An Announcement of Sorts: Or, I take a new position coordinating the Gary Johnson campaign in Delaware
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| Governor Gary Johnson, the best-qualified candidate for President this year in any party. |
Frankly, I don't think that--assuming he makes it onto the Presidential Debate stage in the Fall (and that is certainly not a done deal)--either President Obama or Governor Romney will appear any more qualified for the office.
Johnson was a two-term Governor, who inherited a $300 million deficit and left the state with a $1 billion surplus. He never raised taxes. He vetoed 750 spending bills. He increased teacher pay. He cleaned up bad environmental spills. His state had the best job creation record in the country.
He's qualified.
He's also different. Johnson tried for the GOP nomination, but couldn't get any traction.
Small wonder.
He opposes US military adventures abroad, and would slash the defense budget by 43% in order to help balance the Federal budget.
He would order the troops out of Afghanistan on day one of his administraition.
He would audit the Fed and return it to exercising only the powers under its original charter.
He would create a path to citizenship for undocumented workers.
He supports marijuana legalization and marriage equality.
He would eliminate the US Department of Education, block grant the money to the States, and get the Feds the hell out of our public schoosls.
He would replace the income tax and most other taxes with a consumption tax (the Flat Tax) that include "pre-bates" for those at or below the poverty line.
He has a rational plan for reforming Social Security.
Find out more at Gary Johnson 2012.
Right now he's pollng at 6-9% in various places around the country, and at about 6-7% nationally.
Of course, most polling organizations are not using his name at all.
There are those who would tell me I should only support a candidate with a chance of winning.
If Gary gets into the debates, I think he has a chance--a very long chance, but a real one as the only other candidate besides Obama and Romney who will appear on ballots nationwide.
Why?
Because he's the only one saying anything different on the issues.
We have no money, and an unlikely coalition of people who really believe Gary has a shot at being President, people who believe he'll be able to change the debate, and others who simply think that in 2012 a protest vote might finally be in order.
So we will have to see what we can do with imagination.
Undoubtedly a Quixotic quest in a life spent tilting at windmills, but I do feel better about having a candidate in whom I believe and trust.
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