I'd like to note that this is not an article about who you should vote for and why. I am not trying to recruit voters for the Libertarian party nor am I going to slam any presidential candidate from a different party. This article is simply to bring awareness to the candidate that the media doesn't talk about and who won't be shown hashing it out with Trump and Clinton. In an election that seems like the name of the game is voting against a candidate instead of voting for a candidate, I believe that it is important that voters have at least some knowledge about every name on the ballot. As Gary Johnson will be available to vote for in all 50 states, here are some things that you should know about his party and his views.
Essentially, the Libertarian party is made up of those who oppose big government. The following answers what a libertarian is according to the official website of the Libertarian Party:
Libertarians believe in, and pursue, personal freedom while maintaining personal responsibility. The Libertarian Party itself serves a much larger pro-liberty community with the specific mission of electing Libertarians to public office.
Libertarians strongly oppose any government interfering in their personal, family and business decisions. Essentially, we believe all Americans should be free to live their lives and pursue their interests as they see fit as long as they do no harm to another.
In a nutshell, we are advocates for a smaller government, lower taxes and more freedom.
Due to my own personal stance, I consider myself to be more of a Libertarian than I do a Republican or Democrat simply because I feel more conservatively about fiscal issues and more liberally about social issues such as gay marriage and legalization. Do I completely agree with everything in the Libertarian party? No, of course not. Just as most Republicans or Democrats do not agree with every single individual party view, there are a few things that I feel could be altered. However, it is simply the party that I feel most connected with based on my views. For a longer and more detailed list about the most talked-about national issues and the views of the Libertarian Party, click HERE.
Now let's focus on Gary Johnson, the 2016 Libertarian Party candidate.
Johnson is a former two-time Republican governor of New Mexico, officially switching to the Libertarian Party in 2011 after years of supporting Libertarian causes. His political career began after a long career as a businessman who founded a million-dollar construction company. His list of endorsements varies from politicians such as Daniel Hannan (a member of European Parliament) to entertainers like Penn and Teller, and it goes on to include large names in the world of business.
Though it seems that more people know his name now more than ever, you may also recognize that he was also presidential candidate for the Libertarian Party in 2012. However, he received less than one percent of the national popular vote likely due to the fact that most people simply didn't know who he was and what the Libertarian Party stood for. For more information about Gary Johnson and his running mate, Governor Bill Weld, visit www.johnsonweld.com.
Whether you are voting Republican, Democrat, Libertarian or for a different party, please do the research on every choice. Do not base your vote on media bias, polls or opinions of others but rather do your own research and vote for the candidate who you feel best represents you.
"Voting is a right best exercised by people who have taken time to learn about the issues." — Tony Snow
