Personal Choice Party

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Image:Smiley.png The Personal Choice Party (PCP) is a United States political party whose presidential candidate for 2004 qualified for the ballot in the state of Utah.

The first State Convention of the Personal Choice Party of Utah was held May 22, 2004, at Fairmont Park in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Personal Choice Party dates back to approximately 1997, and was organized by Dr. Ken Larsen, a Mormon from Utah with a Ph.D. in Zoology from Brigham Young University.

Prior to forming the Personal Choice Party, Ken Larsen was well known as a political activist and frequent candidate for numerous political offices in Utah under the ballot lines of several minor parties including the Libertarian Party and the Reform Party.

1 Philosophy
2 Issues
3 Principal figures
4 External links

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Philosophy

Personal Choice asserts that everyone has free agency and individual rights. Personal Choice expresses the philosophy of "live and let live." Personal Choice demands that, "as long as I am not hurting anyone else, only I have the right to choose how I spend my time, my wealth, my life, my honor." It could be considered a libertarian party.

The preamble of the party's constitution states:

The purpose of government is to prevent us from harming others and to prevent others from harming us. That is all we should expect or allow government to do. It is not the job of government to stop us from harming ourselves, or to make us help others. That is our responsibility as individuals.

The principle of free will is an important one within Mormonism, which may explain the party's connection to Utah.

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Issues

PCP supports the elimination of the federal income tax, drastic reductions in government, promotion of education decisions at the local level, privatization of the National Park Service, Gay/Lesbian marriage rights, and medicinal marijuana.

PCP opposes affirmative action, Social Security, gun control, and the War in Iraq.

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Principal figures

Charles Jay, 2004 Presidential nominee, and former nominee for 2004 Libertarian Party Vice President
Marilyn Chambers Taylor, 2004 Vice-Presidential Nominee
Dr. Ken Larsen, Moderator (as opposed to Chairman) of the Personal Choice Party, Utah Gubernatorial Candidate

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