Las Vegas Sun

March 18, 2024

Libertarian Gary Johnson on Trump, pot and locker room talk

Gary Johnson

Scott Morgan / AP

Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson speaks during a campaign rally, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, at Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa.

He has climbed Mount Everest with an injured leg, built his own house by hand and served two terms as a Republican governor in New Mexico.

Gary Johnson’s next goal? President of the United States. Or, at least make sure the man he believes shouldn’t get there, Donald Trump, doesn’t.

The Libertarian Party candidate stopped to chat with the Sun on Tuesday night at the Beer Park at the Paris after taping a segment with CNN’s Dana Bash. He talked about his candidacy, green energy, legalizing marijuana and more.

Can you explain how you climbed Mount Everest with a broken leg?

It was a healing broken leg. I went to Nepal with it after my doctor gave me the “OK” to do so. Basically, some time before, he said, ‘You can go to Mount Everest, just no pain killers and no anti-inflammatories.’ I was in the swimming pool the next day and we went from there.

Why should people choose Gary Johnson and (running mate) Bill Weld over Clinton and Trump?

Well our message represents the vast majority of Americans.

How do you vary from the other candidates, economically?

I want a balanced economy for the sake of our country’s young people. Balancing the budget involves shrinking the government. We need to stop the wars, too. I can’t think of any examples in which we have forced a regime change in another country and it has worked out.

How about socially?

We need to be inclusive. Marriage equality, a woman’s right to choose, legalizing marijuana, being able to make choices in our own lives. Embracing immigration is a good thing. We should look to increase immigration. That would also be an economic plus, getting people to come into this country and get work visas.

People associate free market with crony capitalism, when in fact they’re complete opposite. Crony capitalism is government picking winners and losers. Free market allows for more equal opportunity. I think I delivered on building free markets as governor of New Mexico.

You have a billboard here in Las Vegas advertising you and your running mate here with “NOT TRUMP” written in the middle. Why not?

Well, he can’t win this election. His comments about women are beyond inappropriate. That’s not locker room talk.

Why are you in favor of recreational legalized marijuana?

It’s just not criminal. And of course, if you use anything to become impaired and cause harm to others, it’s never going to become an excuse. But I believe we should be able to make those decisions for ourselves. Imagine Las Vegas with legalized recreational pot. Man! And it’s going to happen.

So you’re pretty confident for that here in Nevada?

Yes, I am. I am. It’s exciting.

You’re very pro-solar and green energy as well.

Yes.

After the PUC’s agreement with Nevada Energy earlier this year to raise solar rates, what’s next for Nevada?

I really think the free market is driving us to get out of the grid. It’s the Tesla model. It’s panels on the roof. It’s feeding the battery in your car overnight. I think we’re all going to be off the grid here in a short amount of time.

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