| Policy | Libertarians | Democrats | Republicans |
| Federal spending | Dramatically reduce government spending now. Balance the budget now. No more debt. | More, more, more spending! Balance the budget when hell freezes over. Trillions more debt. | More, more, more spending! Balance the budget when hell freezes over. Trillions more debt. |
| Taxes | End the income tax. Abolish the IRS. Never raise taxes. | Raise the income tax. Keep raising FICA, alternative minimum tax. Raise other taxes. | Keep the income tax high. Keep raising FICA, alternative minimum tax. Raise other taxes. |
| Government spying | Only with valid warrant. Welcome home Edward Snowden. | Keep mass surveillance. Banish and slander Edward Snowden. | Keep mass surveillance. Banish and slander Edward Snowden. |
| Medical insurance mandates | Repeal Obamacare. Rescind regulations. Dramatically lower cost of health care. | Keep Obamacare. Increase regulations. Drive up cost of health care. | Replace Obamacare with similar regulations. Drive up cost of health care. |
| Politicians killing American citizens without trial | Strictly forbid. | Keep option to kill. | Keep option to kill. |
| Militarization of police | Remove military equipment from domestic police forces. | Keep armored trucks, M-16 rifles, and grenade launchers in your town. | Keep armored trucks, M-16 rifles, and grenade launchers in your town. |
| Middle East conflicts | Peace and diplomacy. Allow free trade. Bring troops home NOW. | Bombs away! Cut off food and medicine. Put U.S. service men and women in harm's way. | Bombs away! Cut off food and medicine. Put U.S. service men and women in harm's way. |
| Racial profiling | Treat all citizens equally under the law. | Keep racist policies that target minorities. | Keep racist policies that target minorities. |
| War on Drugs | End it! Release non-violent prisoners. Allow medical cannabis. | Cling to failed prohibition. Keep non-violent prisoners locked up. Deny medical treatment. | Cling to failed prohibition. Keep non-violent prisoners locked up. Deny medical treatment. |
| U.S. military presence in more than 130 other countries | Stop meddling! Bring troops home to their families. | Keep meddling abroad. Separate troops from their families. | Keep meddling abroad. Separate troops from their families. |
| Military spending | Reduce spending dramatically. Defense, not offense. | Increase spending. Feed the military-industrial complex. | Increase spending. Feed the military-industrial complex. |
| Monetary policy | Secure Americans' financial assets. Stabilize prices. Market sets interest rates. Allow Bitcoin and other currencies. | Print money with abandon. Devalue the dollar. Diminish American assets. Force prices up. Politicians set interest rates. Prohibit alternative currencies. | Print money with abandon. Devalue the dollar. Diminish American assets. Force prices up. Politicians set interest rates. Prohibit alternative currencies. |
| Marriage equality | Support and vote for it. | Waffle, delay. | Waffle, oppose. |
| Guns | Repeal anti–self defense laws. | Pass new laws that disarm innocent Americans. | Enforce laws that disarm innocent Americans. |
| Wage price-fixing ("minimum wage") | Repeal wage controls to give the poorest a chance. | Impose price controls and kill jobs for the poor. | Impose price controls and kill jobs for the poor. |
| Education | Return control to parents, teachers, local communities. Enable high-quality, diversified education. Allow property taxes to drop. | Centrally plan education. One size fits all. Sustain high dropout rates and illiteracy. Drive up property taxes. | Centrally plan education. One size fits all. Sustain high dropout rates and illiteracy. Drive up property taxes. |
