Libertarianism is sensible in theory. Small government, low taxes, and individual liberties. What’s not to love? In practice, the Libertarian Party has had a difficult time being taken seriously. It may have something to do with the candidates they’ve been putting forward.
Exhibit A: Gary Johnson. The former New Mexico governor doesn’t quite seem to understand what libertarianism actually means.
In an interview with Politico’s Glenn Thrush, Johnson essentially defiled the central tenets of libertarianism after suggesting that he supported President Obama’s authoritarian executive order to push through amnesty. Here is the relevant segment of the interview:
Glenn Thrush: How about Obama’s executive order, which was decried as being a great constitutional violation by the Republicans, Obama’s executive order on immigration. Did you consider that to be a violation or did you consider that a reasonable use of targeted executive power?
Gary Johnson: I saw it as a reasonable use, challenging Congress to action. And an untold story with regard to Obama and immigration is he’s broken up 3 million families. He has deported 3 million heads of households that have gone back to Mexico and their families have remained in the United States.
While the concept of open borders is consistent with libertarian ideology, executive power moves are not. The very whisper of expanding the executive branch should be blasphemy to the ears of a staunch libertarian. Gary Johnson doesn’t appear to fit the bill.
Pundits and politicians alike quickly seized on Johnson’s farcical interview:
Coffee this morning with Gary Johnson. Among other things, he says Obama’s executive order on DACA was the right thing to do.
— daveweigel (@daveweigel) June 6, 2016
Notes for October:
Johnson is pro-abortion, pro-exec overreach, bad on religious liberty & naive on national security
Otherwise “solid”
SMH— Ben Sasse (@BenSasse) June 6, 2016
Just as Trump has been clarifying about a lot of Republicans, Gary Johnson is clarifying about a lot of libertarians.
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) June 6, 2016
Since announcing his candidacy, Johnson has done more to damage to the libertarian brand than any butt-naked joke-candidate could have done stripping every night until November. A few weeks ago Johnson even told C-SPAN that he agrees with “73%” of Bernie Sander’s political platform. In case anyone forgot, Sanders is a literal socialist.
Gary Johnson keeps using that word “libertarian.” I’m not sure it means what he thinks it means. https://t.co/bEXcr7zmRP
— Andrew Klavan (@andrewklavan) June 1, 2016
“Libertarians agree with socialism….” –Gary Johnson
— Andrew Klavan (@andrewklavan) June 1, 2016
Libertarian ideology contains a lot of great ideas if articulated properly. Unfortunately, its messengers are often marijuana-obsessed clowns.