While the 2016 presidential race has its major party nominees, a third Libertarian Party candidate has stepped up to say he's running too.
Gary Johnson, former governor of New Mexico, businessman, triathlete and mountain climber, is trying to win over middle-of-the-road Democrats and Republicans, or anyone who isn't satisfied with either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton.
Johnson, who emphasizes limited government and individual freedom, came to Indianapolis on July 26 for the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
Back in April, an Associated Press-GfK poll, indicated a majority of Americans don't think the candidates for president represent their opinions — not even at least somewhat well. And at least half of Americans said they would be disappointed or even angry if either Trump or Clinton were nominated for president.
Because of this, Johnson thinks he might have a shot.
“Here’s how crazy this is: I might be the next president of the United States. That’s how crazy this is,” Johnson said.
Johnson will be on the ballot in all 50 states come November, and the latest poll from the Wall Street Journal has the presidential candidate polling at 10 percent.
However, in order to make it to the polls with the major party candidates, he will need at least 15 percent in five mainstream polls.
Johnson has been labeled as fiscally conservative and socially liberal, which can be seen through his views on issues of today’s political atmosphere.
Balancing the budget, tax reform and creating jobs
Johnson wants to stop deficit spending and plans to propose a balanced budget without tax increases if he becomes president. He believes the national debt is the greatest threat to the country’s national security.
The presidential candidate sees the tax code as a massive deployment of government force on Americans' lives, finances and freedoms. He plans to replace all income and payroll taxes with a single consumption tax. Johnson believes eliminating income taxes on businesses will create a tax haven in America that will bring jobs back to the U.S.
Personal freedoms
The Libertarian candidate thinks government should be limited, and adults should be able to marry whomever they want, arm themselves, make decisions about their own bodies and be able to live life without government agencies intruding on it.
The former governor thinks the right for women to do what they want with their body should be respected, and access to health services for women shouldn’t be limited or denied, though when Johnson was the governor of New Mexico he supported a ban on late term abortions.
Foreign policy and national defense
Johnson believes the policies of President Bush and President Obama have made the country less safe and has helped extremist groups like ISIS prosper. The candidate wants the options of boots on the ground and dropping more bombs on the enemy to be replaced with strategies that will isolate extremist groups.
He also doesn’t think military resources should be focused on regime change and nation-building.
Immigration
The former governor disagrees with Trump on the need for a border wall and believes a wall would only produce "taller ladders and deeper tunnels."
To him, immigration should be dictated by the marketplace and not politics. He said he wants to make it easier to enter the U.S. legally through a simplified Work Visa Program.
Environment
Johnson believes the government has a role in protecting the environment but it doesn’t have the role to manipulate the energy marketplace by creating winners and losers. He has said he thinks the free market should be in charge of innovating and inventing ways to produce energy.
The candidate believes climate change is real and humans have a hand in it, but he doesn’t believe the government’s current effort in the energy market is making a difference that justifies the cost.
Criminal justice reform and the war on drugs
The Libertarian candidate thinks too many aspects of people’s personal lives have been able to label them as criminals. He's said he believes there are too many laws that put people in the country’s prison system who don’t need to be there.
Johnson believes the war on drugs has failed and advocates for more drug rehabilitation programs instead of incarceration. He supports the legalization of marijuana and believes the states should be the ones to regulate it.
The former governor himself has said he's used marijuana medicinally from 2005 to 2008 after a near-fatal paragliding accident and was also the previous CEO of Cannabis Sativa Inc., which produces medical and recreational marijuana products.
Johnson has said he wouldn’t use marijuana if he becomes president.
You can learn more about presidential candidate Gary Johnson at his website.
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