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Gary Johnson on Corporations

Libertarian presidential nominee; former Republican NM Governor


Built Big J Enterprises into leading construction company

With a lot of help from many dedicated employees, we grew Big J Enterprises into a multi-million dollar corporation.

By the time I sold the company in 1999, it was one of New Mexico's leading construction companies, grossing $20 million a year. We had grown from a door-to-door business to a multi-million dollar corporation, ranked as high as #34 on the New Mexico Private 100 companies list.

When I sold the business, I made enough money that I wouldn't have to work ever again. I'd earned true freedom

Source: Seven Principles, by Gary Johnson, p. 19 , Aug 1, 2012

Visited Occupy Wall Street; we need radical surgery

With the real unemployment rate probably well above 10 percent, we have to, as President Kennedy said, "get America moving again." When I visited Occupy Wall Street, I felt the frustration of young people who wanted to work but couldn't get an interview, much less a job. What's even more frustrating is that when I visit business owners and employers, I meet people who want to hire, but can't.

Meanwhile, the federal government is spending us deeper and deeper into debt while we shell out billions in foreign aid we can no longer afford and trillions more for foreign wars in which our national interest is just not apparent to me.

Republicans and Democrats have both failed to respond to this reality. In order to create jobs now, we need radical surgery, not a haircut.

Source: Gary Johnson, "America moving again" in The Washington Times , Feb 2, 2012

Started a one-man handyman business; grew it to 1,000 people

Q: You are an outspoken libertarian. What makes you a better choice for libertarian Republicans than Congressman Paul?

A: I bring a unique perspective to this stage. I started a one-man handyman business in Albuquerque in 1974 and grew it to over 1,000 employees. I have run for two political offices in my life: governor of New Mexico and reelection. I promise to submit a balanced budget to congress in the year 2013. I promise to veto legislation where expenditures exceed revenue.

Source: 2011 GOP Google debate in Orlando FL , Sep 22, 2011

Eliminate corporate income tax as real way to create jobs

Q: Why are you running for president?

A: I'm the only candidate that is talking about a balanced budget in the year 2013 and eliminating a corporate income tax as the real way to create jobs.

Q: Why's that?

A: Everyone else is parsing it in terms of lowering the corporate income tax. Eliminate it. It's not that big of a generator of income, and it's a double tax. Get rid of it and you would have an explosion of hiring. As a corporation, why wouldn't you base your business in the United States--and the jobs that went along with that--with no corporate tax? The advantage to not taxing corporations would be an advantage to all of us.

Q: But the biggest advantage would go to the best off. It would be much cheaper for corporations to pay out to shareholders.

A: Exactly. That income would get distributed to shareholders, at which point it would get taxed.

Source: Tim Dickinson in Rolling Stone Magazine , Jun 15, 2011

Lower the tax burden; eliminate corporate tax

Americans are more concerned than ever before about the future of our economy, and those concerns are well-founded. As a nation, we simply can't afford to continue borrowing 43 cents out of every dollar we spend. The US must adopt 3 approaches:
  1. Cut Spending: We must restrain spending across the board.
  2. Cut Taxes: The US tax system imposes an enormous toll on productivity through high marginal rates, absurd complexity, loopholes for the well-connected, and incentives for wasteful decisions. The government must lower the tax burden to stimulate the economy.
  3. Reduce Federal Involvement in the Economy.
Source: Presidential campaign website, garyjohnson2012.com, "Issues" , May 2, 2011

Other candidates on Corporations: Gary Johnson on other issues:
Incumbents:
Pres.Barack Obama
V.P.Joe Biden
GOP Candidates:
Gov.Mitt Romney(MA)
Rep.Paul Ryan(WI)
Third Party Candidates:
Mayor Rocky Anderson(J)
Roseanne Barr(PF)
Rep.Virgil Goode(C)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L)
Jill Stein(G)

GOP Withdrawals:
Rep.Michele Bachmann(MN)
Herman Cain(GA)
Rep.Newt Gingrich(GA)
Gov.Jon Huntsman(UT)
Gov.Sarah Palin(AK)
Rep.Ron Paul(TX)
Gov.Tim Pawlenty(MN)
Gov.Rick Perry(TX)
Gov.Buddy Roemer(LA)
Sen.Rick Santorum(PA)
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Page last updated: Oct 17, 2012