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This morning in Concord, NH, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson (R) said something he hadn't uttered before.
“I’m running for president of the United States,” he told a couple of supporters and cameramen gathered for his announcement outside the New Hampshire State Capitol. Skipping the exploratory committee phase, Johnson jumped right into the slow-to-start 2012 race.
A New Hampshire announcement is fitting, seeing as Johnson’s strategy hangs on his success in the first-in-the-nation primary state. “New Hampshire is really key in this whole process for me. I have to do and want to do really well in New Hampshire, so I’m gonna spend a lot of time in New Hampshire where you can go from obscurity to prominence overnight with a good showing in New Hampshire,” he said. This was Johnson’s fourth visit to the Granite State this year.
Johnson, a libertarian, differs with much of the Republican Party’s base on several issues. He supports a guest-worker program. “I’m not talking about citizenship. I’m not talking about a green card, permit of non-residential status. I’m talking about a work visa,” he said. He also favors legalizing marijuana, because he thinks if you legalize the drug “75% of the border violence with Mexico goes away because that’s the estimate of the drug cartels’ activities that are engaged in the trade of marijuana.” And opposed to both the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Johnson wants America out of both countries now.
Where he and the GOP don’t differ is on the scope of the government. “I really do believe in smaller government. I really believe that there are consequences of legislation that get passed and maybe it isn’t in our best interests to pass all the legislation that we pass,” he told the small audience.
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I'M gonna vote for Gary Johnson! Yep- Gary's MY guy! Gonna pull the ol' lever for good old Gary J, come 2012. Yessiree Bob! The 'J'-man. He's MY kind of guy!!
(but, Uh.....who's Gary Johnson?)
How does he plan to get it passed, I`m tired of these guys making promises and not even saying how they are going to make it possible. I would not trust a republicon, look to Michigan, an Wisconsin. The voters there were bamboozled into believing their BS. Lets not be fooled again. Libertarian is just another Repugnant with a different name.
Boy the GOP/TP must be in worse straits than I thought. This is going to be one weird election cycle.
Not to mention - OH SO entertaining! LMAO
*popcorn*?
I'll vote for Gary if he promises not to torture POWs.
I happened to catch a little of the Gary Johnson interview on MSNBC when he was talking about legalizing drugs. He indicated the USA incarcerates nearly 1.8 (I think that's what he said) million people on marijuana related charges which costs a lot of taxpayer money. He said just legalize it, tax it allowing government to control it. Now I don't agree with much of the libertarian ideology but there are a view areas which run parallel with liberal positions and this is one of them.
I had an economics teacher many years ago who must have been a libertarian now that I think about it although he never talked politics. I remember he said that as crazy as it sounded, it was necessary to look at the illegal drug problem from an "economics" view. The Government spends billions fighting drugs (all drugs) and the best way to deal with the problem is to legalize it, sell it cheap at controlled stores, tax it, and you get rid of the gang violence, the drug lords, the cartels, the cost of drug inforcement, law inforcement, imprisonment. He also said the money the Government saved fighting drugs could be better spent on drug rehabilitation and intervention programs--since the users would be buying from a store, help could be available in the next room or next door.
Our liberal state representative, Diane Russell, is putting forth a bill to legalize marijuana. I cringed when I heard that, as Portland has a reputation as being far to the left of the rest of the state, however, she made some very persuasive arguments. And it's fun to watch the Republicans tick off their Libertarian wing when they vote against Russell's proposal.
There are some valid points to consider about legalization of marijuana, but don't I think the conservatives will go for that idea one bit.
Well , what is taking anyone of the cowardly GOP/T-baggers so long to jump in?
Where does he stand on a woman's right to choose? I totally agree with him on legalization, but the right to choose is my benchmark. If he's Anti-Choice, I'm Anti-Gary Johnson.
he's pro-choice and pro-gay marriage. theres alot of people on these boards who bash someone based on the little R or D next to their name. i hope more people wise up and actually look up these people. gary johnson is the real deal, he isn't just another goper or tea partier
Is he running as a Republican? He sure seems to be against a lot of their platform. Or is he running as a Libertarian, and thus not in the Republican Primary?
YES!!! Gary Johnson can absolutely count on my vote - even though I usually vote Democrat. He is a wonderful exception!!!
Another joke! and the hits just keep on rolling!!
Another entry in the running for the presidency! When will it stop? Where's the popcorn and drinks? They are coming out in droves - Governor Gary Johnson once endorsed Ron Paul of Texas for president. That makes him a Libertarian-Republican, a breed apart. During his tenure, he vetoed more bills than the other 49 governors combined — 750 in total. In 1999, he refused to sign off the budget after it failed to include a voucher program, but was faced down by Democrats holding majorities in both houses in New Mexico. Not much else to say except he's towing the Republican line.
The rumor: George W. Bush has the lowest IQ of all the presidents.
The facts: A report by the Lovenstein Institute in 2001 found that George W. Bush had the lowest IQ of any president in the past 50 years. The report was discovered on the website lovenstein.org.
The problem? There is no Lovenstein Institute and no report.
Case solved?
this is an interesting guy. i heard him on ed's show. he has good qualities and good simple no non sense answers. however, what we've been through with our new gov in michigan, who was easy going during elections and now wants to sell the state to china, I'm not so sure i can trust any republican.