[jackdaniels]

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Can someone please lay out the libertarian stance on government in like a paragraph or two?

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I can't lay out the Libertarian stance specifically, but I can tell you what a morally just stance is.

Essentially, society is comprised of individuals who gain much by cooperating. In order to allow for this cooperation, individuals must be free to make decisions for themselves based on whatever they think is best without the use of force to influence them one way or another. These individuals are free to trade with one another using persuasion, to the benefit of both parties. Individuals who have grouped together form governments to ensure that they can trade with each other without the threat of force by others. These governments have 3 basic responsibilities:

1. Police - to stop rogue elements in society (and every society has them)

2. Military - to stop foreign invaders.

3. A court system - to settle honest disputes amongst me.

The government shouldn't be in the business of doing ANYTHING else.

Now, without taxes, how does one pay for these things? One suggestion is a lottery, another, better suggestion is to institute a 1% tax on all financial transactions. This tax would be voluntary and would ensure that those who paid it would receive the benefits of gov't protection from crooks (police), foreign enemies (military) and would hear the case in case a dispute was brought forward by the parties who were part of the original transaction.