CNN: Forget Sarah Palin, here's Gary Johnson

[FrankRep]

Forget Palin, here's Gary Johnson (http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/11/10/friedersdorf.johnson.gop/)

CNN Opinion
November 10, 2010



Come 2012, however, there is one Republican who'll be uniquely positioned to win over these skeptics: former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, a long-shot candidate whose success in the presidential primary would signal, as nothing else could, that the principles espoused by the Tea Party really changed the GOP.

A self-made entrepreneur who founded one of the most successful construction businesses in his state, Johnson has vetoed more legislation than any other governor in America, successfully reduced spending during his tenure, and handily won re-election in a state where a majority of registered voters were Democrats.

On fiscal matters, he is as uncompromising as any Republican -- certainly more so than Tea Party favorite Sarah Palin, whose brief tenure as governor was a big government bonanza by comparison. Unlike former Gov. Palin, he is neither disliked nor mistrusted by independents, being relatively unknown.

[HOLLYWOOD]

We don't have to worry about Palin... she's in it for the money and fame right now.

She not going to give up millions running for a couple hundred Ks and exposing her stupidity.

[speciallyblend]

We don't have to worry about Palin... she's in it for the money and fame right now.

She not going to give up millions running for a couple hundred Ks and exposing her stupidity.

ego's always trump money and fame!

[Dripping Rain]

I wish Gary Johnson was only pro life like Ron Paul. other than that he seems solidly on our side

[Dripping Rain]

We don't have to worry about Palin... she's in it for the money and fame right now.

She not going to give up millions running for a couple hundred Ks and exposing her stupidity.

I think Palin may surprise us. She may be stupid. may be. but shes unpredictable and kind of a loose cannon. I suspect she may be a secret Ron Paul fan. She may turn on the neocons which I also suspect will happen. just a prediction but Im not counting on it. So bring RP 2012

[FrankRep]

I suspect she may be a secret Ron Paul fan.

Sarah Palin on Ron Paul: He's Cool; He's a Good Guy
YouTube - Sarah Palin on Ron Paul and Republican partisanship (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YglP4clX0A)

[Dripping Rain]

Sarah Palin on Ron Paul: He's Cool; He's a Good Guy
YouTube - Sarah Palin on Ron Paul and Republican partisanship (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YglP4clX0A)

ditto Frank
theres so many other reasons I believe this to be true. But I dont want to start a flame war with her detractors. I also suspect her husband is a RP fan himself because of his past affiliations. Her position on the FED cannot be something good for the neocons. Does any of you remember when she endorsed Rand? How she was flamed by neocons from Frum to Kristol to Chris Wallace to Debbie Sclusel or watever her name is etc
Palin knew Rand wouldnt endorse her for prez yet she supported him. she also supported Joe Miller whos an outspoken anti neocon. you make what you want of it

[Depressed Liberator]

I wish Gary Johnson was only pro life like Ron Paul. other than that he seems solidly on our side

You don't need to be pro choice or pro life to be "on our side".

[stefank]

You don't need to be pro choice or pro life to be "on our side".

this

[FrankRep]

You don't need to be pro choice or pro life to be "on our side".
Repeal Roe v. Wade and I'll agree.

[Dripping Rain]

You don't need to be pro choice or pro life to be "on our side".

if you cant admit that we should defend the life of the unborn I dont know if we would be allies. Its just so fundamental to liberty that is the defense of life
I didnt say hes not our ally btw. I just said I wished he was on life

[FrankRep]

if you cant admit that we should defend the life of the unborn I dont know if we would be allies. Its just so fundamental to liberty that is the defense of life

Repeal Roe v. Wade and this won't be an issue.

[JoshLowry]

other than that he seems solidly on our side

He believes we should protect Israel with our military when it is deemed their right to exist is at stake. Maybe I'm misinterpreting it.

http://ouramericainitiative.com/issues/defense-and-the-middle-east-war.html

[FrankRep]

He believes we should protect Israel with our military when it is deemed their right to exist is at stake. Maybe I'm misinterpreting it.

http://ouramericainitiative.com/issues/defense-and-the-middle-east-war.html

Gary Johnson does say this:


Gary Johnson opposed the war in Iraq as Governor of New Mexico and believes that the United States should withdraw our troops from both Iraq and Afghanistan as soon as effectively possible, believing that neither country poses a current threat to the US.

[Dripping Rain]

He believes we should protect Israel with our military when it is deemed their right to exist is at stake. Maybe I'm misinterpreting it.

http://ouramericainitiative.com/issues/defense-and-the-middle-east-war.html

never seen that Josh
I agree with this

Governor Johnson supports the right of Israel to exist as a sovereign country

but this

and believes that the United States should protect that right militarily if needed.
seems like he supports being Israel's body guard and hitman. I would love to ask him how we can fiscally maintain this? just fiscally

[Dripping Rain]

Repeal Roe v. Wade and I'll agree.

+rep for making an excellent point

[libertythor]

Palin just might be working for us behind the scenes. Remember that a lot of the establishment Neocons have gotten their panties in a bunch over a lot of her activities in the GOP.

We will know what the exact case is as soon as the new Congress is seated and she starts critiquing its work.

[JoshLowry]

Palin just might be working for us behind the scenes. Remember that a lot of the establishment Neocons have gotten their panties in a bunch over a lot of her activities in the GOP.

We will know what the exact case is as soon as the new Congress is seated and she starts critiquing its work.

Or she's not secretly working behind the scenes for the betterment of mankind.

What's the point in beating around the bush?

[libertythor]

Or she's not secretly working behind the scenes for the betterment of mankind.

What's the point in beating around the bush?

My point it is possible that she may be gradually becoming independent of the McCain handlers that thrust her into national politics. Her husband is a member of the Alaska Independence Party (a libertarian secessionist party in Alaska) after all.

[JoshLowry]

Barbara Bush is pro abortion. That doesn't mean Georgie was secretly working with the progressives.

It's just such a long shot with no real evidence. You're right, she did hold hands with McCain. Not my kind of gal.

[libertythor]

Barbara Bush is pro abortion. That doesn't mean Georgie was secretly working with the progressives.

It's just such a long shot with no real evidence. You're right, she did hold hands with McCain. Not my kind of gal.

Note that I stated my neutrality on the Palin issue for now. She still has a lot to prove.

[JoshLowry]

Note that I stated my neutrality on the Palin issue for now. She still has a lot to prove.

Duly noted. :)

[trey4sports]

Palin isnt on our side, she isnt really on anyone's side. Intellectually, shes a lightweight. She has no real political philosophy. She's a beauty queen inflating her ego via politics and shes a loose cannon. She really is a loose damn cannon and that i really like simply because id rather roll the dice than elect an out and out intellectual neocon (oxymoron, yes i know).

Thinking that she secretly supports paleo-conservative views would be vastly overestimating her intelligence,

[FrankRep]

Palin isnt on our side, she isnt really on anyone's side. Intellectually, shes a lightweight. She has no real political philosophy. She's a beauty queen inflating her ego via politics and shes a loose cannon. She really is a loose damn cannon and that i really like simply because id rather roll the dice than elect an out and out intellectual neocon (oxymoron, yes i know).

Stupid, silly insults. :rolleyes:

[Krugerrand]

if you cant admit that we should defend the life of the unborn I dont know if we would be allies. Its just so fundamental to liberty that is the defense of life
I didn't say hes not our ally btw. I just said I wished he was on life

I agree with you in principle. However, (if I remember correctly) given that Gary Johnson was exceptionally well-liked by pro-life groups in New Mexico. For me, that gives me a moment to pause and hear him out.

I believe Gary Johnson is opposed to RvW. He is opposed to any federal funding of abortion. At a Federal Level, that is essentially pro-life. And, considering that as a state executive he was well-liked by the pro-life groups, I'd be willing to give him a shot IF Ron Paul were not on the ballot.

Abortions levels would plummet if we kill the federal fundings and protections.

[Corto_Maltese]

Abortions levels would plummet if we kill the federal fundings and protections.
Arent you worried that illegal, more dangerous abortions would take place? Just cause you outlaw something doesnt mean it goes away.
Stop federal funding and all that, but ultimatly better information to young people about sex, counsling and better living standards etc. will help the most.

[Icymudpuppy]

removal of Federal fundings and protections have nothing to do with banning.

[Matthew Zak]

I don't think she'll ever be a favorite, because voters would have a change of heart once they get to the polls. "Wait... this means I'll have to hear her voice for 4 years... no way."

[klamath]

You don't need to be pro choice or pro life to be "on our side". You don;t have to be for or against nation building to be "on our side".

[ChaosControl]

Arent you worried that illegal, more dangerous abortions would take place? Just cause you outlaw something doesnt mean it goes away.
Stop federal funding and all that, but ultimatly better information to young people about sex, counsling and better living standards etc. will help the most.

It'll still exist, but it'll be less common. If there isn't some safe free clinic for them to go to out in the open, they are less likely to get it done. A lot of people don't necessarily really want to but get talked into it, I imagine those would end up not getting it done illegally.

But yes, there needs to of course be education and help to prevent it.

I don't know why our country is such obsessive with sexual relations, not every nation has such high teenager promiscuity.

[Krugerrand]

Arent you worried that illegal, more dangerous abortions would take place? Just cause you outlaw something doesnt mean it goes away.
Stop federal funding and all that, but ultimatly better information to young people about sex, counsling and better living standards etc. will help the most.

Nope, not worried. For those who recognize and respect the individual life and liberty of the unborn, your suggestion is comparable to legalizing homicide so as to prevent the dangerous homicides from taking place.

A far more creative solution would allow mothers to sell their children to adoptive families. A boat load of money changes hand on adoptions. Everybody gets a piece of that except for the woman who bore the child.

[Kregisen]

Nope, not worried. For those who recognize and respect the individual life and liberty of the unborn, your suggestion is comparable to legalizing homicide so as to prevent the dangerous homicides from taking place.

Exactly. There are some fair arguments for pro-choice (I'm pro-life though) but the "if if you ban something, it will never go away" argument is pretty ridiculous in this context.


A far more creative solution would allow mothers to sell their children to adoptive families. A boat load of money changes hand on adoptions. Everybody gets a piece of that except for the woman who bore the child.

That's very interesting.

[Krugerrand]

Exactly. There are some fair arguments for pro-choice (I'm pro-life though) but the "if if you ban something, it will never go away" argument is pretty ridiculous in this context.

That's very interesting.

I have little respect for pro-abortion arguments that do no recognize the individual unique life of the child. It's one thing to try and argue that the woman should have ultimate control over what lives inside her body. But to try and deny that it is a human child inside, I find intellectually dishonest.

[Elwar]

Ya, I remember when we used to live in a country where debating the unborn was practical.

Those were the good ol' days.

Have you noticed the $1.4 trillion deficit lately?

[Brian4Liberty]

Last I heard, Gary Johnson was for open immigration and amnesty? That will be a hard sell (on the right) considering the state of our economy. And if he recommends that without first dismantling the welfare state, he might as well support running the printing presses at full speed to support masses of underpaid people.

[nandnor]

Last I heard, Gary Johnson was for open immigration and amnesty? That will be a hard sell (on the right) considering the state of our economy. And if he recommends that without first dismantling the welfare state, he might as well support running the printing presses at full speed to support masses of underpaid people.If this is true along with the abortion issue, Johnson is in fact a more principled Rothbardian than Paul himself. Which is ironic as Ron is the supposed "principled libertarian"

[trey4sports]

Nobody is perfect, and neither Paul nor Johnson are Big L Libertarians, yet both would be incredibly good presidents.

[specsaregood]

Governor Johnson supports the right of Israel to exist as a sovereign country

I agree with this


I don't. I don't think any country has a "right" to exist. They can exist as long as they hold power over a landmass, but they don't have a right to do so.

[Eric21ND]

Why are you guys arguing abortion when you boil it down RP and Gary Johnson essential agree its a state issue. You're arguing over the wetness of water.

[Meatwasp]

Palin voted for Buchanan and so did I. Couldn't be all bad.

[ChaosControl]

Why are you guys arguing abortion when you boil it down RP and Gary Johnson essential agree its a state issue. You're arguing over the wetness of water.

It can be the principle of the issue. Many people want to have someone who has similar values as they do in office, policy isn't everything to many people.

Many wouldn't want a politician who cheats on his wife or whatever, and likewise some people won't support a politician who supports abortion even if in policy they agree with them. Some basically want politicians, leaders, who are of good character, good role models, of high integrity, etc. And of course people disagree on what those things are, for many, the abortion issue can be a defining element of that.

[Elwar]

I'm more of a sprinter and Gary Johnson runs long distance.

Not presidential material as far as I'm concerned.

PS. I can't wait until all of our income goes directly to the Chinese.

[sofia]

We don't have to worry about Palin... she's in it for the money and fame right now.

She not going to give up millions running for a couple hundred Ks and exposing her stupidity.

the couple hundred K's would only be for a few years....afterwards her earning power will be even greater....and more permanent than it is today.

This ambitious phony has already made serious bank in just the last 18 months....and will rake in millions more by the time she's hypothetically sworn in.

I'll bet u a dollar she's running.

[sofia]

PS. I can't wait until all of our income goes directly to the Chinese.

common misconception...

China "only" holds 1 trillion of our 14 trillion dollar debt.....The Federal Reserve holds about SEVEN TRILLION.....

It is the private owners of the Fed who own us....not the Chinese.

[Elwar]

common misconception...

China "only" holds 1 trillion of our 14 trillion dollar debt.....The Federal Reserve holds about SEVEN TRILLION.....

It is the private owners of the Fed who own us....not the Chinese.

Ahh...good to know. I feel much better now.

What language do our new masters speak?

*puts down the "how to learn Chinese" book*

[teacherone]

i'm pretty sure any libertarian well versed in economics will easily see that prohibiting anything leads to that activity being pushed into the black market where the criminals profit and the body count mounts.

[teacherone]

^^^^oops--we're off topic there

sorry

[sofia]

Ahh...good to know. I feel much better now.

What language do our new masters speak?

*puts down the "how to learn Chinese" book*

mainly the Hebrew language....

Bernanke, Soros, Greenspan, Volcker, Summers, Rubin, Blankfein, Rothschild et al.

[Knightskye]

The article is an op-ed, not an official CNN article.

[FrankRep]

The article is an op-ed, not an official CNN article.

That's why I put "CNN Opinion"

[anaconda]

You don't need to be pro choice or pro life to be "on our side".

As offensive as it may seem to some and without making any moral judgments, Ending The Fed and stopping war will be a great plus to our society regardless of the abortion issue. It has been wedged as one of those right-left paradigm issues that helps keep us on the road to tyranny. No one wants dead fetuses.

[Brett85]

I wish Gary Johnson was only pro life like Ron Paul. other than that he seems solidly on our side

Yep. I wouldn't ever support him because of that. He's also a fan of open borders as well, which leads to bigger government.

[Knightskye]

Yep. I wouldn't ever support him because of that. He's also a fan of open borders as well, which leads to bigger government.

Do you have to shrink down peoples' positions to two-word slogans?

YouTube - Our America - Immigration (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbehpwxV7Sc)

That's like saying Ron Paul has a "blame-America" foreign policy.

[klamath]

Gary Johnson: "Governor Johnson supports the right of Israel to exist as a sovereign country and believes that the United States should protect that right militarily if needed."

Why not protect Germany, France, Norway, Canada England Etc? GJ singles out Isreal as the one country we should protect miltarily?. I feel our country has a lot more in common with these countries than Israel. If we are going to defend Israel at all costs then all his talk of getting out of the middle east is pure horsesh*t. We will be having a steady stream of terrorists hitting us if we continus to take on israels enemies in which case we will have to respond.

[Brett85]

Do you have to shrink down peoples' positions to two-word slogans?

YouTube - Our America - Immigration (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbehpwxV7Sc)

That's like saying Ron Paul has a "blame-America" foreign policy.

He talks about "documenting" illegal immigrants and giving them amnesty, not stopping illegal immigration at the border. I read in another interview that he wants to have an immigration system where people could just drive across the border without even being stopped by the border patrol. His position on this issue is 180 degrees opposite of Ron's position.

[Brian4Liberty]

Do you have to shrink down peoples' positions to two-word slogans?

YouTube - Our America - Immigration (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbehpwxV7Sc)

That's like saying Ron Paul has a "blame-America" foreign policy.

Immigration. So close to Imagine, I could hear the song playing in the background of the video...

[Tyr]

He talks about "documenting" illegal immigrants and giving them amnesty, not stopping illegal immigration at the border. I read in another interview that he wants to have an immigration system where people could just drive across the border without even being stopped by the border patrol. His position on this issue is 180 degrees opposite of Ron's position.

He wants amnesty so he can keep employing them.


Anyways out of the two options Sarah Palin gets my vote.