The July 18 issue of the New American (online here), has a story by Joe Wolverton on the June 16–18 Republican Leadership Conference where many GOP candidates spoke, including Gary Johnson and Ron Paul. We know what the libertarian Ron Paul believes about cutting the federal government to the bare bone, but what about the libertarian-leaning Johnson?
Johnson said that the U.S. “must maintain military alliances” with Israel. He proposed the elimination of only two federal agencies: the Departments of Education and HUD. He proposed that the federal government give to the states a fixed welfare grant.
In another report by Wolverton (online here), Johnson is said to have three great priorities: “First, to eliminate the Internal Revenue Service (IRS); next, pass a Fair Tax; and, last, to restore confidence in America.” He also said that as president he would cut all foreign aid, but not really, since he would not necessarily cut out all humanitarian aid: “I’d have to look at the important humanitarian aid and I could be persuaded to continue that sort of good will.”
Does Johnson have some good, that is libertarian, views on some issues. Certainly. But the above is the difference between being libertarian and libertarian-leaning.
