As Vice President Kamala Harris prepares to announce her running mate next week, the list of contenders includes several notable governors and national figures. Among them are Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. While each candidate offers unique strengths, from a libertarian standpoint, Josh Shapiro stands out as the most favorable option.
Evaluating the National Figures
Pete Buttigieg: Technocratic Tendencies
Pete Buttigieg, currently serving as Transportation Secretary, has had a mixed tenure. While he has acknowledged bureaucratic inefficiencies, he hasn’t made significant strides in addressing them. Instead, Buttigieg often targets private companies like Southwest Airlines and Norfolk Southern, holding them accountable more than the outdated regulations that hinder their operations. His approach aligns more with technocratic governance, where smart, capable individuals like himself aim to make the government more efficient rather than reducing its scope. His foreign policy views are also more hawkish than typical Democrats, which isn’t a positive from a libertarian perspective.
Mark Kelly: Mainstream Democratic Alignment
Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona is an inspiring figure, given his background as an astronaut and his advocacy for gun control following his wife Gabby Giffords’ tragic shooting. However, his political positions largely align with mainstream Democratic policies, voting in support of President Joe Biden’s agenda 95.5% of the time. While he opposes the Green New Deal and supports increased oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, these deviations from the progressive wing are not enough to make him a standout choice for libertarians.
The Governors’ Track Records
Tim Walz: Heavy-Handed COVID-19 Policies
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s tenure has been marked by heavy-handed COVID-19 mitigation policies, including maintaining a government hotline for reporting social distancing violations. His strict approach during the pandemic, combined with his support for marijuana legalization, doesn’t outweigh the libertarian concerns about his overall governance style.
Andy Beshear: Pandemic Restrictions
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear also implemented stringent COVID-19 measures, including reimposing mask mandates on public school students in August 2021. While he supports marijuana decriminalization, his pandemic policies are seen as too restrictive from a libertarian viewpoint.
Josh Shapiro: Promising Initiatives
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, relatively new in office, has shown promise through several initiatives that align with libertarian values. One of his first actions was eliminating the college degree requirement for government jobs, a move toward reducing unnecessary barriers to employment. He has also made strides in reforming the state’s occupational licensing system and supports school choice to some extent, although he did veto a voucher bill under pressure from teachers unions.
Read also:- Cardi B Reveals She is Pregnant with Third Child
Popularity and Pragmatism
Shapiro’s popularity in Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state, makes him a strong contender for Harris’ running mate. His ability to upset the far-left, as evidenced by The New Republic’s criticism, adds to his appeal. While his strong pro-Israel stance may raise concerns among libertarians who prefer less U.S. involvement in Middle Eastern affairs, it’s unlikely that Shapiro’s foreign policy would differ significantly from the other candidates.
Conclusion
Given the options, Josh Shapiro emerges as the best vice-presidential pick for Kamala Harris from a libertarian perspective. His support for school choice, occupational licensing reform, and reduction of employment barriers in government roles make him a slightly better candidate compared to his counterparts. While not perfect, Shapiro’s policies and popularity provide a weak, yet distinct, libertarian preference in this potential vice-presidential lineup.