I've been registered republican for most of my adult life but I have never considered myself right wing. I've always considered myself a bit more centrist with a rightward lean. Probably the thing that bothers me most about the Republican Party is the bible thumping as I am a skeptic rather than someone who deals in faith. A while back I took one of those political quizzes which said I was a libertarian in my views, something I hadn't ever thought about nor did I know anything about the libertarians. I've slowly begun researching the party since then. I haven't followed much politics especially being from California where the primaries don't really matter as most of the weeding out is usually done by the time we vote. California generally votes left so I often feel like my vote goes unheard. Now that the major parties have chosen I am deeply dissatisfied with the options. Hillary, especially following Obama, is not fit to lead. Trump is his own worst enemy who I have some deep reservations about. I honestly can't imagine voting for either one. One of the reasons I registered republican was that I felt that the other candidates weren't viable and it felt like voting for them was akin to not voting at all. But that is where I am at now; I feel like staying home instead of voting for these two asshats. Which leads me to Johnson. I know very little about him and am starting to research him along with the libertarian party. I agree with the smaller government and many of those positions and many of my social views are more a matter of symantics than passionate stands. In general if your social issues don't effect me, I don't really care that much either way. So at first glance, the libertarians are an attractive alternative. Anyone else making the switch away from the two major parties?
Me, I haven't done what I would call complete research yet but so far I really like the general idea.
I voted Libertarian last election and have similar political views to you it sounds. The only issue I have with the Libertarian party in general is the Isolationist stance they take about many global aspects, e.g. foreign policy, trade policy, security. Being Isolationist became a non-viable policy when WWI happened, so not sure why they haven't caught up with the realities of life in a worldwide connected society. Speaking of the Republican Party I don't remember the Republican Party being so focused on social issues as a kid, but perhaps I'm not remembering Reagan or Bush Sr.'s platforms. To me, when Bush had to play the whole gay marriage card to win reelection the party went down drain. Selecting Palin as a VP was the nail in the coffin for me. Trump, well let's just say his polices, or lack thereof, fit right in with people that only vote for their President based on whether or not he supports gay marriage. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
I made the switch from R. I got my Libertarian card in the mail 2 weeks ago. I also agree they go a bit too far in the isolationism and maybe in their total lack of regulation of pretty much everything, but moving the country in that direction from where we are now would be a good thing. My biggest worry if Johnson got elected would be him doing an immediate pull out of Afghanistan and the ME. That would of course leave a power vacuum for the radicals to fill in. KrooklynSV: What in the trade policy specifically bothers you?
I registered as a Libertarian when Bush 2 was running the first time. So fed up with 2 choices of shit every election. Have been voting L ever since, it may be a wasted vote but I'm voting my conscience. I refuse to pick between 2 pieces of shit.
Yea I wouldn't lose too much sleep on that happening. LOL! Some Libertarian views are absolutely attractive but I, too, have issues with their isolationist position as well. If we had adhered to that back in the WWII days, do we know for sure what language we'd be speaking right now? With that said, I have wondered if we should possibly consider a partial move towards that, until we can get our own finances back in order.
I don't affiliate myself with any particular party, but I voted for Johnson last time around and will likely do the same this time. If enough people decide their vote doesn't matter and "throw it away" on Johnson, we might have a real chance at changing something.
There's a time and place for everything, which is what made WWII, and even WWI the right call. But, we've lost the "speak softly and carry a big stick" mentality with the rest of the world. I'm with you - we absolutely need to turn our focus inward until we get our house in order. That said, we're going to have to continue to engage regarding ISIS. Don't really have a choice in that matter.
I have voted libertarian in recent elections, but fear that I may need to disregard my conscience and vote for the candidate must likely to defeat Clinton. In some ways, my vote does not even matter. It is pretty much a foregone conclusion that Alabama will go republican. Hillary's total advertising budget here has been about twelve dollars. On the other hand, I would like to see a total repudiation of all things Clinton in the popular vote tally. Call me chicken little, but I think that there is every chance that a Hillary presidency would set us on an irrevocable course to dissolution.
Isolationism is one thing I also disagree with. I don't believe we should police the world but we should protect our interests.
That's another positive to living in Texas. We don't have to watch all those ******* ads I used to have to see in Colorado & some other states I've lived. Neither side needs to waste budget here.
Johnson vowed to stop toking up while running and if elected, he also suggested a 20% cut for defense , good start
@2blueYam - I stand corrected. His limited trade policy seems fine by me. http://www.ontheissues.org/Gary_Johnson.htm
Unfortunately, this country has been in a two party cycle for many decades and I don't look for it to ever change. In spite of the idea of being "true to one's own beliefs" and voting for a third party if that party looks good to you, it has always come down to voting "against" someone as much as anything. I would consider voting for Johnson except for the danger of diluting the vote and allowing Clinton to win. Above everything else, that woman must be kept out of Washington. I don't think that she gives a rat's ass about anybody beyond her own ass. With Obama most of us recognized that he would drive the US into a kind of Socialist form of Government if he was smart enough to do it but with Clinton at the helm that change might happen because she is smart enough. This is a scary election for me.
