5 Most Hardcore Libertarian Positions of William Weld

Weld is More Libertarian Than He Lets On

by Josh Guckert

Since being selected as Gary Johnson‘s running mate, William Weld has been subjected to intense scrutiny on his ideology. However, he has noted that he has always considered himself a libertarian, and that since his time in law school, his bibles were The Constitution of Liberty and The Road to Serfdom, both by FA Hayek.

It is worth admitting that Weld has had no shortage of libertarian stances and accomplishments throughout his storied career in politics. These are his top 5 most hardcore libertarian positions.

1. Gay Rights

Weld has long been on the forefront in the battle for gay rights. As Governor of Massachusetts, he appointed Margaret Marshall to the position of chief justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Court. In 2003, she became the first U.S. judge to find that same-sex couples could not be denied the right to marry.

Weld’s common refrain is that government should stay “out of your pocketbook and out of your bedroom.” While this sentiment is now somewhat commonplace in politics, this was not nearly as popular when Weld was active in politics in the 1990s. In fact, he was loudly booed at the 1992 Republican National Convention when he made the statement. In 2013, he filed an amicus curiae brief with the United States Supreme Court, urging the judges to recognize marriage equality.