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talkpoliticsEveryone pretty much dismisses the LP in the US as being, well, not really a force in politics. More like the place where most of the kookier park their political positions. But not everyone. There are those who can look beyond some of the kooky and wonder "what if...?"
What if a viable candidate emerged that brought the best of a True Compromise? A Social Liberal with a Fiscally conservative eye on managing cost? What if he was on the ballot in all 50 states?
What more would he need? How about matching federal election funds? What LP candidate ever elevated himself to such a position of fundraising ability?
Looks like Gary Johnson is on his way to being all of that.
Link shows that he has qualified for FMF in 13 of the 20 states he needs, and is well on his way to getting it, according to the cute 'March Madness' NCAA bracket style approach.
A few conservatives I have spoken with said it was a "deal killer' that he would have even spoken to the Occupy people, much less expressed support from SOME of their grievances. Fine. Be that narrow.
No one is paying attention to Johnson in the MSM yet, other than an 'oddity'. But pretty soon, if he can squeeze 3-4 more percentage points out of support, he can be at the POTUS debates, where he can slash to ribbons both Obama and the presumed candidate. I also think the young vote will turn from Obama and his War on Medical Marijuana and to End Prohibition Now Johnson.
Anti-prohibition sentiment is higher than ever. Roosevelt swept into the White House almost solely on a pledge to end prohibition.
Not only do I think he can take votes from both sides 9as well as the fat middle of Independents, who are clambering over each other for any change other than the current duopoly. Johnson does not sound like a kook and he has as much experience as Bush2 (Well, that is not saying much, but at least he is not a DC Insider).
I think the D's n R's would be more willing to work with someone who is 'not the other side' and to point the finger at when it comes to the backlash of ending prohibition (if there is any).
What do you think? Johnson for real? A Genuine Spoiler? for who? Does he have a chance in hell?
What if a viable candidate emerged that brought the best of a True Compromise? A Social Liberal with a Fiscally conservative eye on managing cost? What if he was on the ballot in all 50 states?
What more would he need? How about matching federal election funds? What LP candidate ever elevated himself to such a position of fundraising ability?
Looks like Gary Johnson is on his way to being all of that.
Link shows that he has qualified for FMF in 13 of the 20 states he needs, and is well on his way to getting it, according to the cute 'March Madness' NCAA bracket style approach.
A few conservatives I have spoken with said it was a "deal killer' that he would have even spoken to the Occupy people, much less expressed support from SOME of their grievances. Fine. Be that narrow.
No one is paying attention to Johnson in the MSM yet, other than an 'oddity'. But pretty soon, if he can squeeze 3-4 more percentage points out of support, he can be at the POTUS debates, where he can slash to ribbons both Obama and the presumed candidate. I also think the young vote will turn from Obama and his War on Medical Marijuana and to End Prohibition Now Johnson.
Anti-prohibition sentiment is higher than ever. Roosevelt swept into the White House almost solely on a pledge to end prohibition.
Not only do I think he can take votes from both sides 9as well as the fat middle of Independents, who are clambering over each other for any change other than the current duopoly. Johnson does not sound like a kook and he has as much experience as Bush2 (Well, that is not saying much, but at least he is not a DC Insider).
I think the D's n R's would be more willing to work with someone who is 'not the other side' and to point the finger at when it comes to the backlash of ending prohibition (if there is any).
What do you think? Johnson for real? A Genuine Spoiler? for who? Does he have a chance in hell?
(no subject)
Date: 16/3/12 16:22 (UTC)And yes, that is me saying he won't win but he could change the race.
(no subject)
Date: 16/3/12 16:33 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 16/3/12 16:39 (UTC)Johnson is DOA. He's not going to pull more than a percentage point or two overall, if he even gets that. He may pull some Ron Paul voters in at best.
(no subject)
Date: 16/3/12 16:53 (UTC)He may not break through like Ross Perot, but I could easily see him consuming a big chunk of youth voters in towns like College Park, Anne Arbor, Columbus and Madison, and in a tight enough race, that could be a TKO to the President in Pennsyvania, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin.
I seriously doubt he ends up drawing any significant votes from a Republican nominee in today's environment.
(no subject)
Date: 16/3/12 16:57 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 16/3/12 16:59 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 16/3/12 17:00 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 16/3/12 17:00 (UTC)BTW, it is interesting that some of the efficiencies introduced in private prisons are similar to Jeremy Bentham's proposal for a "panopticon" prison.
(no subject)
Date: 17/3/12 04:28 (UTC)how tragic.
link to source?
(no subject)
Date: 17/3/12 20:53 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 17/3/12 21:14 (UTC)as in the other half, probably the hard core half is still under the safe hand of our government.
(no subject)
Date: 16/3/12 18:50 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 17/3/12 04:29 (UTC)the saner version always looses.
btw, Huntsman is the saner version of Paul.
(ron) Paul is the saner version of (rand) Paul
(rand) Paul is saner than no-one.
(no subject)
Date: 17/3/12 18:40 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 17/3/12 18:39 (UTC)[citation needed]
(no subject)
Date: 17/3/12 19:31 (UTC)Oh so claiming a thing makes it so now?
Date: 17/3/12 19:33 (UTC)I HEREBY DECREE THAT I OWN A SKITTLE POOPING UNICORN AND THAT ALL THE WALLS OF MY HOME ARE COVERED WITH SYNTHESIZER MODULES!!
=D
No, stating an opinion makes it an opinion
Date: 17/3/12 19:50 (UTC)Because my comment was an opinion based on speculation. One can not cite something as fact that has not happened yet.
What the fuck's wrong with you today?
(no subject)
Date: 17/3/12 18:45 (UTC)He wants to privatize or eliminate, well, everything, in favor of unproven experimental 'market based solutions'.
He wants to slash the size of government - and thus the services offered by same- to Norquistian minimal levels. To do so now - with the accompanying demand destruction with fuel prices rising and a once-gutshot economy just getting back on its feet is suicidal. (Hi, Ireland!)
More importantly, he falls outside the simplistic lib/con Rep/Dem bipolar narrative that is the extent of most people's political understanding.
So no, I don't think he has a snowball's chance in hell.
Any more than Paul does and for most of the same reasons, minus Paul's fanatical base.
(no subject)
Date: 17/3/12 19:32 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 17/3/12 19:34 (UTC)I have this crazy notion that a functioning capitalist economy with social safety nets is a good thing.
(no subject)
Date: 17/3/12 19:51 (UTC)see how this works?
*looks at you*
(no subject)
Date: 17/3/12 22:56 (UTC)Ball's in your court.
(no subject)
Date: 18/3/12 01:07 (UTC)How often does fear of change compel you to react like this?
(no subject)
Date: 20/3/12 21:01 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 20/3/12 23:09 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 20/3/12 23:10 (UTC)