Dave Browning views government with a "rabbits don't bark" philosophy. That is, a politician can call a particular creature a rabbit, but if the animal barks, it's really a dog.

The Libertarian candidate for Missouri's 6th District congressional seat believes Republican incumbent Sam Graves and Democratic challenger Kay Barnes specialize in barking rabbits, selling viewpoints that don't match their actions.

"The key question is, do you want more or less government in your life?" Mr. Browning said. "If you want more government, vote for Sam or Kay."

The 58-year-old Oak Grove resident said Democrats and Republicans have expanded the role of government, abandoned a great portion of the populace and espoused views barely distinguishable from one another.

"On our side of the street," Mr. Browning said, "we call them Republicrats."

Mr. Browning, who came to St. Joseph Thursday, calls himself a "Ron Paul Libertarian," favoring strict constitutional adherence. He claims the Founding Fathers supplied four principles that the federal government has forsaken: non-intervention in foreign conflicts, a stable currency, free trade and limited governmental activity.

A return to those principles would solve many of the country's ills, the candidate said.

"When you have those four things," he insisted, "people make money."

The war in Iraq, Mr. Browning said, was launched unconstitutionally. Even if Congress had met its legal requirements to authorize the war, the continued presence in that nation defies the initial military goal, which was removing Saddam Hussein.

Military forces, said the Army veteran, are meant to defeat other military forces, not serve as occupiers and social workers.

Mr. Browning cited the 2005 Supreme Court decision on Kelo v. City of New London as a call to arms for those who value property rights. The justices' ruling is generally seen as expanding the government's authority to seize private land for public uses.

"When they say we can come take your property because it will make us more tax money, it says that the government is more important than liberty," the candidate said.

While not favoring the so-called "Fair Tax," a national sales tax, Mr. Browning would like to see it enacted. After four days with it in effect, he said, Americans would realize how much they pay in taxes and "start a revolution."

The Libertarian candidate remains impressed with former Georgia congressman Bob Barr as the party's presidential nominee. In the 6th District, the Jackson County resident believes his candidacy can pull in the 3 percent who usually vote Libertarian and another 9 percent of "small-government Republicans" disillusioned with Mr. Graves and presumptive GOP presidential nominee John McCain.

"The difference between a small-government Republican and a Libertarian is we don't think the Republican Party can be saved," he said.

Ken Newton can be reached at kenn@npgco.com.