Where there's a political campaign, there are Wisconsin Jews
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By Leon Cohen. Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle (Milwaukee, Wis.) November 3, 2000. [Interview with Melinda Bensman of the Democratic Party] Aaron Biterman -- Libertarian Party Aaron Biterman, 18, is a senior at Brookfield East High School and a board member of the Libertarian Party of Metro Milwaukee. This child of liberal Democrats said he discovered Libertarianism when he was in the high school's debate team. He learned about the party's ideology and said "I found that this is me, this is what I believe." To Biterman, the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates "are really arguing over which one of them is best suited to run people's lives for the next four years. The Libertarian Party and I believe you are best capable of running your own life." The Republican Party is "too intolerant" on social issues like abortion; but the Democratic Party is "too socialistic" on economic issues like affirmative action," he said. He began attending meetings and found that the Libertarians are the third largest U.S. political party, with some 300 elected officials in local office throughout the country. Tennessee author Harry Browne is its presidential candidate, with Art Olivier, former mayor of Bellflower, California, as his running mate. Biterman, who grew up at Congregation Emanu-El B'ne Jeshurun, said the Libertarian vision of society is congruent with Jewish values. "We want an honest, prosperous society where individuals can be trsted and where contracts are fulfilled," he said. "We want a society based on the individual merits of people and where charity and responsibility are key values." [Interview with James A. Englander of the Republican Party] [Interview with Margo Hansen of the Reform Party] [Interview with Ben Manski of the Green Party] |
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