> > Gary Johnson: I’m More Conservative and More Liberal Than Both Parties > > By Julie > Ershadi<http://atr.rollcall.com/author/julieershadicqrollcall-com/>Posted > at 11:37 a.m. today > [image: Comments in post: Gary Johnson: I’m More Conservative and More > Liberal Than Both Parties] > 0<http://atr.rollcall.com/gary-johnson-im-more-conservative-and-more-liberal-than-both-parties/#comments> > > Gary Johnson might not be running for president in 2016 yet, but last > year’s Libertarian Party candidate certainly sounds like he’s up for > another run. > > In an appearance at George Washington University on Monday night, Johnson > not only sought to distinguish himself from his old affiliation — the > Republican Party — but also took on what he believes are the failures of > the Democratic Party. > > Johnson received about 1 percent of the popular vote in the 2012 election, > and he has not announced any intention to run for president in 2016. On > Monday night, he said it’s just too early. > > “Who’s got a voice that’s fiscally more conservative than any Republican, > and who’s got a voice that’s more liberal than any Democrat? Me,” he said > in an interview after the speech. > > Primarily, however, Johnson took aim at the GOP’s positions on abortion, > immigration and drug legalization to an audience of more than 200 gathered > in the GWU student union. > > “I think Republicans that call themselves libertarians, they all have a > social agenda,” he said. > > Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, Johnson said, is one of those kinds of > libertarian Republicans who often punt on the discussion of social issues > by saying it’s best left to the states to decide. > > “It’s a way of saying, ‘I don’t want to deal with it,’” he said. “I really > believe Republicans lost the last presidential race because of their > socially conservative agenda. > > “Speaking with a broad brush stroke, I am fiscally conservative; I am > socially accepting,” he said. “I don’t give a crap on how you live your > life as long as your life doesn’t adversely affect mine.” > > He blasted Democrats during his speech, as well, garnering applause when > he said, “Libertarianism is more liberal than liberals on social issues.” > > Speaking without prepared remarks, Johnson went down the line of > hot-button issues in today’s politics and outlined his views on each one, > some more clearly than others. Most articulate in advocating for a broad > consumption tax to replace the current code, he had less to say on national > security, leaning heavily on the concept of due process to support his > positions. > > The first topic in the question and answer session was the sense, common > among libertarians, that local law enforcement overreached its authority in > putting Boston on lockdown after the recent marathon bombings. Johnson > addressed the question by condemning the military police state and railing > against the use of surveillance footage in prosecuting traffic violations. > > Monday’s forum was not officially a campaign-related event, having been > sponsored by the Our America Initiative, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit of which > Johnson is the honorary chairman, according to press relations contact Joe > Hunter. > > Johnson originally ran in the 2012 election on the Republican ticket, > polling at 5.3 percent in a Zogby survey from July of that year. He dropped > out of the GOP primary race and the party to accept the Libertarian Party’s > nomination. Johnson served two terms as governor of New Mexico and gained a > reputation for breaking state and national records for vetoing legislation. > > Monday’s visit to GWU was the last stop on a speaking tour that has taken > him to eight other campuses, including Hillsdale College, Miami University > and the University of New Mexico. > > - > - > - > - > More<http://atr.rollcall.com/gary-johnson-im-more-conservative-and-more-liberal-than-both-parties/#> > - > > *0* > > <http://atr.rollcall.com/gary-johnson-im-more-conservative-and-more-liberal-than-both-parties/#comments> > comments<http://atr.rollcall.com/gary-johnson-im-more-conservative-and-more-liberal-than-both-parties/#comments> > Uncategorized <http://atr.rollcall.com/category/uncategorized/> >
-- -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "PoliticalForum" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
