My Endorsement for President: Libertarian Candidate Michael Badnarik

October 26, 2004

(Glenn Sacks is a nationally syndicated radio talk show host. He interviewed Libertarian presidential candidate Michael Badnarik. The interview is available here.)

Many of you have written to me asking me who I think deserves the vote of those of us concerned about boys', men's and fathers' issues in the upcoming presidential election. As you know, in my newspaper columns and on the air I avoid political partisanship and do not endorse any political party. My feeling has always been that I'm happy to work with whichever party is willing to promote our issues and help keep fathers and children together.

My father is concerned about the war in Iraq and has urged me to vote for one of the  major party presidential candidates. I had told him that I was taking a serious look at Badnarik because of his NCP rights platform. My father, like most, tends to see this as a relatively minor issue in comparison to much of what is being debated by the major candidates. My reply is that nothing is more important than your children, and I reminded my father that he was the one who long ago taught me that.

Below is my endorsement for president. Please note that it is based specifically on the very important issue of fatherhood and noncustodial parents' rights, and is in no way shape or form a comment on the various candidates' policies on the war in Iraq, the economy, or any other issue.

Within the fatherhood movement opinions seem to differ concerning Michael Badnarik's Parents' Rights (or more accurately, noncustodial parents' rights) platform. Some have portrayed Badnarik as a dedicated Fathers'/NCP rights advocate. Others have speculated that his parents' rights platform is not seriously held. One of the things I sought to do in my interview with him yesterday was to try to gauge the seriousness of his commitment to and the breadth of his knowledge of NCP issues. Both I and my listeners raised various related issues. I gave Badnarik wide latitude to answer, and I avoided beating him over the head with fathers' concerns. My conclusions are as follows:

• Badnarik is a politician, and like any politician he knows that divorce and gender issues can be a political minefield.

• Badnarik has principles and is willing to take heat in defense of them

• It would be erroneous to view Badnarik as the "Fathers' Rights candidate" or as someone with a particular focus on fathers' issues.

• Badnarik is clearly aware of and sensitive to the basic problems fathers today face, particularly the sole custody norm and the denigration of noncustodial parents to "second class parent" status.

• Badnarik is also aware of and concerned about civil rights violations by child support enforcement agencies, the rights of unwed fathers, widespread abuses by Child Protective Services, abuses of judicial discretion and the excessive power of family courts.

• This awareness places Badnarik miles ahead of all other presidential candidates.

In summation, I'm voting for Michael Badnarik.

Glenn Sacks