EDITORIAL - The Libertarian Party criticized the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2007, which passed the House last week by a vote of 235 to 184, saying the bill violates the rights of private businesses. The bill seeks to prohibit discriminatory hiring practices by private businesses based on sexuality. "Private businesses should have the freedom to decide who is best for the job--not the government," says Libertarian Party Executive Director Shane Cory.

The Act, marked H.R. 3685 and sponsored by Rep. Barney Frank [D-MA], passed the House last Wednesday and may see floor action this week in the Senate. The bill would exempt religious institutions and the U.S. military; however, religious retail stores were not included in the exemption.

"It is not the role of the government to dictate to private businesses who they can and can't hire," says Cory. "This is the whole purpose of keeping government out of the private sector. A business owner knows what people are best for the job, and he should have the power to hire them. The government should not be there to tell him otherwise. If this Act passes, are we going to have Christian book stores forced to hire a homosexual employee despite a potential ideological conflict?"

The Libertarian Party platform opposes all intervention by government into the area of economics that doesn't seek to protect property rights, adjudicate disputes or provide a legal framework in which voluntary trade is protected.

"There is going to be a fundamental disconnect between what the government says and does regarding the treatment of individuals if this Act passes with the military exemption intact," Cory concluded. "It's quite hypocritical of the government to tell private businesses not to discriminate while maintaining 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' in the military."