Johnson: The GOP Is a Dying Party. That’s Why I’m Running Against Trump

[CPUd]

Johnson: The GOP Is a Dying Party. That’s Why I’m Running Against Trump

The GOP Is a Dying Party. That’s Why I’m Running Against Trump.

My Libertarian Party running mate, Bill Weld, is also a vastly better choice than Mike Pence.

By Gary Johnson


As a former Republican, I’m shocked that the party of Abraham Lincoln is nominating a man with a vision of America that doesn’t even resemble that of the party I once knew. And his vice presidential pick, Mike Pence, who as governor of Indiana has left a record of division in his state, only makes matters worse.

Despite the calls at the GOP convention in Cleveland for national unity, Donald Trump sees our country as a land of exclusion. He wants Americans to act as powerless serfs bullied by someone who says he will protect them. Throughout world history, that has been the calling card of Big Government autocrats.

His character assaults are unbounded. His campaign has been one of serial attacks on opponents and climbing to the top by hurting people. And frankly, his immigration and trade policies appear to consist of the same strategies.

I was the Republican governor of a very Democratic state. I succeeded because I brought a brand of fiscal conservativism, together with respect for people with different lifestyles. Government must live within its means, and we have to respect one another’s freedoms. Government should not incite culture wars that divide a state’s citizens as has Trump’s new running mate.

In Indiana, Governor Pence unwisely pushed a law that pitted religious freedom against the rights of gays and lesbians, and then backtracked on religious freedom. A better approach is to rely on the Constitution’s protections for free exercise of religion and for equal protection.

This is a decisive moment in the history of party politics in America. In the period leading up to the Civil War, American politics was dominated by a Democratic Party and the Whig Party. The controversy over slavery split the Whigs, and the party embraced nativism, opposing immigration and members of certain religious faiths.

The Republican Party is on its way to becoming like the Whigs. The Whigs died, then a new party came forward with an inspiring and positive vision for America.

...

Read more: http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/07/trump-vp-gary-johnson-bill-weld-libertarian-214069

 

[AuH20]

No mention of Hillary. This guy is real piece of work. I love the Lincoln reference as well. You are such a bad ass radical, Gary.

 

[Mr.NoSmile]

Then why did he run last time?

 

[timosman]

No mention of Hillary. This guy is real piece of work. I love the Lincoln reference as well. You are such a bad ass radical, Gary.

 

[CPUd]

He's saving Clinton attacks for the debates. Trump will be hiding behind him like he hid behind Jeb when Rand was owning everyone in the debates.

 

[euphemia]

Johnson thinks the EPA is a legitimate use of government.

 

[CaptUSA]

Johnson thinks the EPA is a legitimate use of government.

Yeah, what are ya going to do? The other two think EVERYTHING is a legitimate use of government.

Gary really pisses me off with his "cost/benefit" approach to liberty, but at least that approach involves some restraint.

 

[wizardwatson]

I really hate electoral politics. Such a useless distraction.

We spend 2 years after the election depressed that we got shafted again, and the next 2 years whining about how we're gonna get shafted when so-and-so gets elected.

Meanwhile the guys sitting in power go about shafting unhindered because everyone's focused on imaginary futures.

The strategic defeat of the electorate is so complete one could almost marvel if it wasn't the work of evil.

 

[euphemia]

Yeah, what are ya going to do? The other two think EVERYTHING is a legitimate use of government.

Gary really pisses me off with his "cost/benefit" approach to liberty, but at least that approach involves some restraint.

The EPA is the least restrained of all government.

Gary Johnson is the same, or worse, than Obama. All he has is theory and opinions and most of them are wrong. As far as I can tell he has spent a lot of time and money on pot and technology. The first one tells me he is doing his best to get rich from politics. He is not a liberty candidate, no matter what anyone says.

We are really up a creek now.

 

[timosman]

I really hate electoral politics. Such a useless distraction.

We spend 2 years after the election depressed that we got shafted again, and the next 2 years whining about how we're gonna get shafted when so-and-so gets elected.

Meanwhile the guys sitting in power go about shafting unhindered because everyone's focused on imaginary futures.

The strategic defeat of the electorate is so complete one could almost marvel if it wasn't the work of evil.

Not the evil, just your friendly PR department.

 

[wizardwatson]

Not the evil, just your friendly PR department.

Edward Bernays would be so proud.

 

[specsaregood]

The GOP Is a Dying Party. Trump

And GJ figured he would get a headstart on killing off the LP.

 

[specsaregood]

Gary really pisses me off with his "cost/benefit" approach to liberty, but at least that approach involves some restraint.

Meh, it may sound like it involves restraint when spoken beforehand but in practice I think you would find that ends up with no restraints whatsoever. If anything we already have a cost/benefit approach in place and the costs of losing liberty always loses the argument.

 

[CPUd]

Maybe the LP becomes the Republican Party, and the Republicans become the New Wig Party

 

[dannno]

The EPA is the least restrained of all government.

What about the military industrial complex? The Fed? Gary Johnson wants to reign in our foreign policy, have a real audit of the Fed and is against quantitative easing/bailouts.

Most libertarians like clean air and water, we don't like that the Federal Govt. is in charge of it - we don't like the man made global warming brigade talking mistruths and instituting policy from it.. and the EPA is certainly is causing a lot of problems but I don't know if it is the biggest threat we face. Maybe top 3 or 5.

Here is Gary Johnson's position on climate change:

http://irregulartimes.com/2016/05/11/gary-johnsons-plan-of-inaction-on-climate-change/

“When it comes to global climate change, Gov. Johnson believes too many politicians are having the wrong debate. Is the climate changing? Probably so. Is man contributing to that change? Probably so. The important question, however, is whether the government’s efforts to regulate, tax and manipulate the marketplace in order to impact that change are cost-effective — or effective at all. Given the realities of global energy and resource use, there is little evidence that the burden being placed on Americans is making a difference that justifies the cost.”

Clearly some areas of disagreement, but when it comes to instituting policy he will for the most part be on our side.

Gary Johnson is the same, or worse, than Obama.

That is totally preposterous. He had an interview on Joe Rogan a few months ago that lasted about 3 hours, and I pretty much agreed with everything he said. For 3 hours. Certainly there were some un-said things and there are some issues I break away from him on, but he is a libertarian who believes in low taxes and small government. He is against the bailouts and quantitative easing and all of Obama's wars, including the war on drugs which is horribly damaging to our country domestically. To say he is worse than Obama is completely ridiculous.

 

[AuH20]

If Gary had any type of integrity, he would also be bashing the excesses of HRC and the DNC. You can't exclusively attack one group because you look like a scheming schmuck.

 

[r3volution 3.0]

What about the military industrial complex? The Fed? Gary Johnson wants to reign in our foreign policy, have a real audit of the Fed and is against quantitative easing.

Most libertarians like clean air and water, we don't like that the Federal Govt. is in charge of it - we don't like the man made global warming brigade talking mistruths and instituting policy from it.. and the EPA is certainly is causing a lot of problems but I don't know if it is the biggest threat we face. Maybe top 3 or 5.

Here is Gary Johnson's position on climate change:

http://irregulartimes.com/2016/05/11/gary-johnsons-plan-of-inaction-on-climate-change/



Clearly some areas of disagreement, but when it comes to instituting policy he will for the most part be on our side.




That is totally preposterous. He had an interview on Joe Rogan a few months ago that lasted about 3 hours, and I pretty much agreed with everything he said. For 3 hours. Certainly there were some un-said things and there are some issues I break away from him on, but he is a libertarian who believes in low taxes and small government. He is against the bailouts and quantitative easing and all of Obama's wars, including the war on drugs which is horribly damaging to our country domestically. To say he is worse than Obama is completely ridiculous.

Well said

...it's fun watching avowed supporters of the orange, warmongering socialist play purist when it comes to Johnson.

 

[Natural Citizen]

He had an interview on Joe Rogan a few months ago....

Oh, hey, there was also a discussion that he had on private property...you know....like the most important thing for Individual Liberty...with Stossel the other day. Here's how that went...


Stossel: Should Jewish bakers should be forced to bake wedding cakes for Nazi customers?

Johnson: That would be my contention, yes


Of course, we all know what being forced to do something really means. Right? Like at the barrel of the government's gun? Heh. So, yeah. A real champion of Individual Liberty, that Johnson guy is. Danged Captain America right there, boys.

 

[AuH20]

Well said

...it's fun watching avowed supporters of the orange, warmongering socialist play purist when it comes to Johnson.

Gary Johnson is not tethered by the constraints of either major party. He is afforded the luxury of being 'pure', but instead decides to play a puzzling role of schemer.

 

[Natural Citizen]

The EPA is the least restrained of all government.

Gary Johnson is the same, or worse, than Obama. All he has is theory and opinions and most of them are wrong. As far as I can tell he has spent a lot of time and money on pot and technology. The first one tells me he is doing his best to get rich from politics. He is not a liberty candidate, no matter what anyone says.

We are really up a creek now.

Agreed. I contend that many of his more relevant and critical positions are more consistent with the foundation for cultural Marxism than that of the foundation for the principles of Individual Liberty. And one could certainly create a thread to make a legitimate case for that here if one felt moved to do so. But you know...people want to smoke the wacky weed and he's their man.