Montana’s “conservative” Secretary of State supports government takeover of the internet

by Roger I. Roots, founder and president, Lysander Spooner University

In 2016 I was the Libertarian candidate for Montana Secretary of State. I remember receiving a phone call from Corey Stapleton, my Republican opponent.

Stapleton begged me to drop out of the race, telling me that he was really libertarian on most issues and that Libertarians and Republicans had to team up to fight the big-government Democrats.

I declined. Ultimately, Stapleton rode a wave of anti-government sentiment and became Montana’s Secretary of State. (Stapleton, like most Republicans, told voters he was conservative and favored less intrusive government.)

After two years, Mr. Stapleton issued this press release. Stapleton claims “internet neutrality” (meaning a federal government takeover of the internet in the manner of the railroad industry, the power grid and the radio spectrum) is “good for business.”