Gary Johnson: The Presidential Candidate the Powers That Be Don't Want You to Know About

If it weren't so infuriating, it would be amusing watching the talking heads and political critters operating in their left/right paradigm, as if Clinton and Trump are the ONLY candidates running for president. They are not, of course. And since I have a personal mission to undermine and expose and otherwise be a thorn in the side of the PTB and their establishment's political stranglehold on our elections and media, this is my humble effort to tell the world that we do indeed have another (better) option.

GQ: Is This the Sanest Man Running for President?

(The above article is from the 2012 election cycle; but it is probably more significant and relevant in this election cycle.)

If you're seeking the presidency but no one notices, are you still seeking the presidency? Gary Johnson was governor of New Mexico for eight years, balanced the hell out of his budgets, and climbed Mount Everest with a broken leg. You'd think that would at least give him a shot at the GOP nomination. Nope. Lisa DePaulo hits the surreal non-campaign trail with the most compulsively honest Republican in the race—and returns with some disturbing truths about the Kabuki # show we like to call modern presidential politics.

The Inquisitr: Libertarian Party 2016: Gary Johnson's Views/Platform Make Him the Perfect Alternative to Trump and Clinton

As it turns out, Republicans and Democrats alike can find a lot to love in Johnson and the Libertarians. The party’s motto is “Minimum Government, Maximum Freedom.” In other words, Johnson and the Libertarian Party favor limited government, like the Republicans traditionally do, and favor individual liberties, like the Democrats traditionally do.

Is the Libertarian Party’s Gary Johnson a Plausible Alternative to Trump and Clinton?

Good news, disgruntled Americans: As you ponder whether to vote for one of the two most-disliked, dishonest, and morally corrupt politicians ever to run for president — Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton — you just might have a third option. His name is Gary Johnson. He’s a popular two-term former governor of New Mexico. He’s the likely Libertarian party nominee. And he’s set to be on the ballot in the vast majority of states.

Gary Johnson, Libertarian, May Be Our Last Hope as a Terrible Clinton-Trump Choice Looms

In the ugliest election since Jefferson supporters called Adams ‘a hideous hermaphroditical character,’ there’s a chance for a libertarian to break through.

The Nation: Could an Antiwar, Anti-Surveillance Libertarian Be the Biggest Beneficiary of Trump’s Takeover of the GOP?

Wisconsin state Assembly majority leader Jim Steineke, a stalwart conservative who played a critical role in the most successful “Stop Trump” intervention in the Republican primary process—when Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, radio hosts and conservatives diehards rallied behind Cruz and delivered him a sweeping victory in the state’s April 5 primary—tweeted: “Might be time to check out this @GovGaryJohnson guy…. #JustSayin”

Reason: Google Searches for "Libertarian Party" Surge After Ted Cruz Drops Out

Donald Trump crushed it in the Indiana GOP primary last night, winning more than 50 percent of the vote and causing Ted Cruz to drop out.

Although John Kasich is still in the race, he has only won one state so far while Trump is less than 200 delegates from securing the nomination. That led to a surge tonight in searches for "Libertarian Party," as this chart from Google Trends showing searches for "Libertarian Party" over the last 24 hour period...

National Review: Gary Johnson Makes His Pitch to #NeverTrump Republicans

Gary Johnson, the former two-term Republican governor of New Mexico who is now a Libertarian and running for the Libertarian nomination again, is now making his pitch directly to #NeverTrump Republicans.

Trump Is Already Flip-Flopping toward the Center

Within 24 hours of becoming the presumptive Republican nominee, Donald Trump had reversed his positions on tax increases, paying down the debt, raising the minimum wage, and self-financing his campaign. It was a busy day.

Now That Trump Is The Nominee, These Republicans Say They’re Voting For Hillary

In short, the #NeverTrump movement has failed. And as that failure became abjectly clear Tuesday night, some Republicans announced they’ll be supporting Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton should she continue down the path toward her party’s nomination.

Here's a little about Gov Johnson from his website:

Gary Johnson 2016

Learn a little about Governor Johnson: Governor Johnson, who has been referred to as the ‘most fiscally conservative Governor’ in the country, was the Republican Governor of New Mexico from 1994-2003.

A successful businessman before running for Governor of New Mexico in 1994, Gary Johnson started a door-to-door handyman business to help pay his way through college. Twenty years later, he had grown that business into one of the largest construction companies in New Mexico, with more than 1,000 employees. Not surprisingly, Governor Johnson brings a distinctly business-like mentality to governing, believing that public policy decisions should be based on costs and benefits rather than strict ideology.

Johnson is best known for his veto record, having vetoed more than 750 bills during his time in office — more than all other governors combined. His use of the veto pen has since earned him the nickname “Governor Veto.” He cut taxes 14 times while never raising them. When he left office, New Mexico was one of only four states in the country with a balanced budget. Term-limited, Johnson retired from public office in 2003.

An avid skier, adventurer, and bicyclist, he has scaled the highest peak on each of the seven continents, including Mt. Everest. In the 2012 presidential election, Johnson placed third and garnered more votes than any other Libertarian candidate in history. Johnson was raised Lutheran. He has two grown children, a daughter Seah and a son Erik, and currently resides in a house he built himself in Taos, New Mexico.

And from Wikipedia: Gary Johnson

No candidate is perfect... but there is no need to vote for "the lesser evil" either.

For what it's worth, this article -- Now That Trump Is The Nominee, These Republicans Say They’re Voting For Hillary -- makes it crystal clear (as if I had any doubt before) that the partisan fighting is all to keep US divided... because the political critters are all on the same exact page. It makes absolutely no sense for principled Republicans to vote for Hillary when Gary Johnson is far closer to their supposed political philosophy. No sense whatsoever.

ETA: I just found this -- Another big fat bright red flag that things are not exactly what they seem:

Most under-reported story of 2016: Hatred between Bernie voters and Hillary

Turn on any Sunday news show over the last year, and it’s almost a guarantee you will see a conservative talking about how they will “never support Donald Trump.” The media loves giving airtime and dedicating articles to the #NeverTrump movement and it’s endless brigade of clueless pundits, consultants, and politicians. Appearing almost nowhere in the media is the much more effective, angry, and organized hatred of Hillary Clinton among Bernie Sanders supporters. Where the #NeverTrump movement has failed gloriously, the #NeverClinton movement has had a series of successes.

a reply to: Boadicea

Who is this guy and what are his campaign goals?

His website doesn't offer much of anything.

Why Gary Johnson? Why? Just because F* Trump?

originally posted by: Vector99
a reply to: Boadicea

Why Gary Johnson? Why? Just because F* Trump?

This is a worthwhile question. I voted for Gov. Johnson in 2012, and plan to vote for him again in 2016. Here are my reasons why he has my vote, in no particular order:

- Already has excellent experience in executive office, as he was a 2-term republican governor of a blue border state, New Mexico. Re-elected with something like 70% of the vote and generally considered to be a successful governor. Neither of the other two can say that.

- Understands business. He started and ran his own business becoming a millionaire on his own...not with a million dollar loan from daddy like one of the other candidates.

- He's a huge fitness nut. Having someone in excellent health with high energy is essential for the presidency. Trump and Hillary are not what I would call pictures of health.

- His stances are logical, reasonable, and essentially in the political center where most of the population also happens to be.

- Socially liberal, fiscally conservative, non-interventionist foreign policy. That ticks all three of my boxes.

- He's got the best hashtag ever: #feelthejohnson

a reply to: Subsonic

TY for the response, I will be back to discuss but one of my guys was just in a car accident (all are fine thankfully) but I have to go finish his route, back in a few hours if your still here

originally posted by: Vector99
a reply to: Boadicea

Who is this guy and what are his campaign goals?

His website doesn't offer much of anything.

Hmmm... not sure just what you're missing. It seems to me that his "Issues" page covers many issues.

• Government Spending: Governor Johnson has pledged that his first major act as President will be to submit to Congress a truly balanced budget. No gimmicks, no imaginary cuts in the distant future. Real reductions to bring spending into line with revenues, without tax increases. No line in the budget will be immune from scrutiny and reduction. And he pledges to veto any legislation that will result in deficit spending, forcing Congress to override his veto in order to spend money we don’t have.
  
• Taxes: Governor Johnson advocates the elimination of tax subsidies, the double taxation embodied in business income taxes, and ultimately, the replacement of all income and payroll taxes with a single consumption tax that will allow every American and every business to determine their tax burden by making their own spending decisions. Taxes on purchases for basic necessities would be “prebated”, with all other purchases taxed equally regardless of income, status or purpose.
  
• Term Limits: Gary Johnson is a strong advocate of term limits. Run for office, spend a few years doing the job at hand, and then return to private life. That’s what Gary Johnson did as Governor, and that’s what Senators and Representatives should do.
  
• Jobs: Government regulation should only exist to protect citizens from bad actors and the harm they might do to health, safety and property. Regulation should not be used to manipulate behavior, manage private lives and businesses, and to place unnecessary burdens on those who make our economy work. Eliminating unnecessary regulations and applying common sense to those rules that are necessary will free up capital and allow those who want and need to create jobs to do so.
  
• Personal Freedom: Gary Johnson believes government should be truly limited — limited in the way the Founders envisioned. Responsible adults should be free to marry whom they want, arm themselves if they want, make their own decisions about their bodies, and lead their personal lives as they see fit — as long as no harm is done to others. And they should be able to do so without unconstitutional scrutiny by the NSA, the ATF, the DEA or any other government agency.
  
• Foreign Policy and National Defense: As President, Gary Johnson will move quickly and decisively to refocus U.S. efforts and resources to attack the real threats we face in a strategic, thoughtful way. The U.S. must get serious about cutting off the millions of dollars that are flowing into the extremists’ coffers every day. Relationships with strategic allies must be repaired and reinforced. And the simplistic options of “more boots on the ground” and dropping more bombs must be replaced with strategies that will isolate and ultimately neuter those who would, if able, destroy the very liberties on which this nation is founded.
  

There's a start from his "Issues" page... But here's a little more for your perusal since your google seems to be broken:

Gary Johnson: Why I Would Run for President
I Side With: Interview with Gary Johnson
Ballotpedia: Gary Johnson presidential campaign, 2016
On the Issues: Gary Johnson

Why Gary Johnson? Why? Just because F* Trump?

a reply to: Subsonic

Wonderful answer -- thank you for adding that. I was going to say pretty much the same things, but I will just let your answer stand since I cannot improve on it. Honestly, Johnson is not my ideal candidate; for example, I don't like the Fair Tax that he favors. But I do believe he's our best option, and certainly not a "lesser evil" option.

My hubby loves the hashtag too... I am embarrassed to say he has several Johnson T-shirts... and I'll just leave it at that!

a reply to: Boadicea
I have some friends that are Bernie supporters. All of them seem to hate Hillary. One lives in Hawaii and he was involved heavily for Bernie in the primary voting there. He says that there was a highly organized anti-Bernie group there, pulling shenanigans at polling stations. One case involved some officials in the tank for Hillary blocking certain roads and polling station entrances in areas that were leaning towards Bernie. The word was apparently passed out to solid Hillary voters on alternate routes and entrances. Sounds crazy, but he was posting photos on Facebook and getting the word out to his people on which roads were open so they could vote.
My daughter is a liberal feminist and she HATES Hillary.
She told me yesterday that she can't believe that Hillary has not been indicted over the email scandal, she says the 30,000 + emails that she deleted is scary.

a reply to: Boadicea

since your google seems to be broken

Ok yep, I'm out of this thread.

Good way to get support for him, call people stupid in a nonchalant way.

His issues page answers nothing. Obama's budget is a balanced budget ffs.

originally posted by: butcherguy
a reply to: Boadicea
I have some friends that are Bernie supporters. All of them seem to hate Hillary. One lives in Hawaii and he was involved heavily for Bernie in the primary voting there. He says that there was a highly organized anti-Bernie group there, pulling shenanigans at polling stations. One case involved some officials in the tank for Hillary blocking certain roads and polling station entrances in areas that were leaning towards Bernie. The word was apparently passed out to solid Hillary voters on alternate routes and entrances. Sounds crazy, but he was posting photos on Facebook and getting the word out to his people on which roads were open so they could vote.

Good for him! People power!!! After what I've seen here in AZ the last few elections, nothing surprises me. It is crazy... just like the rest of this partisan pissing match.

My daughter is a liberal feminist and she HATES Hillary.
She told me yesterday that she can't believe that Hillary has not been indicted over the email scandal, she says the 30,000 + emails that she deleted is scary.

Good her her! And good for you for raising her to actually pay attention and think!!!

My kids are both Bernie supporters; but my daughter actually texted me last night and asked me "Who's that guy you voted for last time?" (Gary Johnson -- of course!) She's on the same page as your daughter, and refuses to support Hillary, as are her friends I guess, so she's telling all her friends to check him out. I honestly don't know one person personally who is supporting Hillary. Not one!

My son was absolutely livid over our primaries and the ridiculously low number of polling places open. He was even more livid when the results were certified. He was in line when his polling place opened and was able to vote, but he said a few of his workers weren't able to vote at all because of the lines.

I won't even pretend to predict what will happen between now and November, but I'm quite heartened that so many people are going rogue and rejecting the party politics.

a reply to: Vector99

Ok yep, I'm out of this thread.

Hmmm... why doesn't that surprise me?

Good way to get support for him, call people stupid in a nonchalant way.

I'm not trying to "get support" for him. I don't consider him (or anyone) to be a perfect candidate, and I'm not even sure I'm voting for him myself. As I stated in the OP, my "personal mission [is] to undermine and expose and otherwise be a thorn in the side of the PTB and their establishment's political stranglehold on our elections and media, this is my humble effort to tell the world that we do indeed have another (better) option." And I provided several links for those interested to find out more about him. People have to take it from there.

As for calling you "stupid in a nonchalant way," nope. Snarky? Probably. But I don't think you're stupid at all. In fact, I think you're plenty smart... certainly smart enough to do your own due diligence and form your own opinion. I suspect you already have, since you seemed to take my post as a deliberate attack on Trump and only Trump.

His issues page answers nothing. Obama's budget is a balanced budget ffs.

Do you somehow think I know more about Gary Johnson's positions than what's on his website? Did you think he's confided things to me that he's told no one else? Or that I can read his mind?

Of course not. You knew perfectly well that I could not provide more information than he has provided. And I know perfectly well that there was no practical purpose for your question and that no answer I could give would be good enough for you.

a reply to: Boadicea

Funny part is I was asking a sincere question.

I glanced at his website, didn't find much. I have no clue about him so I was genuinely asking. You decided to make me look like a dummy by suggesting I don't know how google works.

originally posted by: Vector99
a reply to: Boadicea

Funny part is I was asking a sincere question.

My apologies then.

I glanced at his website, didn't find much. I have no clue about him so I was genuinely asking.

Fair enough about the website. His positions are explained in terms of general principles rather than specific plans. My best guess is that he will expand if/when he receives his party's nomination.

I'm not sure why you thought I would know more though, which is why I did not take your question seriously.

You decided to make me look like a dummy by suggesting I don't know how google works.

Well, this isn't any better, so my apologies in advance, but I was more suggesting that you didn't want to know, hence your refusal to google it yourself. I never thought you were stupid or a dummy. I actually really truly thought you were playing games (and that takes some smarts!). Again, no better, so my apologies.

a reply to: Boadicea

I'm sold.

I think this guy is the best candidate for President, but because of the two party BS I may not vote for him. He is the only candidate that is not trying to take rights away from us.

I think the issue is that until I believe Johnson has critical mass and could actually be elected I have to play self-defense in order to keep the worst of the worst from winning.

The problem with Johnson is the same problem true conservatism has - people are too addicted to government handouts.

A real libertarian says, "Sure, vice away! But don't come crawling to the rest of us when you can't support yourself tomorrow thanks to your habit."

I see a lot of what I call liberaltarians who want all the party and none of the hard reality of self-responsibility.

a reply to: Subsonic

Socially liberal, fiscally conservative, non-interventionist foreign policy. That ticks all three of my boxes.

Same here.

He's got the best hashtag ever: #feelthejohnson

Awesome.

originally posted by: Metallicus
a reply to: Boadicea

I'm sold.

I think this guy is the best candidate for President, but because of the two party BS I may not vote for him. He is the only candidate that is not trying to take rights away from us.

I think the issue is that until I believe Johnson has critical mass and could actually be elected I have to play self-defense in order to keep the worst of the worst from winning.

I totally and completely understand that. I voted for him in '12, and he's at the top of my list for best damn candidate in the race... but my vote will go where it will do the most good. And I don't know who that is yet.

Too much can happen -- or not -- between now and November.

originally posted by: ketsuko
The problem with Johnson is the same problem true conservatism has - people are too addicted to government handouts.

A real libertarian says, "Sure, vice away! But don't come crawling to the rest of us when you can't support yourself tomorrow thanks to your habit."

I see a lot of what I call liberaltarians who want all the party and none of the hard reality of self-responsibility.

You have a good point... but I would say the same for the "conservatarians" who want all the crony capitalism and loopholes and none of the hard reality of true competition in a free and fair market.

My best hope from Johnson -- and Libertarians in general, whether with a big or little "L" -- is that he will level the playing field. It is a rigged game right now, and that in and of itself makes too many people think they don't have a chance on their own. I truly believe the vast majority of people would rather be independent and self-sufficient -- if they could be.

a reply to: Boadicea

Hey no worries, it's an online forum, I'm kinda a smartass at times, so I get it. I did ask sincerely thinking maybe you had more to add than just his website. He obviously gets zero airtime, but there are several other resources to get your word out. I thought maybe you had some more to get a better idea of what he represents.

I agree it isn't fair to 3rd party and independent candidates running for president about funding and media coverage, but it's hard to claim that anymore with social media. Hell, Justin Bieber (sec washing out mouth with soap for saying that name) got famous from youtube.

Viral videos are a viable campaign route. Once you get people's attention they usually will listen.

I don't like the bit of information I've read so far on the guy to be honest though. Why? Well he runs the largest construction company in a border state and is for expanding work visas. 2+2 = cheap immigrant labor, not cool.

originally posted by: Vector99
a reply to: Boadicea

Hey no worries, it's an online forum, I'm kinda a smartass at times, so I get it.

Well cool! And thank you -- I appreciate that. My apologies again, and I'm glad we hashed it out

I did ask sincerely thinking maybe you had more to add than just his website. He obviously gets zero airtime, but there are several other resources to get your word out. I thought maybe you had some more to get a better idea of what he represents.

Much of what I know -- and respect about him -- is more from how he governed as governor of New Mexico. I read a great article about him in 2012 that went into details about his time as governor, but hell if I can find it now!!! If I do, I'll post the link for you. In 2012, what I remember is that he promised he'd cut back federal spending by 43%, end a couple federal departments and send that money back to the states, de-criminalize marijuana, and stop the nation-building-regime-changing-foreign policy.

I agree it isn't fair to 3rd party and independent candidates running for president about funding and media coverage, but it's hard to claim that anymore with social media. Hell, Justin Bieber (sec washing out mouth with soap for saying that name) got famous from youtube.

At least you didn't say the K word...

One of the things I admire about Johnson is his efforts to get third party candidates included in the presidential debates. I also admire and respect him for working with Jill Stein to do so.

I don't like the bit of information I've read so far on the guy to be honest though. Why? Well he runs the largest construction company in a border state and is for expanding work visas. 2+2 = cheap immigrant labor, not cool.

I'll have to look at that again. I thought he supported work visas only if they were hired on the same terms and conditions as citizens. I would still prefer our jobs go to our citizens first, but I can accept a level playing field if I have to.

Like I said, he's not a perfect candidate. No one is. On the plus side, though, he is the best of the bunch -- and even in terms of work visas, all the other candidates support increasing them too.