Ballot Access
Help get Ed and other Libertarians on the ballot in Illinois.About Ed
Who is Ed Rutledge and why should you vote for him?What is a Libertarian?
See why we're the fastest growing party in American politics.What Party are You?
Take the world's smallest political quiz and see where you fit!Federal Accountability
The United States is a Union of sovereign States. In fact, Illinois’s state motto is “State Sovereignty, National Union.” Simply put, Illinois is not a department within the federal government, despite Washington’s efforts to bribe or threaten state governments, including Illinois’s, into compliance with its costly programs.
Instead of fearing the loss of federal funds if we do not bow down to federal demands, we as Illinois taxpayers should be asking ourselves where the federal funds come from in the first place, what value Washington provides, and what Illinois really stands to lose.
According to studies conducted by the non-partisan Tax Foundation, Illinois consistently ranks among the 5 most poorly re-compensated states in the nation when considering federal benefits received against tax dollars contributed. In other words, Illinois taxpayers are consistently subsidizing 44-49 other states, as well as the federal bureaucracy.
If Illinois were subsidizing only 40 other states, Illinois would face little to no state budget shortfall. Washington has been mugging Illinois taxpayers for decades. It is time for Springfield to stand up to federal incursions into state jurisdiction, and to demand value out of Washington.
As part of my effort to fight the federal government’s intrusion into state affairs, I have signed the Tenth Amendment Center’s State Pledge. To view the pledge, or to learn more about the 10th Amendment, please visit www.tenthamendmentcenter.com.
