Can Gary Johnson be heard?

Certainly, the two parties are going to do everything they can to keep Johnson silenced and the chance of getting in the debates is remote, but now, with the RNC convention over, there are some signs that the Gary Johnson candidacy may have a receptive audience.

One of the prime reasons for this today is the way that Ron Paul was treated at the Republican convention.

This extraordinary extended interview for The Daily Show with former RNC head Michael Steele spoke volumes (here are some snippets)…

Stewart: “The way they treated Ron Paul and his supporters was nothing short of appalling. They didn’t give him any opportunity […]

Steele: “What the Republican National Committee did to Ron Paul was the height of rudeness and stupidity — for this reason: Why would you alienate an individual who has the ability to attract a new generation of voters?” […]

“They’re afraid of that which they cannot control” […]

Check out this article:

Ron Paul Supporters Warm to Gary Johnson, Not Mitt Romney at RNC Convention

Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson’s pilgrimage to Tampa to seek more small government, big liberty adherents and additional publicity is paying off, at least with a subset of November voters.

Apparently Johnson was one of the few treating Ron Paul with respect. And now many Ron Paul supporters are looking at Johnson, which is also starting to cause the media to pay attention:

“When the media learned that Governor Johnson was in Tampa over the weekend, he didn’t have enough hours in the day to do all the interviews they requested. Why the attention?  They had heard about Gov. Johnson’s reception at the P.A.U.L. Fest – and they were talking to Republican delegates who are saying Congressman Paul’s treatment at the convention is causing them to take a close look at Governor Gary Johnson.” 

There may well be additional opportunities for a Gary Johnson message to be heard through the likely upcoming stupidity of the Democratic National Committee as well.

Could be interesting.

It’s fascinating that the parties go so far to try to silence a third-party candidate (all the fights over ballot access and debate participation). Nobody really believes that Johnson has a chance of winning the Presidency. All we want is for his message to be heard.

And that’s the part that terrifies the Democratic and Republican leadership.

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35 Responses to Can Gary Johnson be heard?

  1. Matt says:

    As a Ron Paul supporter, I definitely decided to jump ship to the Libertarian Party and Gary Johnson. If the Republican Party thinks it can get away with the corruption and blatent disregard for its own rules, and have it continue to be a dominant party in politics, they can think again.

  2. allan says:

    if Ron Paul endorses Gary Johnson and Jim Gray… that (imho) would give Johnson/Gray a bigger chunk of the vote than that short guy from Texas with the big ears got a few elections back. Ross Perot makes Ron Paul look good…

    Here’s Gary a week ago:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tLN5NBZ5KU

    • allan says:

      A telling quote from Ron Paul on Bloomberg Television’s “In the Loop” (from an article in the LV Sun):

      what’s his take on the Republican Party?

      “Well, it is not my party. I do not like politics at all,” Paul said. “I think both parties are Keynesian economists and support positions that I do not like. So, the party, in many ways is irrelevant.”

      It very much sounds (to this old and deef ear) like a Johnson/Gray endorsement may well be coming…

  3. darkcycle says:

    I am in total agreement. They don’t fear the messenger, they fear the message. Their charade will only continue to work if their carefully orchestrated, pre-agreed upon campaign positions are not contaminated by real issues. The Republicans are running as if this were the American of 1979, on a platform willfully ignoring the realities they in large part created. Fer crying out loud, Romney is posturing against Russia! As if the Cold War were still a reality! (I suppose for a lot of R. voters, it still is. Lord Knows, my dad still thinks they’re Soviets). The Democrats are running an entire campaign based on fear of the dreaded Romney. AS IF his actual policies were in any way different from Obama’s. Hell, at least Romney might get a bill passed. The Dems don’t have the testicular mass to pull what the Repugnicans pulled off for the last four years, so they won’t stop him.
    Meanwhile, torture, bank fraud on a scale the world has never known, runaway global warming and endless wars are never ever ever ever spoken of. For fear the questions may turn to actual, serious, life and death questions.
    I have SO been trying to ignore this farcical child’s production of an election. But it continues onward like a train wreck. I’m at wits end trying to talk to the Obot’s and the beer soaked conservatives I know. It’s a wreck. And when they start pulling the bodies out of the wreckage, they are going to be our bodies.
    I’m voting Johnson.

    • darkcycle says:

      …oh, just one more thing. F@#K the Liarcrats and the Refiblicans. Nero could have learned a thing or two from this lot.

  4. Chris says:

    I don’t remember what he said, but the fact that Johnson stood in front of me at hash bash as joints were rolled, passed to me, then passed all around says it all.

  5. skootercat says:

    I was at a DPA convention in NM almost ten years ago and when checking into the host hotel ran into Gov. Johnson in the lobby. There was no fanfare, only the Governor and a plain clothes state trooper in line to get situated. I had written to him prior to the conference and was shocked when he recalled my message. WYSIWYG with Gary Johnson. Up front. Nice guy. Gentleman. What you might hope to find when you meet a top state official… the real deal. Told him I hope one day he run for higher office and now I get to make good on my promise of support. If you ever thought about donating to a campaign, this is the one. Thanks Allan for posting the link to his speech at Paulfest.

  6. SuziSaul says:

    I get the impression that Gary is a really genuine person. He’s not a career politician, after all. He’s a businessman. Isn’t this exactly what the republicans had been asking for? Gary’s a good alternative to Romney, and he’s a good alternative to Obama as well. Many of us want to be more fiscally responsible but believe in the social liberal ideas of the Democratic Party. Gary’s the best of both worlds.

    If you want to hear him in the presidential debates, please take a minute to email the debate commission’s head, Janet Brown at jb@debates.org

    The war on drugs is not just costing us in liberty and drug war costs, but medical costs as well. There are so many people out there in chronic pain, taking unhealthy medications for some relief…polluting the water supply with meds that can’t be treated out of waste water, running up insurance with extremely costly meds and medical tests to make sure those meds are damaging organs, addiction treatment, organ repair/replacement when damaged by these drugs. All this ups the cost of insurance for everyone. Big Pharma knows this, and will fight tooth and nail, no matter what the cost to everyone.

  7. Klay says:

    As soon as I saw Ron Paul wasn’t going to get the nomination – I turned my support to Johnson. I hope other RP supporters do also especially after the GOP decided they did not need or want RP supporters.

  8. Neil says:

    If Libertarians can just help Gary Johnson obtain (1) ballot access, (2) voice in the presidential debates, and most critically (3) 5% of the national vote (would qualify the libertarian party for matching federal funds in 2016, easier ballot access 2016).

    Although we cannot have 4 more years of Obama, we definitely cannot have 8 years of Romney. In 4 years if a libertarian candidate is on the ballot with federal matching funds, the Republicans and Democrats will have to lean libertarian to try to appeal to that contituency.

    Ross Perot forced the two major parties to appeal to his base the following election cycle. Gary Johnson can do the same! Let’s make it happen! 5% of the national vote is the minimum threshold to make this occur.

  9. Duncan20903 says:

    Didn’t something similar happen to the Whigs in the mid 19th century which caused the party to implode?

  10. ezrydn says:

    Reality Check: Keep splitting the vote and I can assure you of who’ll remain in office. This election is about getting someone OUT, not someone IN.

    • Pete says:

      Every election is about getting someone OUT. That’s what the two-party system is designed to insure.

      The election process is where each political party spends hundreds of millions of dollars exploiting the same trivial personality attributes to demonize the other party’s politicians as culturally foreign, all to keep their followers in a high state of fear and thus lock-step loyalty. – Glenn Greenwald

      I don’t see any indication that Romney is going to be better on the drug war than Obama.

      I’m fully willing to take votes away from either of them (keep in mind that in Colorado, it could work against Obama), in order to give Gary Johnson a speaking platform.

    • claygooding says:

      I don’t understand,even with Obama’s reversal on mmj,,how anyone would want the Republicans back in the Whitehouse,,wasn’t Iran and AFG enough? Wasn’t the recent recession enough? Please tell me that our memory on the couch is so bad that we think the Republicans will do anything differently if we put them back in.

      • darkcycle says:

        Umm, how is Obama different? He doubled down on every bad policy of Bush. He (Obama)actually started MORE wars (since you gotta count the undeclared ones, too). See? There’s no difference…wait, I guess there was… Bush was honest about his intentions, Obama has lied about every last one of them.
        Clay, Obama is going to do NOTHING in his second term but more of what he’s done in his first. RMoney will do nothing different. If we are going to have a strategy that includes influencing elected officials, it will have to be a long strategy. Because neither of those nimrods is ever going to come around to our position. If we are to influence electoral politics, Obama has to lose, RMoney has to win. And O bushma need to lose with a small enough margin to have been covered by us pot smokers. It’s as simple as that. When we can swing an election one way or the other, THEN we’ll have a voice they’ll listen to. Not before.

        • Freeman says:

          I agree with the point you’re making, but Rmoney doesn’t have to win for our voice to be heard.

          The only way for our voice to be heard is for Johnson to collect enough votes to have swung the election, no matter which way it ends up going. Siphon a significant chunk of voters out of the two-party paradigm and watch the pandering begin, by both major parties.

          I’m voting Johnson.

        • My opinion: not much difference – they each have different methods for lying. They are both prohibitionists. I hate to believe it about Obama, but the facts speak for themselves.

          I see Gary Johnson as the only choice there is.

    • Klay says:

      I think too many times we have been told he is better than the other guy so we have voted for x to keep y out of office and there really isn’t much a difference between the two.

      It is time to go with someone who believes in both economic and personal freedom – which clearly is not Romney or Obama.

  11. Mike Parent says:

    Compare Gov Johnson’s record to RMoney’s. Gov. Johnson’s is Soooooo much better it’s embarrassing for the GOP fraud.
    Gov Johnson built a manufacturing/construction business, from scratch, which is something neither the President or RMoney never did.
    Obama/RMoney Tweedle Dee/Tweedle Dum.
    Dems and Reps, different pages from the same bad book!

  12. SCOOBY says:

    There will be a third choice on the presidential ballot or I will not vote period !!!

  13. Windy says:

    First there is the scripted and cheating of the RNC to prevent Ron Paul from being heard, and then the GOP si doing this to Gary Johnson:
    http://www.garyjohnson2012.com/gop-accused-of-attempting-to-keep-gov-gary-johnson-off-ballots
    FTA:
    Ron Nielson, senior advisor to Gov. Johnson, said in a statement released Friday, “The national Republican Party may not want to publicly acknowledge the presence of a true fiscal conservative in this race, but they are certainly taking Gov. Johnson seriously enough to engage in a concerted campaign to get his name off ballots in key states before voters even get a chance to vote.

    “In states across the nation, Republican operatives, lawyers, and in some cases, elected officials, are filing frivolous challenges to Governor Johnson’s ballot status. They know that even if their challenges fail, fending them off is a drain on our resources and a distraction from the real issues in this campaign. We don’t have hundreds of millions of dollars to throw around, nor do we have the Republicans’ endless supply of lawyers.”

    Thinking about this attack by the GOP on the LP in general and particularly on the Johnson campaign, anyone who is wanting the majority of voters to be able to hear other voices than Romney and Obama should donate to Johnson’s campaign and the LP even if they are still planning to vote for either of the policy twins. Both Obama and Romney have more than enough money flowing into their campaigns from corporations, special interest groups, and loyal party supporters, neither of them need your money. Obviously, both the Johnson campaign and the LP are hurting for funds.

    You do not have to be a libertarian to donate to the libertarian candidate, all you have to be is someone who is pissed off that any political party would have the balls try so damn hard to silence the voices of a lesser known party with different views. I find that to be absolutely un-American, and would even go so far as to call it totally ANTI-American, also particularly anti-diversity.

  14. Windy says:

    Hmm, that is the second time I tried to post a comment and it disappeared as soon as I hit “Post Comment”, what the hell?

    • Servetus says:

      I had the same problem trying to post in the previous Time piece. A second posting attempt warned me that I had posted already.

    • Pete says:

      Windy,

      I found three comments of yours in the spam filter and rescued them. I never know what causes that – there are way too many spams for me to go without the filter, but every now and then it grabs something it shouldn’t.

      Just let me know if it happens and I’ll fish it out for you.

      • Windy says:

        Thanks, Pete, I was beginning to wonder (since the same thing happened with similar comments I’d written on this topic on other sites, yesterday) if there was some kind of government or political agency which was determined that my posts about helping Gary Jonson would not be seen by anyone, anywhere. That may sound paranoid but in light of what we saw happen to Ron Paul and his delegates at the GOP convention in Tampa, and what is happening with Gary Johnson in the ballot access challenges, not all that far fetched.

  15. primus says:

    Somewhat OT; Romney’s first name is Willard. If he were called “W.’Mitt’ Romney”, the connection to Shrub would be evident. As in “Want another four years with a “W” at the helm?”

  16. snarf says:

    Someone must have a lot of clout to order and maintain prohibition of a useful herb. Who might that be? Who is/are the decider[s]? Who has the backstage power to “just say no” and make it stick? Just asking.

    • claygooding says:

      Bayer,Dupont,pulpwood industry,cotton producers,alcohol lobby,industrialized prison industry,rehab industry,urine analysis industry,police unions,and one of the largest bureaucracies in the federal government,while funding nearly every other bureaucracy in our government,,to name the tip of the iceberg.

    • Byddaf yn egluro: says:

      Ryan Donaghy, Chairman of the Board Donaghy Sales, LLC Alcoholic beverage distributer, steadily funds anti-marijuana efforts

      Ron Fowler, Immediate Past Chairman Liquid Investments, LLC Alcoholic beverage distributer, steadily funds anti-marijuana efforts

      Tom Reyes, Vice Chairman Crest Beverage, LLC; Gate City Beverage Distributors-San Bernardino; Harbor Distributing, LLC-Anaheim, Gardena, Santa Ana Alcoholic beverage distributer, steadily funds anti-marijuana efforts

      David “Duke” Reyes, Chief Financial Officer Crest Beverage, LLC; Gate City Beverage Distributors-San Bernardino; Harbor Distributing, LLC-Anaheim, Gardena, Santa Ana Alcoholic beverage distributer, steadily funds anti-marijuana efforts

      Peter Heimark, Secretary Heimark Distributing Co. Triangle Distributing Co. Alcoholic beverage distributer, steadily funds anti-marijuana efforts

      Terence Fox, NBWA CA Director M.E. Fox and Co. Alcoholic beverage distributer, steadily funds anti-marijuana efforts

      Travis Markstein, NBWA CA Director Markstein Beverage Co. Sacramento; Markstein Beverage Co. San Marcos Alcoholic beverage distributer, steadily funds anti-marijuana efforts

      Cherisse Alford, CBBD PAC Chair Alford Distributing, Alcoholic beverage distributer, steadily funds anti-marijuana efforts

      Jeff Jordano, Management Committee Member Pacific Beverage Co. Alcoholic beverage distributer, steadily funds anti-marijuana efforts

      T.J. Louderback, Management Committee Member Anheuser-Busch In Bev Sales Inc. of Pomona and Antelope Valley, Alcoholic beverage distributer, steadily funds anti-marijuana efforts
      etc. etc. etc.

      http://1anonymouslegion.com/narcowarriors/

  17. My local Public Safety just received a $175,000.00 grant from Homeland Security.

    Are they buying their own local police departments now on our deficit budget system?

    • kaptinemo says:

      For as long as the illusion of fiat-inflated debauched currency allows them to.

      I’d written about the dangers of this long ago:

      Say you have a guard dog. You can only afford to feed him kibble.

      Your much wealthier neighbor, Fred the Fed, wants total control of your guard dog. So, while you’re feeding him kibble, your neighbor is feeding the dog steak, and short-stroking it in the process and claiming its’ loyalties.

      Soon, the dog’s gotten fat and happy, eating BOTH your kibble and the neighbor’s steak…but he doesn’t listen to your commands, anymore…only your neighbor’s.

      And when your rich neighbor thinks its’ time to take over from you? You find ‘your’ dog snarling at you.

      The Feds have been doing this with local police forces through the all the ‘grants’ they’ve been throwing around these past 30 some years, to the point that there really is almost no local control of police forces, anymore.

      The local LE budgetary control leash was slipped long ago, and control of local forces are practically in the Fed’s hands…all thanks to the DrugWar. Just look at how many ‘task forces’ there are. The Feds couldn’t work their evil were it not for locals being ‘deputized’ courtesy of all the little DrugWar exceptions to things like Posse Comitatus. ‘Exceptions’ funded with inflated currency just waiting for a catastrophic deflation.

  18. mr Ikesheeny says:

    I will take GJ any day over Governor Willard, will the people affected by contraception and reproductive issues overcome inhibitions against the gop stances on those issues?

  19. Nanoman says:

    Gary Johnson is WAY better than Ron Paul. He doesn’t seem attract the “twoofer” conspiracy nut Alex Jones crowd as much. He also seems way better on social issues (abortion/gay marriage/contraception) than Paul.

  20. Ed says:

    Gary Johnson will win the election http://ow.ly/dt36G

  21. B. Snow says:

    There is no way in hell I’m gonna vote for the Dude who’s religion says caffeine (or “Hot drinks” translated to modern day as Coffee & Tea – possibly not iced & Sodas IDK?)
    I grew up with a Mormon family a few houses down the street (IDK what they we’re doing in a Houston Suburb/Ex-Urb)= But they couldn’t have any caffeine period!

    Granted, this was like 30 years ago & Mormons had just deciding to accept Black folks into the church & IIRC into their “Heaven” = I know it’s weird, and He was a Bishop in that Religion!
    Romney is allegedly “Socially Conservative” & Ryan claims the same – only without the flip-flopping Romney has done over the years. And their both are Wealthy As All FUCK! (Ryan worked summer jobs, but didn’t *have to* = his family & later/now his wife’s family are nearly all Filthy Freaking Rich!
    Fiscally Conservative my ass Ryan’s Budget would balance the budget 28 years from now, Romney’s plan is “Trust me I’m rich I’ll fix it, Really – I will I promise…”

    Seeing as how I’m in a very RED Texas District it (likely) won’t matter much if I vote for Obama, So I’m seriously thinking about voting for Gary Johnson & Jim Gray (unless the President realizes he’s still in a hole with the “youth/smokers” demographic.

    The Kal Penn “Harold & Kumar” Ad essentially acknowledges that the campaign KNOWS it’s a problem… I SO wanted there to be a bong next to the couch in that ad, or something! They were surrounded by munchies & watching cartoons, that’s still a “head nod” of sorts Barack knows what the fuck is up! He’s just REALLY reluctant to do shit about it…

    He/They could still pull an “October Surprise” or something and do like they did with Marriage Equality & say “Okay, I’ll support Marijuana Legalization = now would you folks vote for me *pretty please*?”

    The Texas Democratic Party Platform for 2012 has MJ Decriminalization in it = worded as if it would be legalization (assuming it was legal as the default) aka common law would give you the “natural right” to use it without the prohibition = at least on the State Level & “Don’t Mess With Texas” has become more than an Anti-Littering campaign from the 80’s -> 90’s!

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