Things Gary Johnson Voters are Tired of Hearing
- Oct 14, 2016
- 3 min read
1. "Who's Gary Johnson?"
Come on guys. Gary Johnson is the most popular third party candidate in the 2016 election. He is a libertarian who describes himself as a "classical liberal, which is being fiscally conservative and socially liberal" (1). His running mate is Bill Weld, who wants "the government out of your pocketbook and out of your bedroom" (2).
2. "Third party candidates never win, you know.
Pardon my french: No shit, Sherlock.
I am voting for Gary because if he reaches 5% of the vote nationally, the Libertarian party will officially be considered a "minor party" by the FEC (aka they get a big check that almost guarantees a spot in debates next presidential election year) (3). I don't think that Gary Johnson is the perfect candidate, but this would mean that a Libertarian candidate could potentially break down the two party system in the near future. And the two party system is what has resulted in the worst major candidates ever: Clinton and Trump.
3. "You aren't liberal enough if you're voting for Johnson over Clinton."
If not voting for Clinton makes me not liberal enough for you, then fine. See video below. (Also see all of the innocent lives Clinton has indirectly taken. (4))
4. "If you vote for Johnson you will steal away the vote from [Clinton/Trump] and let [Trump/Clinton] win!"
Actually, I've thought this one through, thanks! Where I live, the wonderful state of Connecticut, Clinton will almost definitely win (5). My vote will not change this. If suddenly these predictions were to change, perhaps I would reconsider my vote, but I highly doubt that they will change.
5. "But Gary Johnson doesn't know what Aleppo is!!"
Gary said in response to the ordeal: "I take complete responsibility...As president of the United States, I would have never gotten in this situation in the first place. I don't think that any time we support regime change that it has resulted in a safer world" (6).
Yes, Gary Johnson had a flub. And it was pretty bad. Real bad. But I would rather have a president who flubs on occasion in interviews than a president with blood on their hands. End of story. Priorities, people. Priorities.
6. "But...but...he wants to privatize prisons!"
This is a controversial issue, whether or not private prisons are bad, and to be honest, it is still something I am trying to decide how I feel about. But remember, Gary Johnson will almost definitely not become the president in 2016. My vote for him, is, again, so that his 5% win can fund the libertarian campaign in 2020. So Gary Johnson, the individual, isn't as important to me in this election. As long as he generally has a good track record. Which he does (especially in comparison with our two other choices).
7. "I have a right to my opinion and I'm still voting for [Clinton/Trump]."
My goal by writing this is not to get you to vote for Gary Johnson, believe it or not. It's more to explain my position and emphasize how important it is to recognize the flaws in every candidate, of which there are countless. Be informed. Truly informed -- not just looking at media supporting your candidate.
Don't paint Donald Trump as the non-politician who's going to fix all of the country's problems. Don't paint Hillary Clinton to be an "on-fleek!" perfect feminist who will make the best decisions for us. And don't blame me for this country's poor choice of candidates/corruption.
I think it's awesome if you want to consider voting for Gary Johnson, but I truly understand how complicated this election is. Vote as you please, but please -- be informed.
Works Cited
Cartwright, Zach. "Hillary Clinton's War Crimes Are Unforgivable. No Real Progressive Could Ever Support Her." U.S. Uncut. N.p., 28 July 2016. Web. 14 Oct. 2016. <http://usuncut.com/politics/hillary-clinton-foreign-policy-record/>. Cited as (4).
"Election Projection." Election Projection. N.p., 8 Sept. 2016. Web. 14 Oct. 2016. <http://www.electionprojection.com/connecticut-presidential-election.php>. Cited as (5).
Gillespie, Nick. "Gary Johnson, Bill Weld on Colbert: Always "coming down on the Side of Choice"" Reason.com. Reason Foundation, 10 June 2016. Web. 14 Oct. 2016. <http://reason.com/blog/2016/06/10/gary-johnson-bill-weld-on-colbert-always>. Cited as (2).
LarryKingNow. "Gary Johnson: I'm a Classical Liberal | Larry King Now | Ora.TV." YouTube. YouTube, 01 Apr. 2016. Web. 14 Oct. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Gjms8BiC8o>. Cited as (1).
Scher, By Bill. "Why Gary Johnson Can Still Make Libertarian History | RealClearPolitics." Why Gary Johnson Can Still Make Libertarian History | RealClearPolitics. N.p., 10 Oct. 2016. Web. 14 Oct. 2016. <http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2016/10/10/why_gary_johnson_can_still_make_libertarian_history_132015.html>. Cited as (3).
Scott, Eugene. "Johnson Takes 'complete Responsibility' for Aleppo Flub." CNN. Cable News Network, 9 Sept. 2016. Web. 14 Oct. 2016. <http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/09/politics/gary-johnson-aleppo/>. Cited as (6).
PS: Don't let the media boss you around and manipulate you. Because that is exactly what they are trying to do.
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