Gary Johnson on Free Trade Libertarian presidential nominee; former Republican NM Governor

Tariffs hurt U.S. industries

Martin Heinrich (D): No. Sledgehammer where need surgical approach.

Gary Johnson (L): No. Hurt US industries that need imports like solar.

Mick Rich (R): Yes. Current trade with China is not fair.

Free trade means more jobs and lower prices

Gary Johnson: Free trade means on net more jobs and lower prices for American families.

Free trade, not isolationism; low spending, not taxes

GARY JOHNSON: Free trade, not isolationism, is what will lead to more U.S. jobs.

CLINTON: Well, I think that trade is an important issue. Of course, we are 5 percent of the world's population; we have to trade with the other 95 percent. And we need to have smart, fair trade deals. We also, though, need to have a tax system that rewards work and not just financial transactions.

GARY JOHNSON: All the tax increases in the world are not going to balance the budget. Spending MUST be addressed

I'm a real skeptic on trade agreements, but I would sign TPP

TRUMP: Ask Hillary if she is willing to withdraw from the TPP her first day in office and unconditionally rule out its passage in any form.

JOHNSON: I am a real skeptic when it comes to these trade agreements that, in fact, these trade agreements can be laden with crony capitalism. But based on people that have been advising me that I hold in very high esteem, I am being told that the Trans-Pacific Partnership would, in fact, advance free trade, and so I would support that document. The devil is in the details, though, and for the most part legislation that passes really promotes crony capitalism, promotes those that have money as opposed to a level playing field for everybody. So I am a skeptic, but based on what I know, I would sign TPP.

Free trade unfairly criticized for being crony capitalism

JOHNSON: Well, free trade does benefit. I think that, unfairly, free trade has come under criticism for being crony capitalism. Look, we're anti-crony capitalism. So much of legislation that gets passed, so much of what goes on under the guise of free trade really is crony capitalism. The fact that favoritism is for sale when it comes to government, and Congress sells it. Government can level the playing field for everyone. I saw that as governor of New Mexico. I had the best record of jobs in the 2012 presidential race. I was responsible for leveling that playing field, something that we both understand and can accomplish, and that level playing field really is free trade.

Hypocritical for US to attack China as currency manipulator

Gary Johnson: It would be highly hypocritical for the U.S. to attack China for being a currency manipulator, considering how much the Federal Reserve and Treasury have intervened in credit markets. That issue aside, however, it would be far more prudent to focus on trading with China rather than worrying about how much they may be manipulating their currency. Truly free trade, even if only on our end, would greatly benefit American consumers and workers, and would make our relationship with China more productive and peaceful. Perhaps it would even set a good example that protecting the economic freedom of one's citizens is better for the country than restricting them.

No tariffs, no restrictions; but no corporatism

Eliminate needless barriers to free trade

We should Reduce Federal Involvement in the Economy:
• Reject auto and banking bailouts, state bailouts, corporate welfare, cap-and-trade, card check, and the mountain of regulation that protects special interests rather than benefiting consumers or the economy.
• Restrict Federal Reserve policy to maintaining price stability, not bailing out financial firms or propping up the housing sector.
• Eliminate government support of Fannie and Freddie.
• Reduce or eliminate federal involvement in education; let states expand successful reforms such as vouchers and charter schools.
• Legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana, rather than wasting money on an expensive and futile prohibition.
• Eliminate needless barriers to free trade and make it easier for would-be legal immigrants to apply for work visas.

NAFTA benefits New Mexico; jobs lost are those we don't want

A: NAFTA has benefited New Mexico. With each passing day, it's a bigger boom for New Mexico as a border state.

Q: Do you disagree that NAFTA has caused the "sucking sound" Ross Perot warned of--the sound of US jobs being sucked into Mexico?

A: My opinion is that the jobs we're talking about are those we generally don't want. What jobs are we saving? Manufacturing jobs? There is shifting, and some companies have relocated to Mexico. But we've benefited far more than we have lost. Also, it's still settling. Intel has a new semiconductor manufacturing plant in Albuquerque, one of the most sophisticated plants on the planet. It is in the US because the workers are qualified and efficient here. If we're not competitive, we had better get competitive. We're moving toward a global economy whether we like it or not.