Gary Johnson Calls SCOTUS Obamacare Ruling An "Incredible Blow To Bedrock Principles"

Gary Johnson 2012

Libertarian presidential nominee and former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court’s health care ruling:

“It has been clear for a while that we need a new President and a new Congress. Now it appears we need a new Supreme Court.

“Whether the Court chooses to call the individual mandate a tax or anything else, allowing it to stand is a truly disturbing decision. The idea that government can require an individual to buy something simply because that individual exists and breathes in America is an incredible blow to the bedrock principles of freedom and liberty. It must be repealed, and Congress needs to get about doing so today.

“There is one thing we know about health care. Government cannot create a system that will reduce costs while increasing access. Only competition and the price transparency that competition will bring can accomplish the imperatives of affordability and availability. Whether it is the President’s plan or the Republican prescription drug benefit, the idea that anyone in Washington can somehow manage one of the most essential and substantial parts of both our quality of life and the economy is, and always has been, fundamentally wrong.

“We can never know how many Americans are out of work today because of the uncertainty the monstrous health care law has caused. The Court has done nothing to remove that burden.

“Nothing about today’s decision changes the basic reality that it is impossible to eliminate deficit spending and remove the smothering consequences of federal debt without dramatically reducing the costs of Medicare and Medicaid. And neither the Democrats nor the Republicans have given the slightest hint of willingness to do so.”

Paul Festival Announces Gary Johnson And Judge Jim Gray As Speakers

One of the burning questions in the 2012 campaign is which way Ron Paul supporters would vote once their candidate was eliminated and would they embrace the candidacy of Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson.

Well, I think we may have some early indication as the former New Mexico Governor, as well as his VP nominee Judge Jim Gray, have been confirmed to speak at the three day Paul Festival in Tampa prior to the GOP Convention.

Paul Festival Announces Gary Johnson
Johnson and Judge Jim Gray Confirmed to Speak

Paul Festival announced today they had confirmed former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson to their list of speakers. Johnson joins an already packed collection of liberty advocates for the festival featuring vendors, speakers and live music.

The event will focus on working with independent minded voters from across the political spectrum. The event takes place August 24-26 in Tampa, Florida.

"I am grateful and excited to receive an invitation from Paul Festival and look forward to joining such a great gathering for liberty," said Governor Johnson. "I proudly stand by my record as a Governor who united voters from all parties and beliefs."

Gary Johnson has been a consistent advocate for working with all political parties and defending civil liberties. Judge Jim Gray, who served as as trial court judge in Orange County, California is joining Johnson as a confirmed speaker. Gray has long advocated for reform of the nation's drug laws and the, "War on Drugs."

Governor Johnson's attendance furthers Paul Festival's goal to band together against the political establishment," said chief organizer Bryan Simeon. "Gary Johnson spent a career unifying both the left and right and fighting to allow all voices to be heard."

The Festival's organizers have continued to emphasize the unity of liberal, conservative and libertarian elements in the event. Organizations from all over the political spectrum have been invited and the theme seems to have resonated with groups, elected officials and individuals. Since it was announced, the event has grown in size, tickets sold and media presence.To learn more Paul Festival, click here.

This could be the boost that Johnson, who endorsed Paul in 2008 and spoke at the Rally for the Republic event that Ron Paul and his supporters held prior to the 2008 GOP Convention, needs to get the backing of Paul's loyal legions of followers.

I know it's wishful thinking, especially given that Rand Paul has endorsed Mitt Romney, that Ron Paul himself would come out and endorse Gary Johnson.

But hell, stranger things have happened.

Latest From PPP: Gary Johnson At 7% In Colorado

More good news for the Gary Johnson 2012 campaign as the Libertarian Party nominee stays consistent in another western state at 7% according to PPP's latest poll in Colorado

Q. If the candidates for President this year were
Democrat Barack Obama, Republican Mitt
Romney, and Libertarian Gary Johnson, who
would you vote for?

Barack Obama.... 47%
Mitt Romney..... 39%
Gary Johnson..... 7%
Undecided........ 7%

I'd expect Johnson to be doing better since his pro-legalization stance should give him a bigger bump with Colorado's initiative to legalize marijuana having 46% support among voters as opposed to 42% against.

Now 7% only gets him half way to the Presidential Debates and this is a state poll, not a national one (Johnson needs to poll 15% or better in 5 national polls) but it shows that the former New Mexico Governor is getting steady support in the polls he is included in; 15% New Mexico, 9% Arizona, 8% Montana, 7% New Hampshire and 6% North Carolina.

As in other polls, Johnson is virtually unknown with 79% of respondents having no opinion of him so getting his name, record and stances on the issues out there is of utmost importance.

We have our work cut out for us.

Gary Johnson In The News

Nice to see that Gary Johnson is starting to get some semi-positive mentions these days, although it is more about his role as a spoiler in the election rather than what makes him a better choice than his two indistinguishable opponents.

Any press is good press though.

Is Libertarian Gary Johnson the Wild Card in Fall Election?

Could Libertarian Johnson hurt Romney in the West?

Gary Johnson Has The Beltway’s Attention

This is just the beginning but, in order to raise Governor Johnson's nation profile, which in turn gets him more media coverage, it is important to get him in the national polls. The more people that hear his message, the better his chances are of reaching the 15% mark and puts him in the debates against Barry and Mittens.

Please do what you can to promote Gary Johnson whether it be blog posts, tweets, telling friends and family or emailing the media.

Every little bit helps.

Video - Alex Jones Interviews Gary Johnson 6/14

Gary Johnson and Alex Jones discuss Ron, Rand, Romney, Obama, Leviathan and the media blackout.

The R3VOLution Continues With Gary Johnson

H/T The Delaware Libertarian

Appearing on a lot of sites now that Rand Paul has endorsed Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum has announced he's going to take on the Ron Paul supporters at the convention, and Dr. Paul himself has said he won't be the nominee:

Jack Hunter Furthers The Case For Gary Johnson, He Just Doesn't Know It

Jack Hunter is continuing his campaign to justify Rand Paul's endorsement of Romney by dredging up Murray Rothbard's endorsement of Poppy Bush in 1992 to further his argument that Rand was right to back Mittens.

Now Jack does make some good points as to why Rand had to endorse Romney, whether you accept them or not, but this got me to thinking, who would Rothbard endorse this time around and would he think that Gary Johnson is "libertarian enough"?

As we all know, Robert Wenzel called out Gov Johnson for his failure to be versed in libertarian authors and writing. Johnson's libertarianism has also been called into question by various hardcore Libertarians, Austrian School adherents and Ron Paul supporters for a multitude of reasons, chiefly that he is not a by the book libertarian, that his pragmatic view of governing based on a cost/benefit analysis has no root in libertarianism and finally that he is a statist because he supports the fair tax, taxation of marijuana, limited military intervention only with Congressional approval and did not pardon drug offenders during his two terms as New Mexico's Governor.

Okay, so Gary Johnson is an 8 on a scale of 1-10 but does that disqualify him from consideration especially given that the only other candidates on the ballot in all 50 states rate about a 1 or 2? At least a Gary Johnson Presidency would be a step in the right direction and as he says, if we don't like it we can always go back

I'm no Rothbard scholar by a long shot but I think in this cycle, he would be supporting Gary Johnson given that he is by far the most libertarian candidate we have a choice of, especially when you look at the fact that there is little daylight between the positions of Mittens or Barry on the major issues. Yes both candidates differ on some social issues, but where the rubber hits the road both men are pro-big government, pro-war, pro-police state and anti-liberty.

If you take a long, hard look at the three candidates' records and beliefs, to use Rothbard's own words, "there is only one rational answer for the conservative, the libertarian, or indeed any sensible American".

That answer should be Gary Johnson.

Gary Johnson's Latest Ad - Be Libertarian With Me

If you are fed up with the status quo bullshit from the Republiocrats with their Coke vs Pepsi arguments, Gary Johnson is the alternative choice you've been looking for.

He will be the only fiscally responsible, socially tolerant candidate on the ballot in all 50 states this November with a proven track record as a two-term Governor to back it up. He is the only candidate who promises to slash Leviathan's spending by 43%, submit a balanced budget to Congress in his first term as POTUS and bring our troops home immediately.

Be libertarian with Gary Johnson this November and see what hope and change really looks like.

Video - Gary Johnson On The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 6/5

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

Is Gary Johnson "Libertarian Enough"?

Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson's libertarian cred has been called into question from almost the moment he threw his hat in the ring as a GOP hopeful last year. Conventional wisdom among the dyed-in-the-wool, hardcore purists is a very short answer; no. Gary Johnson is not a dogmatic libertarian, he strays off the reservation on some issues and is not doctrinaire on others, so hence he is not a satisfactory candidate.

The latest kerfuffle in libertarian circles regarding the former New Mexico Governor is his recent interview on the Robert Wenzel Show where Johnson was at a loss to name his favorite libertarian books and authors other than Milton Friedman. Labeled by some as his "Sarah Palin Moment", Johnson admitted that he is not very well read when it comes to libertarianism or Austrian Economics, not having read Rothbard, von Mises or Hazlitt to name a few.

So Gary Johnson is not Ron Paul but does this mean that he is not a libertarian?

Of course not.

There is no true definition of what makes a libertarian other than the belief in the non-aggression principle, or as Rothbard puts it in For a New Liberty, "The libertarian creed rests upon one central axiom: that no man or group of men may aggress against the person or property of anyone else." Even the LP's website offers a simple explanation for what the party is about; "Our vision is for a world in which all individuals can freely exercise the natural right of sole dominion over their own lives, liberty and property by building a political party that elects Libertarians to public office, and moving public policy in a libertarian direction."

If you look at it through that simple lens, Gary Johnson is a libertarian and has the record to prove it. He is fiscally responsible and socially tolerant, both tenants of libertarian philosophy; showing that he is the far superior choice out of the candidates who will be on the Presidential ballot in November.

Gary Johnson may not be perfect, but who is? The purists can hem and haw all they want but they are only "true libertarians" within their own slice to the movement. They are free to believe as they choose and provide any litmus test they like but libertarianism is a big tent and as long as the non-aggression principle remains intact, all are welcome; left, right and center.

So let's stop the circular firing squad and put our efforts into getting the best man for the job elected. Our moment is now, let's not allow it to slip away.