The Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate John Sophocleus, addressed Alabama Libertarians in a Facebook event hosted by the Libertarians Party of Greater Jefferson County at the Mountain Brook Library on Wednesday. Sophocleus is a career college instructor, historian, and economist who resides in Lee County.
“I am the Libertarian candidate for Senate,” Sophocleus said. “I am a retired instructor.”
Sophocleus said that he was upset with, “How much money we waste on redistribution of wealth” in this country.
“I am the best candidate of the three,” running for Senate Sophocleus said. “I am trying to bring competition to Alabama politics.”
Sophocleus said that he requires his students to read the United States Constitution.
Sophocleus said that he has had students who were serving in the U.S. armed forces tell him, “Wow, I took an oath to uphold the Constitution, and I had no idea what is in that until I actually had to read it.”
“I have been an Alabama Gazette columnist for 13 years,” Sophocleus continued. “I have worked with people on Capitol Hill including (former Congressman) Dick Armey.”
“The huge amount of redistributive activity that is going on is the main thing that I would like to stop,” Sophocleus said.
Sophocleus and the Libertarian candidate for Governor of Alabama, Dr. James “Jimmy” Blake, were both asked about the Alabama prison crisis.
“I am running for federal office, and the prison system it is by and large a state office issue, but I have spoken to Cam Ward, who is the Director of Pardons and Paroles,” Sophocleus said.
Sophocleus has been an instructor in the prisons, among numerous other teaching assignments – most notably at Auburn University, Auburn University Montgomery, and Clemson.
“They are not using the resources that are available to give them the skills they need when they (the prisoners) get out,” Sophocleus said. “Decreasing recidivism is the biggest long-term solution.”
“The recidivism reduction is increasingly important,” Sophocleus said. “There are people that should be punished for their crimes, but we also need people that could be productive when they get out.”
Sophocleus claimed, “I know the BCA and my opponent want to devote more money to the prison complex.”
“Kay Ivey has sold her soul to the Business Council of Alabama,” Sophocleus said, urging voters to vote for Blake for Governor instead of Gov. Ivey. “In the Senate race, it is an open seat. None of the three candidates are incumbents. It is time to send a message.”
Sophocleus slammed outgoing Senator Richard Shelby calling him “Cash Register Shelby,” who changed his Democratic ‘blue gang jersey’ for a Republican ‘red gang jersey.’
“50 of our 65 (Libertarian) candidates are in two candidate races,” Sophocleus said. “We are tired of the gangs of the duopoly. Break up the gangs.”
Sophocleus made claims that the Constitution would work if the government would just do those things that it is authorized to do in the Constitution.
“The Libertarian Party started 50 years ago because of their anger at the Republicans and Richard Nixon for closing the gold window,” Sophocleus said. “We have done a lot of damage in respect to inflation and how we have devalued our currency.”
Sophocleus said that gold was trading at $40 an ounce in 1972 when Nixon chose to let the dollar float as a completely unbacked currency. “What does it cost to get an ounce of gold today? $1800? Americans – they hope that the dollars they save will have a value.”
“When you have all of these pages of wealth transfer, it is going to only get worse,” Sophocleus said of the tax code. “President [Joe] Biden is playing games with the strategic reserve and oil prices.”
Sophocleus said that there is no incentive for Congress to “stop the spending,” because “bond yields are so ridiculously low that there is no consequences to keep adding to it (the debt).”
“All federal drug laws are unconstitutional – period,” Sophocleus said. “How we know that is when we wanted to have a war on alcohol, we passed an amendment. This document (holding up his pocket Constitution) does not empower the federal government to do what it does.”
Sophocleus faces Republican nominee Katie Britt and Democratic nominee Will Boyd in the November 8 general election.
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