[announce] Finkenstadt Outlines Plans for Change; Nixon, Hulshof Promises Same Old Bigger Government Story

[Official Missouri Libertarian Party Announcements]

Finkenstadt Outlines Plans for Change; Nixon, Hulshof Promises Same Old Bigger Government Story

"We should not be burning our food! And taxpayers should not be paying for the privilege"

COLUMBIA, Mo. September 14, 2008 -- In the gubernatorial debate, hosted by the
Missouri Press Association, Libertarian Andrew Finkenstadt outlined his plans
to change the direction of the state, while Attorney General Jay Nixon and
Congressman Kenny Hulshof continued to embrace the same failed policies from
the Democratic and Republican parties that have resulted in bigger government
budgets, bigger government taxation, and bigger government interference.

"I am a computer software engineer. Engineers do not create a blue-ribbon panel
to study an issue. Engineers solve the problems put before them," Finkenstadt
said in opening remarks. "A lawyer looks at a problem and tends to say, 'There
ought to be a law.' I say in response, 'We have too many laws already, we don't
need any more.' A politician looks at a problem and tends to say, 'Hey, we
should study that.' Computer programmers see a problem and address it in a more
direct and methodical way, we actually solve it."

Libertarian Andy Finkenstadt went on to say, "I will reduce taxes for everyone
(not just the rich, not just the middle class), and I'll do it by reducing the
size of our government. Reducing taxes leaves more money in your pocket to
spend as YOU see fit, without some government middleman getting in the way.
After all, who knows best how to spend your hard-earned money: you, or the
legion of legislators and rule makers who work in our state government?"

During the question and answer portion of the debate, both Nixon and Hulshof
reiterated their campaign issues: bigger government spending on health care and
insurance products, expanded government spending on educational programs, and
more government control over alternative energy sources.

Libertarian Andy Finkenstadt advocated for the government to get out of the way
of the free market solutions available for each of these issues:

1. Health care choices are, ultimately, the choice of each family. The choice
of what kind of health insurance they want, what level of health care they
want, the care providers they want, and the medicines and treatments they will
use. For those families who are unable to pay for necessary health care,
Finkenstadt holds that private organizations and charities whose mission it is
to provide these services should be contacted for their assistance.
(Finkenstadt's family contributes a significant amount of its annual income to
just such local charities.)

2. Education, like any other service, is best provided by the free market,
achieving greater quality and efficiency with more diversity of choice. Schools
should be managed locally to achieve greater accountability and parental
involvement. Recognizing that the education of children is inextricably linked
to moral values, we should return authority to parents to determine the
education of their children, without interference from government. In
particular, parents should have control of and responsibility for all funds
expended for their children's education.

Finkenstadt did not advocate vouchers that go to private institutions, despite
Nixon's misunderstanding during the debate. Perhaps it is just this common
misunderstanding that prevents governmental leaders from coming up with the
right solution: multiple school choices in an area, each supported exclusively
by the publicly-funded dollars following the student.

3. Energy, especially clean energy, is the proper domain of the free market.
The government should not be subsidizing any particular form of energy.

Ethanol: Both Nixon and Hulshof support taxpayer-funded subsidizing of ethanol
producers. Replies Finkenstadt, "We should not be burning our food! And
taxpayers shouldn't be paying for the privilege; that just adds insult to
injury."

Working a regular "day job" to support his family, Finkenstadt, 42, is a
full-time software engineer for Simutronics Corp., a St. Charles,
Missouri-based online persistent-world computer game company. He is also a
music minister for St. Joseph Catholic Church in Cottleville, Missouri. His
wife, Carol, is an administrative assistant at First United Methodist Church in
St. Charles. Finkenstadt attended Franciscan University of Steubenville (Ohio)
1983-1987, where he majored in Mathematics and Computer Science.

Andrew (Andy) Finkenstadt is the Missouri Libertarian Party Gubernatorial
candidate in the general election on November 4th. He was unopposed in the
primary election. More information can be found at: http://andy4governor.com

The Missouri Libertarian Party is one of three established political parties in
Missouri. More information can be found at: http://lpmo.org