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Gary Johnson's Invisibility is Very Frustrating

August 30, 2011, 7:56 am

I continue to like everything I see of Gary Johnson.  Unfortunately, I seldom see anything.  For reasons not entirely clear to me, Johnson is being left out of the next Republican debate, despite polling better than many of those invited (and that despite a LOT less pub than folks like Rick Santorum).

I understand why the major media ignores him -- their strategy seems to be to focus on the wackiest Republican candidate, whoever that might be at the time.  My only guess on Johnson is that he ticks off social conservatives who have a lot of power in the party.  This is exactly the type of thing that has me not only indifferent to, but hostile to politics, and why you will almost never see horserace-style reporting of political races here.

Anyway, here is more on Johnson and a Reason video so you can actually see the guy.

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Category: Politics
  • http://www.cogfactory.net colson

    There was an article I caught on this same issue. Basically, because Johnson has not polled at ~4% in any of the past, "major" polls. Because others on the list have, at one time or another, polled at or above 4%, this allows them to be included in the debates.

    I hate saying things like "media bias" but it drives home the point that the media does its best to divine the narrative for the nation of voters. They have set themselves up as king-makers, lest the little folk have their own opinions or have an interest in what some lesser-known (and ignored) candidate might have to say.

    This has been starting to backfire in the major media's face when the likes of John Stewart picks up on the lack of attention Ron Paul gets even when he polls higher than many of the more "serious" candidates.

  • Doug

    Stossel spent an hour with the guy a few weeks ago. http://tinyurl.com/6d23lz2 You shouldn't complain that you don't see anything when you don't watch anything...

  • steve

    I think he is being overshadowed by Ron Paul. The minority of libertarians in the Republican party have largely thrown what little influence they can muster behind Ron Paul.

    Bonified libertarians seem to amount to about 5 to 10% of the Republican party. With maybe 30 to 50% of the party disagreeing with only a couple of issues so they are theoretically within convincing distance.

    I expect that if Gary Johnson attempts to maintain his national presence in the future he will inherit Ron Paul's support next time around. I suppose Rand Paul could upset this equation, but it is a little early for Rand to be taking a national stage.

    Hopefully, some day soon, their will be enough libertarians to support multiple front runner libertarian candidates.

  • http://stopthebreathing.blogtownhall.com astonerii

    I have trouble figuring out the society with a libertarian run government.

    In the old days, degenerates could be manhandled, beaten, and if they really got out of line, such as stealing a horse, hung, with no trial and little if any repercussions for the vigilante that put them back into line. So long as the vigilante action was upholding the known and true moral goods that thousands of years of human cultures have identified. This kept society rather homogenous and peaceful, which is good, as the opposite of homogenous and peaceful for society is diversity and conflict. The time that all you libertarians love to argue was your libertarian dream world was not regulated by government laws, but by natural laws and her civil defenders, the people with morals and enough courage to face down the degenerates.

    Now, explain to me exactly how a society that will refuse to accept vigilantism and no laws legislating the same moral consistency going to be thriving when the degenerates are protected from there being no law against their degeneracy and protected from those with good moral values with the courage to face them down? It just cannot happen. No place in the world has ever experienced, and for good reason, it goes against the pure basic laws of nature. People of different values never live side by side, they always live apart from one another, and when it is convenient for both, the trade at neutral locations so that each are able to get a good deal. If they are vastly different, then they simply war and might makes right. It does not work any other way.

  • ScottH

    I agree with you. I think the problem with Gary from the Republican establishment's point of view is he can't be trusted to put the wants and needs of the establishment members ahead of what's best for the country. In their eyes it doesn't matter if you're a Republican, Democrat or Independent as long as you can be counted on to use your office to enrich the right people when asked.

  • http://www.spotonpolitics.com/blog Rich

    For people like us, Gary Johnson is probably the best candidate. The problem is that there just are not enough people like us. Four months ago, I was told by a well placed individual that Rick Perry had already been "chosen" to be the guy. I laughed him off at the time. Now I am worried. Given the choices, I will definitely vote for Perry if I have to but if he wins I will always wonder if we voted him in or if it was "decided" for us. I am not a conspiracy theorist by any stretch, but that one would nag at me a bit I think.

  • http://space4commerce.blogspot.com/ Brian Dunbar

    I have run into this. People moan about candidate X: he lacks executive experience in government. Candidate Y has the business sense of a woodchuck.

    I point out that Gary Johnson was a two-term governor. That he started and ran a business - and made it a success. They don't want to hear that, or dismiss him because ... I don't know why. The status quo which isn't working is more comfortable? Better to nominate another Bob Dole?

    They really are convinced that Obama is a dead-man walking. They're wrong: Guys who voted for Obama in 2008 are going to do a mental 180 and vote for Rick Perry?

    Unless they find a dead hooker in the Rose Garden - and maybe not even then - Obama has got another four years coming.

  • Joel

    Gary was on the Fox news morning show this a.m. (wed, aug 31)

    Gawd I hate that show but I watched it just to see him.

  • steve

    I read were Gary Johnson is talking to the Libertarian Party about being their candidate. I don't know if it is true.