Former New Mexico Republican Governor and 2016 Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson is “optimistic” that he will “actually get into the debates.” If he doesn’t stand on the debate stage then it is “game over.”
Johnson spoke with Fox News earlier this week about an array of topics. And it was quite a revealing interview because it offered up more proof that he is far from being a libertarian. He also flip flopped on a number of matters again.
Speaking on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), Johnson confirmed that he supports it because it’s a form of free trade. Although he has previously stated that the TPP is cronyism, he told the news network that himself and his running mate, William Weld, are the only ones in the race to “support it.”
When it comes to federal spending, Johnson wants to slash the federal budget by 20 percent in his first year and eventually eliminate the departments of education, commerce and homeland security. But his next comment is quite interesting (emphasis ours):
“Well, in the case of Education, in the case of Commerce, and there are some vital functions in these agencies, but do they require an entire agency? I don’t think so,” Johnson said. “But Education, Commerce, Housing and Urban Development, Homeland Security. Why…is Homeland Security an agency unto itself? Shouldn’t it be a part of the FBI? Those are the ones that I am advocating out of the chute.”
On the issue of taxes, Johnson further promoted his idea of a federal consumption tax, which, as legendary free market economist called it, is a tax on living and a permission to live.
Here is what Johnson told Fox:
“If I could wave a magic wand, I would eliminate income tax, corporate tax. I would replace it with one federal consumption tax. I put up the fair tax as the template for how you accomplish one federal consumption tax. You’re right about a consumption tax being regressive. The way that the fair tax deals with that is it issues everyone a “prebate” check of $200 a month that allows everyone to pay the consumption tax up to the point of the poverty level… Zero corporate tax, which you and I paid for, I maintain that that would create tens of millions of jobs and that it would also issue pink slips to 80 percent of Washington lobbyists.”
Johnson was very good and passionate on foreign policy by criticizing U.S. foreign policy and President Obama and Hillary Clinton for helping prop up ISIS.
“I do believe that if you want to look at ISIS, that they are regionally contained…. A poll among active military personnel two weeks ago, who do they favor for president of the United States? Me. So what are they saying? What are—what they’re saying is judicious use of the military. If we’re attacked, we’re going to attack back. But the fact that we involve ourselves in regime change has resulted in the unintended consequence of making things worse, not better, and nobody’s standing up to this. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, not intentional. They go in. They support the opposition in Libya and Syria. The oppositions aligned with ISIS. We arm the opposition. Now those arms are in ISIS’ hands. This is the unintended consequence of our foreign policy…. [We’re] going to continue to stay engaged in [battling ISIS], but there will be a void when that gets eliminated. We didn’t even hear about ISIS until two years ago. This was al Qaeda until it became ISIS. And wipe out ISIS and it will be something else. Look, the biggest threat in the world right now is North Korea. We need to deal with the civil war in Syria. That’s joining hands with Russia diplomatically to see that through. Biggest threat in the world, North Korea. We need to join arms—join hands with China to deal with that diplomatic…”
Johnson was also taken to task for telling John Stossel that he wants to get centrist policies in Washington in order to de-polarize Congress.
As the interview showed, Johnson conceded that you shouldn’t necessarily believe that his proposals will come to fruition because he isn’t “being elected dictator.” It was a strange interview, and made you further question his positions on the issues at hand.
Though he is better than Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, the libertarian message will be watered down if he gets into the debates.
According to Real Clear Politics, Johnson is averaging about 7.4 percent.
Your headline doesn’t fit the article. At what point did he exactly “bomb” on Fox? Also, the “he’s not a pure Libertarian” argument is getting stale. Johnson has said on several occasions that many in the party won’t agree with all of his views, but that he is more interested in getting things to actually work and move forward (read: Congress) as opposed to the constant gridlock taking place over the last few decades under the “major” parties. He has said on several occasions that he remains sceptical of the TPP, and that he has not been given access to the full contents for review. He’s not the Libertarian messiah, nor has he ever claimed to be. However for many Americans – Libertarian or otherwise – he is currently the only reasonable choice for a country that sorely needs to be brought together.
Who wrote this headline?… some Libtard intern? I think people are underestimating how much support Gary Johnson has right now. The debate commissions are partisan and will do everything they can to keep Johnson out of the debates. If the media really wants juicy news, they should want Johnson in the debates.
Reference your statement “On the issue of taxes” Just who was this legendary free market economist who called consumption taxes “a tax on living and a permission to live.” ? He obviously was not acquainted with HR 25 the Fairtax. The Fairtax totally untaxes everyone who is at or below poverty level.