Libertarian Gary Johnson senses an opportunity after Super Tuesday:
GOV. GARY JOHNSON’S RESPONSE TO SUPER TUESDAY PRIMARY RESULTS
March 1, 2016, Santa Fe, NM — Former New Mexico Governor and 2016 Libertarian candidate for President Gary Johnson released the following statement regarding the results of the Super Tuesday primaries:
“I actually believe I may have won Super Tuesday.
“With the Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton trains becoming more and more unstoppable in their respective parties, I believe a real majority of American voters are going to be left without a political home in November.
“To those millions of voters, a successful two-term Governor with a solid record of fiscal responsibility and defense of civil and personal liberties could well be the ‘mainstream’ option. The LIbertarian nominee will be on the ballot in every state in November, and I hope to be that nominee.
“Both of the major parties are succeeding in alienating more voters than ever before. The Democrat establishment is effectively shutting down its challengers, and Republicans are clearly rejecting their establishment. The net result may be that more Americans than ever before will be looking to a truly independent, experienced and proven candidate.”
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He’s got it right when he says a lot — or even, as he puts it, a “real majority” — of us feel that we don’t have a home in either major party.
But while I can’t speak for the rest of these “millions,” I want Gov. Johnson to know that, as a communitarian, a libertarian is the last thing I am looking for.
Sorry to disappoint.
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In the United States the Libertarian Party (LP) has often promoted civil liberties, free markets, non-interventionism, and laissez-faire. That much alone has not been repugnant to me, but binary thinkers (those tending to see things largely as “good” or “bad” without shades of gray) like to go to other extremes.
Fortunately, Libertarian ranks include few attorneys (a group historically likely to win elections). On the contrary, Libertarians come notably from professions making extensive use of digital computations (e.g. IT professionals, research scientists, astronomers, physicians). Many Libertarians consider Ayn Rand a genius and prefer to call themselves “Objectivists”.
My guess is that Libertarian extremists may soon press for “clean” computer verdicts over “messy” jury verdicts. Come to think of it, the former might be preferable in trials of corrupt politicians and violent gang members. Otherwise, the LP is as fancifully utopian as tribal liberalism.
I’m waiting to see how happy you will be voting for Hillary. That’s your only option.
The situation sucks.
The murmurings about a third way are getting louder, though. Mitt Romney’s getting mentioned a good bit.
Sure, that sounds unlikely, but not as unlikely as Trump running away with the nomination, with Cruz the only one on his heels…
So the Republicans only option is to run the guy who lost the last election? Why not just run McCain, he’ll lose just as badly as Romney. Hell run Lindsey Graham for that matter.
I suspect that’s been the plan all along, not just now.
By the way, what communitarian acts have you performed recently? What have you contributed to the community as a whole that goes beyond paying taxes?
I’d tell you, but I write with my left hand, and I don’t let my left hand know what my right hand is doing. 🙂
Seriously, if you’re talking monetary contributions, I can’t do as much of that as I used to. I’m more in the give-time mode. Probably the most overt thing that promotes communitarian goals is my service on the Community Relations Council. It’s not much, but it’s something…
And you write this blog which fosters constructive discussion of local issues.
Well, yeah, and thanks for saying that…
My Dad spent a career serving his country in the Navy. I couldn’t do that, because of the chronic asthma.
So I went into journalism. It was something for which I had some talent, and could therefore be useful. At least, that was always my goal.
And when they stopped paying me to do it, I kept the blog going. It’s not much, but…
You can mentor a local school child through the United Way or a school district program.
It’s a great need- and I’ve done it before.
I plan on signing up again in the next week or so.