Gary Johnson Disputes Rand Paul’s Libertarian Cred

[Christian Liberty]

The president of PHC was a Reconstructionist who left the movement. I'd be talking to him to see why he left it.

Check your PM Box.

[Brett85]

They've been hijacked by "fiscal conservative social liberals". The Constitution Party is better, though still by no means perfect.

I agree. I don't agree with the Constitution Party on everything, but I like them better than the Libertarian Party.

[Suzanimal]

I thought this was $#@!ty. Lumping the Pauls in with the Bushes and Clintons is ridiculous and the LP knows it. Shame on them, they're getting killed in the comments and deservedly so.

[cajuncocoa]

I thought this was $#@!ty. Lumping the Pauls in with the Bushes and Clintons is ridiculous and the LP knows it. Shame on them, they're getting killed in the comments and deservedly so.

Disgusting, considering Ron was their candidate in 1988 and is an honorary lifetime member of their party.

[erowe1]

I thought this was $#@!ty. Lumping the Pauls in with the Bushes and Clintons is ridiculous and the LP knows it. Shame on them, they're getting killed in the comments and deservedly so.

Did the LP really post that?

[William Tell]

Did the LP really post that?

Yep. https://www.facebook.com/libertarian...type=1&theater

[LibertyExtremist]

A certain "Paul" did more to wake people up to the cause of liberty than the LP has been able to do in their entire existence. I've always voted LP, except for the few liberty-oriented GOP candidates I've vote for, but I'm really going to have to rethink doing so after a post like that....horrible.

[cajuncocoa]

Did the LP really post that?

The person who posted it should be fired immediately; it's wrong on so many levels.

[LawnWake]

Rand is more libertarian than Johnson. But I agree, it's good for Rand.

Why is "Reason" running a story like this?

Selling magazines.

[Badger Paul]

If Johnson smart he should ignore Rand. He can't control what happens in the GOP primaries and attacking Rand alienates a nice pool of potential voters. There's no gain in it for him and he should stop. There are a lot of voters who introduced to libertarianism because of the Pauls. Johnson needs to remember that.

[specsaregood]

bump

[CPUd]

Yep. https://www.facebook.com/libertarian...type=1&theater

Comments on that post do not seem to be very supportive, LOL.

[William Tell]

While Rand may be as "libertarian" as the GOP can stomach, he's not enough to gain the nomination of the LP, and it would be insulting to ask them to forego fielding a candidate just because Rand is the GOP nominee. If Rand really had the libertarian cred that his dad has, there would be no reason to worry; no candidate the LP would nominate would be a threat to Ron. So, why are you guys even worried about Gary Johnson? If Rand > Ron, or even = Ron in the minds of libertarian voters, you'd have nothing to worry about.

It's interesting how things change so fast in politics. Just over one year later William Weld is the top name being thrown around for LP vice presidential candidate.

[afwjam]

Yep. https://www.facebook.com/libertarian...type=1&theater

What the $#@!ing $#@!? If the Libertarian party nominates Johnson/Weld I will be withdrawing my membership that I just got two weeks ago.

[phill4paul]

What the $#@!ing $#@!? If the Libertarian party nominates Johnson/Weld I will be withdrawing my membership that I just got two weeks ago.

Lol. Welcome to the LP.

[francisco]

What the $#@!ing $#@!? If the Libertarian party nominates Johnson/Weld I will be withdrawing my membership that I just got two weeks ago.

Didn't you get the memo?

Each Party was challenged as a competition to provide the absolute worst nominee they could from within their ranks. The Demopublicans and the Republicrats set a very high bar in this cycle.

[William Tell]

Didn't you get the memo?

Each Party was challenged as a competition to provide the absolute worst nominee they could from within their ranks. The Demopublicans and the Republicrats set a very high bar in this cycle.

The Constitution Party lost.

[Krugminator2]

While Rand may be as "libertarian" as the GOP can stomach, he's not enough to gain the nomination of the LP, and it would be insulting to ask them to forego fielding a candidate just because Rand is the GOP nominee. If Rand really had the libertarian cred that his dad has, there would be no reason to worry; no candidate the LP would nominate would be a threat to Ron. So, why are you guys even worried about Gary Johnson? If Rand > Ron, or even = Ron in the minds of libertarian voters, you'd have nothing to worry about.

Comments like the above seem even more brain-dead in retrospect than they were at the time.

Here is my libertarian ranking based on their comprehension of libertarian ideas and their policy proposals. Rand >= Ron > Petersen >=McAfee >>> Johnson

Johnson should be the nominee this weekend for a variety of reasons but he was not very libertarian at the beginning of 2015 and he isn't very libertarian now.

[cajuncocoa]

Comments like the above seem even more brain-dead in retrospect than they were at the time.

Here is my libertarian ranking based on their comprehension of libertarian ideas and their policy proposals. Rand >= Ron > Petersen >=McAfee >>> Johnson

Johnson should be the nominee this weekend for a variety of reasons but he was not very libertarian at the beginning of 2015 and he isn't very libertarian now.

No. Rand is good -- certainly miles better than Trump, but not better than Ron, and I'm sorry if you don't understand what I'm saying in that post. The LP owes the GOP nothing, and would not forego fielding a candidate no matter who the GOP nominee is (even if it was Ron.)

[Krugminator2]

No. Rand is good -- certainly miles better than Trump, but not better than Ron, and I'm sorry if you don't understand what I'm saying in that post. The LP owes the GOP nothing, and would not forego fielding a candidate no matter who the GOP nominee is (even if it was Ron.)

I see "libertarian" in scare quotes. That's what I see. And I see the words "as 'libertarian' as the GOP can stomach." Rand by any reasonable definition of libertarian qualifies as very libertarian. He is more across the board libertarian than the last 2 LP nominees. Rand vs Ron can be argued endlessly either way that's why I said ">=." I prefer Rand but I wouldn't quibble with those who feel differently.

The part arguing that the LP should field a nominee had nothing to do with my objection. I wasn't paying attention to that at all.

[Ronin Truth]

What's Rand's position on the NAP? What's Gary's?

[cajuncocoa]

I see "libertarian" in scare quotes. That's what I see. And I see the words "as 'libertarian' as the GOP can stomach." Rand by any reasonable definition of libertarian qualifies as very libertarian. Rand vs Ron can be argued endlessly either way that's why I said ">=." I prefer Rand but I wouldn't quibble with those who feel differently.

The part arguing that the LP should field a nominee had nothing to do with my objection. I wasn't paying attention to that at all.

That's too bad, because that was the whole reason for the post -- 15 months ago.

[cajuncocoa]

What's Rand's position on the NAP? What's Gary's?

Do you really not know, or are you trying to pull me into a debate because of that post I made 15 months ago? It had nothing to do with Gary Johnson, FYI. He's certainly NOT my candidate (have you noticed the "Stand With Rand" banner on my profile? Yeah, that's my candidate....not Trump, not GJ...Rand.)

[William Tell]

Do you really not know, or are you trying to pull me into a debate because of that post I made 15 months ago? It had nothing to do with Gary Johnson, FYI. He's certainly NOT my candidate (have you noticed the "Stand With Rand" banner on my profile? Yeah, that's my candidate....not Trump, not GJ...Rand.)

Understood. I didn't mean to bump it to start an argument. I just think almost everyone would agree Rand is more libertarian than Weld and Johnson at this point and the LP may well nominate them.

[cajuncocoa]

Understood. I didn't mean to bump it to start an argument. I just think almost everyone would agree Rand is more libertarian than Weld and Johnson at this point and the LP may well nominate them.

I'm no fan of Gary Johnson. If I vote LP it would only be to help the party achieve the elusive 5% margin they've been trying to break through forever. It's not about Gary Johnson at all.

[Ronin Truth]

Do you really not know, or are you trying to pull me into a debate because of that post I made 15 months ago?

I really not know nor am I trying to pull you into a debate.

It had nothing to do with Gary Johnson, FYI.

OK!

He's certainly NOT my candidate (have you noticed the "Stand With Rand" banner on my profile?

Actually no, I haven't noticed.

Yeah, that's my candidate....not Trump, not GJ...Rand.)

OK! Expected answer from both a Senator and a Governor is , "What does being Libertarian have anything to do with the NAP?".

//

[William Tell]

I'm no fan of Gary Johnson. If I vote LP it would only be to help the party achieve the elusive 5% margin they've been trying to break through forever. It's not about Gary Johnson at all.

I get that. In the first sentence of the post you made last year you seemed to be saying that the LP wouldn't pick Rand because they have high standards. My only point is that Rand is far better than their likely pick.

[cajuncocoa]

I get that. In the first sentence of the post you made last year you seemed to be saying that the LP wouldn't pick Rand because they have high standards. My only point is that Rand is far better than their likely pick.

No, not "high" standards -- "different" standards. Rand even denied being a libertarian at one point, which may or may not bother RPF members, but it probably wouldn't sit well with the LP as far as nominating him as their candidate.

“I’m not advocating everyone go out and run around with no clothes on and smoke pot,” the Washington Post quoted Paul as saying. “I’m not a libertarian. I’m a libertarian Republican. I’m a constitutional conservative.”

http://www.theamericanconservative.c...rtarian-fears/

[cajuncocoa]

//

I'm not impressed with GJ's foreign policy comments. Rand made a few that bothered me as well, but neither of them are going to be president, so it's a moot point. I would vote for Rand over GJ in a heartbeat due to other factors, so I hope that settles the debate for everyone. My comment from 15 months ago was not about MY opinion of Rand, it was about the LP's likely opinion of him, and whether they would refrain from running a candidate in the 2016 election if Rand had gotten the GOP nomination -- they would not have, in my opinion.

[cajuncocoa]

15 months later, I'm still getting harassed over comments I've made about Rand, even though I enthusiastically support him now...while people go about licking Trump's boots on this site daily. Go figure.