my experiences in the mid-80s and late-80s, were deeply religious. They are very similar to ultra-conservative 'small government' Republicans in some ways.)

Answer 3

Pro- choice.

Answer 4

They don't believe the government should interven in your personal life.  They are pro-choice.  

Answer 5

Libertarians would be divided on that issue though I believe the LP takes a pro-choice argument.  

There is a pro-choice argument that a woman "owns" her own body, so therefore she can do what she wants and the "state" has no right to force her to keep an unwanted fetus.

But there is also a pro-life argument aspect that can be applied to libertarianism where a fetus can be seen as a living entity which by that reason has a right to life, liberty, property etc.  The debate would continue based on the definition of where life begins.

There is a probably consensus though among the vast majority of Libertarians whether pro choice or pro life, that the issue of abortion should definitely be a state's rights issue and not handled by the federal government.

Answer 6

I'm a registered Libertarian. And I don't know how the "Party" stands on that issue... or any issue for that matter. And what's more, I don't care what the "Party" thinks. I registered Libertarian because of their tendency to let people make their own decisions, but holds them totally accountable for those decisions.

People are posting that they're "pro-choice." It depends upon which side of fence you sit.

You want a kid, YOU pay for it. If it gets in trouble YOU take care of it.

If you don't want the kid, it's still YOUR responsibility.

Don't go crying to the government because you're too dumb to keep your pants on.

But I'm a single parent. I can't watch my kid all the time. I have to work. How can you hold me responsible? You are a parent before you're a laborer. That's the responsibility you accepted by climbing into bed (or the back of a car) that night. Were it up to me, you will spend some quality time with your child until restitution is made. Every weekend, from 5:00 PM Friday until 5:00 AM Monday you will be in a cell with your kid. Your kid will not spend evenings at home. He (or she) will live at the jail and only be allowed out to go to school. If his or her grades fall below a 2.5 GPA, he or she will be pulled out of school, and 8 hours a day will be spent in their cell studying. No TV. No phone. No Ipod. Nothing but school books. And they won't get dinner until so much work is accomplished. It's up to them. The parent will be under house arrest. No visitors, no phone calls except to their kid in jail, no luxuries.

Answer 7

It's a states issue.

As for the "Libertarian Philosophy" stands, they believe in negative rights. Therefore, philosophically they would be for abortion as long as it's not state supported.

Answer 8

since the constitution does not specifically delegate any powers to the constitution for dealing with abortion, the issue would be left up to the states or people if the federal government were run on libertarian terms.  i believe most state run libertarian governments would choose to let the people decide whether they would have an abortion or not.  whether abortion is legal or not, it will still happen.  and since there is no victim to make a complaint against being aborted, it would be incredibly hard to enforce without violating peoples rights.  therefore it would be left up to the people to decide whether they wanted an abortion.  not the government.  

Answer 9

the LP may be officially "pro-choice", but someone as prominent as Ron Paul is "pro-life" (unless someone knows otherwise and corrects me...)

so among Libertarians at large, this issue is debatable, but not an issue that would divide Libertarians.

since Libertarians place supreme value on the individual, the "pro-life" Libertarian argument is that individualism does not begin at birth, but extends even before birth.

my own libertarian stand on abortion is this: i'm a "pro-life" libertarian; however, i would rather not see ANY laws on the books that either promote or restrict abortions, leaving it instead entirely to the pregnant woman and her doctors to assume the entire responsibility AND risks of having an abortion or carrying to term.

Answer 10

The official view is that it should be permitted.  Many libertarians however make exception for, more than other hotbutton social issues, including g*y marriage.

Answer 11

100% Pro-Choice.

Like Obama, I especially like the ones where they suck the brains out of the fetus before crushing the bone material for extraction.

Answer 12

They are more liberal than Dems, less taxes than Republicans.  That basically sums them up.  Of coarse they are Pro-Choice, they even believe in legal drugs!