Gary Johnson in The Huffington Post

On Government Reform: Senate should consider Obama's Supreme Court nominee

If you're a Republican who can't stand to vote for Donald Trump, Gary Johnson might be your guy. The way Johnson sees it, there's a "vast middle" of the electorate that would be drawn to his socially liberal, economically conservative platform and turned off by the polarizing figures that are likely to secure the two main parties' nominations.

However, it's clear that if Johnson hopes to offer himself as a serious alternative to the Democratic and Republican nominees, he'll have to polish his presentation a bit. During a discussion about the late Antonin Scalia's Supreme Court seat, Johnson-- who believes the Senate should consider President Barack Obama's nominee--conceded he couldn't name the remaining eight sitting Supreme Court justices.

Source: Huffington Post, "Meet The Third Party", by Eliot Nelson Mar 10, 2016

On Principles & Values: Competes in 3,000-mile mountain bike race

If you're a Republican who can't stand to vote for Donald Trump, Gary Johnson might be your guy. Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference, rattling off his various athletic accomplishments: "I'm a competitive athlete," Johnson boasted to several thousand convention attendees. "I've done hundreds of athletic competitions I'm planning to ride the divide, which is a 3.000-mile unsupported mountain bike race. I've done Ironman Hawaii four times."

Sure, Johnson was technically appearing at a forum on the future of conservatism, and sure, Johnson's Antarctic expeditions and hot air balloon hobby didn't exactly have a lot to do with that. But Johnson wasn't there to gab about the 10th Amendment. Johnson was there to let you know that bro skis, that bro mountain bikes, that bro climbed Mount Everest on a broken leg and that bro, in bro's own words, is a "fierce competitor."

Source: Huffington Post on 2016 Conservative Political Action Conf. Mar 10, 2016

On Social Security: Create personal investment accounts

[In an interview with the Huffington Post at the Conservative Political Action Conference], it's clear that if Johnson hopes to offer himself as a serious alternative to the Democratic & Republican nominees, he'll have to polish his presentation a bit. Asked about his plan to reform Social Security, he suggested three proposals, but could only articulate two: raising the retirement age and creating personal investment accounts.

"Gosh there's one other one, what is it?" Johnson mused before trailing off. The final proposal--means testing for Social Security recipients--came to Johnson several minutes later.

To his credit, he was able to discuss the proposal in detail, but if he does make it into the general election debates, there will be no two-minute lags, and SNL's writers would love nothing more than a pro-weed third party candidate who forgets things.

Source: Huffington Post on 2016 Conservative Political Action Conf. Mar 10, 2016

The above quotations are from Columns and news articles on the Huffington Post blog. Click here for other excerpts from Columns and news articles on the Huffington Post blog. Click here for other excerpts by Gary Johnson. Click here for a profile of Gary Johnson.
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