Indy Star reports on the Libertarian congressional candidate

Here's today's Indy Star article about the republican running for office. He's the ONLY candidate that is fighting for your tax bill. He's also the only candidate who has not been in the news for ethics complaints or other campaign misbehavior. A vote for the Libertarian is a vote for fair taxation and a candidate who can not be bought by special interests. Indiana can lead the nation's reform by putting the 1st Libertarian in Congress!

Libertarian targets taxes again in new campaign
At the height of last summer's property tax uprising, when 200 people were protesting outside the City-County building, Sean Shepard stood with microphone in hand leading the cries for relief.

These days Shepard, a 38-year-old self-employed businessman, is trying to rally voters to a new cause -- his bid for the 7th Congressional District seat that opened up with the death of Julia Carson.

Yet his latest campaign might be tougher than trying to fight city hall. Shepard is running as a Libertarian in a county where Libertarians are doing exceedingly well if they glean 5 percent of the vote. Even so, he remains undeterred.

A fan of Ronald Reagan who describes himself as a "recovering Republican," Shepard says the two-party system isn't working, America is going bankrupt and people need to stop voting against candidates they don't like and instead opt for a third party alternative.

"I have been contacted by a tremendous number of folks in this campaign who are more worried about the Republican getting in office or worried about the Democrat getting in office," he said. "What they need to realize is that there is not a dime's worth of difference between the two."
No Libertarian has ever been elected to the Indiana General Assembly, state constitutional offices or Congress. But Shepard says the unique nature of the March 11 special election -- with the congressional race the lone item on the ballot -- gives a Libertarian a fighting chance to get the votes of people who might otherwise simply vote a straight party ticket.

"I kind of look at this like when Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile," he said. "When we get the first (Libertarian), I think we'll get more."

Shepard, who lives on the Northwestside and runs his own Internet telecommunications business, opposes the war in Iraq and says he would vote to bring the troops home as soon as feasible. He supports abortion rights through the first trimester. On immigration, he says the borders should be secured not with a wall but perhaps with troops. He opposes a roundup of illegal immigrants, but says they should get opportunities to return home and seek legal entry. Making immigration easier and less expensive could facilitate that, he said.

But it is taxes where Shepard is most adamant.

He advocates taxing consumption rather than income and other areas. He would eliminate personal income, corporate and social security taxes in favor of a new 23 percent consumption tax paid at the point of purchases of new retail goods.

As shocking as 23 percent sounds, Shepard says the government is taking more than that from people now. He says eliminating income and other taxes would put Americans back in control of how much tax they pay. He says it would make American exports more competitive by reducing taxes on manufactured goods. And the burden on the poorest could be offset by reimbursing consumers an amount equal to the poverty level. Shepard also supports eliminating taxes on health care as a means to make it more affordable.

"My political viewpoint is that basically I want the government to be out of my life and I want to keep all my money," Shepard said. "That is really the libertarian philosophy."