(Parkersburg, WV) – Chairman of the Libertarian Party of West Virginia, Taylor Richmond, issued the following statement regarding the tour of West Virginia being held by Senator Bernie Sanders in the coming days.
Senator Bernie Sanders’ visit to West Virginia is a political spectacle that highlights the ongoing failure of both major parties to deliver meaningful results for the people of this state.
While Sanders continues to champion massive federal programs and sweeping government interventions, the truth is that top-down solutions from Washington have repeatedly failed West Virginians. Decades of Democratic leadership in key areas of the state have left behind crippled economies, stagnant opportunity, and broken communities. Their policies have centralized power, expanded dependency, and ignored the entrepreneurial spirit and self-reliance that once defined this region and state.
But let’s not let the Republicans off the hook either. They talk a big game about freedom, but when push comes to shove, they vote for bloated budgets, handouts to corporations, and federal overreach just the same. Whether it’s supporting crony capitalism, the war on drugs, or unchecked surveillance, Republicans in West Virginia have consistently abandoned the principles of limited government.
Sanders’ presence here is a reminder that both parties are more interested in power than progress. Libertarians believe in a different path forward that trusts individuals over institutions, decentralizes authority, and unleashes innovation through freedom. We don’t need another big government program or hollow populist promise. We need to get government out of the way so West Virginians can build a better future on their own terms.
It’s time to reject the false choice between failed Democrats and hypocritical Republicans. Liberty, personal responsibility, and local control. This is the only path forward for West Virginia. That is the path the Libertarian Party of West Virginia offers.
For media inquiries contact:
Dustin S. Blankenship,
Director of Outreach
Libertarian Party of West Virginia dustinblankenship@lpwv.org
www.lpwv.org