Seven Principles of Good Government
Gary Johnson on Politics, People and Freedom
Insights from the 2012 Libertarian Party Nominee for President
by Gov. Gary Johnson


(Click for Amazon book review)

OnTheIssues.org BOOK REVIEW:

Gary Johnson is the Libertarian Party nominee for President; this is his campaign book. Johnson was elected Governor of New Mexico as a Republican. He entered the Republican primary for President in 2011 and was allowed into two debates (South Carolina on May 5 and Orlando on Sept. 22). The governor was then excluded from all other debates, and hence switched to the Libertarian Party.

Johnson was elected Governor in 1994 and then was re-elected in 1998. He was a popular governor and chose to push a popular issue -- marijuana legalization -- that he knew would cost him his political viability. (He notes on pp. 33-34 that 95% of people favor marijuana legalization, but 100% of elected officials oppose it). His reception at the Republican debates in 2011 demonstrated that he recognized the political reality accurately -- and he did it anyway, because he believes it will make a real difference in society.

Johnson is attempting, in this race, to change that political reality. In other words, he is attempting to make marijuana legalization a viable policy alternative. It is possible to change political reality -- George W. Bush did the same with Social Security in 2000 by making it possible to talk about privatization, which had been called "the third rail" of politics (touch it and you die). Johnson of course touches that third rail of Social Security (see p. 107) but calling for privatization has become acceptable. Gary Johnson has touched the newer and even more potent third rail of marijuana legalization -- and perhaps he will change the drug war dynamic.

Johnson knows that changing political reality is a marathon. But he runs marathons, too. And not just regular marathons, but Ironman Triathlons, the hardest of all triathlons. And if that's not enough to demonstrate that he can handle anything, he has climbed Mount Everest too. This book details all of Johnson's adventures -- but his greatest adventure will be on the political trail.

-- Jesse Gordon, editor-in-chief, OnTheIssues.org, Sept. 2012

OnTheIssues.org excerpts:  (click on issues for details)

Budget & Economy     Lay out a process for state bankruptcies.

Corporations     Built Big J Enterprises into leading construction company.

Crime     Vetoed hate crime legislation as thought-crime.     Built private prisons to replace out-of-state prisoners.     Private prisons cost $20 less/day than public control.     DNA evidence shows many people are mistakenly convicted.     Vetoed early release of prisoners due to overcrowding.

Drugs     People 95% positive on legalizing; incumbents 100% negative.     Marijuana is safer than alcohol.

Education     $3,500 voucher for every K-12 student.     Vouchers are as constitutional as pre-school and day-care.     Competition would make our schools better.     Public education system needs major reform.     Vouchers OK for church childcare & church schools.

Energy & Oil     Cap-&-trade imposes costs with no environmental improvement.

Government Reform     Should government be doing this policy in the first place?     Won 1994 with $510K of own money & not beholden.     750 vetoes & contentious relationship with legislature.

Gun Control     Supports gun ownership rights.

Health Care     Government-managed healthcare is insanity.

Homeland Security     Torture has created millions of enemies we wouldn't have had.     Should we have 100,000 troops on the ground in Europe?     Patriot Act is a direct assault on privacy & due process.

Immigration     Arizona anti-immigrant law leads to racial profiling.     A 10-foot wall just requires an 11-foot ladder.

Principles & Values     Seven Principles of Good Government for work & life.     My desire to serve has been with me since childhood.     Graduated from UNM and married college sweetheart.     I view government in the same way as philosopher Ayn Rand.     Gave fiancee "Atlas Shrugged" to explain his politics.

Social Security     Raise the retirement age to 70 or 72.     A portion of Social Security ought to be privatized.

Technology     Oversaw construction of 500 miles of new highway.

War & Peace     Afghan nation-building will fail; withdraw immediately.

Click for quotations from other sources by: Gary Johnson