Gov. Gary Johnson Among the Occupy Wall Street Protesters

"The root of all evil," says GOP presidential candidate and former two-term Gov. Gary Johnson (R-N.M.), "is politicians that are going to save [us] from terrorists, from illegal immigrants, from drugs. 'Elect me,' [they say], 'and I'll save you.''

Johnson was responding to a question put to him on Tuesday, October 18, as he talked with Occupy Wall Street protesters in Manhattan's Zuccotti Park.

Reason.tv tagged along with Johnson. Among the folks he encountered were former Tea Party members, people who "got some money and should be taxed more," and individuals who questioned just what "Wall Street" meant when applied in such a vague way. 

Cenk Uygur, host of the popular "Young Turks" online show, tell Johnson that despite many differences, "The Tea Party sends the exact same message as these guys: 'We're pissed man, we're tired of not getting represented.'"

Video produced by Reason.tv's Anthony Fisher.

About 5 minutes long. Go to Reason.tv for downloadable versions of our videos and subscribe to Reason.tv's YouTube channel for automatic notification when new material goes live online.

For Reason's coverage of the Occupy movement in New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and elsewhere, go here.

Here's a playlist with Reason.tv's continuing coverage of Occupiers:

Comments

[TrickyVic]

""Gov. Gary Johnson Among the Occupy Wall Street Protesters
Posted on October 20, 2011, 4:32PM | Anthony L. Fisher

"The root of all evil," says GOP presidential candidate and former two-term Gov. Gary Johnson (R-N.M.), "is politicians that are going to save [us] from terrorists, from illegal immigrants, from drugs. 'Elect me,' [they say], 'and I'll save you.''
""

That's it. And the voters want someone to save them. That's why people like Johnson and Paul will never become President.

[WWNGD?]

Gov Gary Johnson says elect him so government can save the citizens!

[Colin K]

Except that's exactly what he's not saying.

And, like TV said above you, that's why he'll never have any amount of traction among the American public--at least insofar the automatons (primary voters) who play with partisan politics are concerned.

[yonemoto]

I think he was being sarcastic.

[Apatheist]

Even simpler:
"'Elect me,' [they say], 'and I'll save you.'"

They=politicians from previous sentence. Reading comprehension, how does that work?

[jacob]

What would Noel Gallagher do?

[Noel Gallagher]

Liam's rude, arrogant, intimidating and lazy. He's the angriest man you'll ever meet. He's like a man with a fork in a world of soup

[Paul]

That's it. And the voters want someone to save them. That's why people like Johnson and Paul will never become President.

Libertarianism is a kind of political suicide pact.

[jester]

Gary should correct his habit of uttering the solecism: VERB + you and I. It wouldn't be a cause for me not to cast a vote for him, but in a world of anal personalities, it could make a difference in his garnering of .001 percent of the vote and .0011 percent of the vote.

Don't get me wrong. I heart Gary Johnson as a Presidential Candidate with a chance in hell of ascendancy. I just hate the pseudo-liberal game of disqualifying a candidate on his locution vis-a-vis his ability or voting record.

[RoboCain]

Handy TP vs. OWS chart for your reductionist convenience:

http://duckofminerva.blogspot......l?spref=tw

[BigT]

" The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary" H L Mencken

As true today as ever.

[Gary Johnson]

I'm against the wars... unless it's in Uganda! Woot, woot!

[Raston Bot]

Yeah, that was a wtf moment. His justification being that LRA was:

1. really, really bad
2. finite (I guess that minimizes blowback)

Maybe also LRA will be really cheap to eliminate, relatively speaking.

Probably cheaper to let PMCs earn a bounty.

[Apatheist]

I don't think it's the proper role of government but if the only intervention we ever did was send 100 advisors to help kill thugs like the LRA it would be a vast improvement over our current situation.

And people who supported Iraq and complain about his can go suck an infected dick.

[jacob]

I don't agree with the first sentence, but +1000 to the second.

[Tortillapete]

I thought your old man was dead?

[Apeshit]

100 advisers ok, 1000 not ok. Principle be damned!

[Old Mexican]

*Sigh* Pretty much.

[TrickyVic]

It will only takes days or weeks. Not months or years.

[check_minus]

The lack of self-awareness of the woman in that video was mind blowing. Set aside the logical issues and her demand that everybody do what she does --does she even know what she sounds like? She seems to be trying to ape the San Franciscans in South Park's "Smug Alert".

It has to be on purpose.

[junior]

No shit..."I'm a good and caring person, but you can't rely on people to be good and caring, therefore I'm extra super special. (nods head approvingly at her own thoughts)."

[Colin]

He's just wasting his time.

Every single one of those people will vote for Obama. Every single one.

[ACORN Reborn!]

And more than once!

[Apogee]

He's just wasting his time.

Getting his message out is never a waste of time. It doesn't have to be about the OWS groups.

Gary Johnson isn't perfect, but he's better than the Romney/Cain/Perry group that doesn't seem to concentrate on cutting government.

[Episiarch]

God damn I'm sick of the Occupy shit. It's just one more fad that people jump into, will burn out shortly, and then everyone who made a big deal of it will be somewhat embarrassed that they did and won't talk about it any more.

Anybody been watching American Horror Story? It's pretty interesting. I like the psycho-sexual tone of it.

[PantsFan]

Try this
http://www.theglobeandmail.com.....le2208180/

About 200 protesters chanting "Arrest Bush" and "Shame" were outside the Sheraton Guildford Hotel Thursday morning, where former U.S. President George W. Bush is set to speak this afternoon.

...
Gail Davidson, founder of Vancouver-based Lawyers Against the War, joined the protest Thursday morning. She said the federal government was ignoring its responsibility to arrest Mr. Bush.

"We all know Bush is a war criminal. We all know he's responsible for the use of torture around the world."

[Episiarch]

I don't read Canadian websites. That takes jobs away from hardworking American websites. Plus, it's unintelligible with all the "eh"'s and the "aboot"'s.

It only proves my love for David Cronenberg's work that I will sit through that kind of language to watch his movies.

[Fartriloquist]

Did you catch the Weird Al special a few weeks ago? One of the high points for me was "Canadian Idiot"--classic!

[Episiarch]

What Weird Al special?

I have Straight Outta Lynwood so I have "Canadian Idiot" already.

[Fartriloquist]

Some concert show that was broadcast on Comedy Central. The song was a new one to me--I like Weird Al but don't follow his work that closely.

[TrickyVic]

""Gail Davidson, founder of Vancouver-based Lawyers Against the War, ""

I wonder who he's billing for his time. 😉

[Apogee]

Vancouver-based Lawyers Against the War...unless we're hired by a client and paid handsomely to be for the war. Why, that would change everything.

[Haunted Taint]

"We all know Bush is a war criminal. We all know he's responsible for the use of torture around the world."

Fair enough. But how much you want to bet the next time Barry comes to town, some of these same people will be out in the street cheering?

[Audrey the Liberal]

Arresting former president Bush sounds like a fine idea to me. Arresting current president Obama would also brighten up my day.

[Hank]

Give it half a season. It's the Nip/Tuck and Glee asshat (as I'm sure you already knew), so by the third episode nothing that has happened in any previous episode will matter, and every character will do whatever would be "neat" for that moment in that episode, and do the exact opposite in an identical situation if it would be "neat" for that episode.

/rant

[Episiarch]

They're sort of already doing that, but at least in AHS there is always the excuse that the house is fucking with their behavior.

The third episode has been the best so far--I loved the murder junkies--and wasn't written by them.

[Old Mexican]

Re: Episiarch,

The third episode has been the best so far--I loved the murder junkies

I haven't missed an episode.

How can you work with that thing around?

*Nod*

He he he!

[Episiarch]

Yup. Good stuff.

[Hugh Akston]

I like the psycho-sexual tone of it.

To be fair, Episiarch said this exact thing about the first season of ST:TNG.

[Episiarch]

If The Traveler raping Westly isn't psycho-sexual, I don't know what is.

[Hugh Akston]

His head really does look like a giant circumcised penis, doesn't it?

[Episiarch]

Dude, he scares me.

YOU GONNA GET RAPED

[Joe Biden]

Blame Republicans for it!

[A fan]

A harsh winter will kill OWS. And we will have a bad one this year.

[Audrey the Liberal]

Occupodo camping in Zuccotti Park in the middle of December, "Maybe Global Warming isn't such a bad thing."

[Mark]

Maybe he's looking for some crazy hippy pussy and a blunt. In fact, DAMN, that sounds good right about now.

[F Hart]

You have to be careful. Some of those hippie chickies don't shave.

[Audrey the Liberal]

The hair isn't so bad. The lice however...

[yonemoto]

God damn it Gary, you should have been like, "so, you'd rather you be taxed and instead of that 80% going to help the poor, you'd rather it be thrown after illegitimate wars and domestic persecution?"

[Jeff]

Yeah, he'd have said that if he were smart. There's a reason he's running in the Stupid Party primary, you know.

[yonemoto]

No, he's just not attack dog enough.

[Apatheist]

Is there a Non-Stupid Party? I have yet to find one. (Yes that includes the LP)

[yonemoto]

http://jimmsolo.wordpress.com/.....-beverage/

[rather]

My coverage on Lord Tim's coverage
http://rctlfy.wordpress.com/20.....as-spoken/

[FUCK THE TSA]

Tennessee Becomes First State To Fight Terrorism Statewide

PORTLAND, Tenn. ? You're probably used to seeing TSA's signature blue uniforms at the airport, but now agents are hitting the interstates to fight terrorism with Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response (VIPR).

"Where is a terrorist more apt to be found? Not these days on an airplane more likely on the interstate," said Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons.

Tuesday Tennessee was first to deploy VIPR simultaneously at five weigh stations and two bus stations across the state.

Agents are recruiting truck drivers, like Rudy Gonzales, into the First Observer Highway Security Program to say something if they see something.

"Not only truck drivers, but cars, everybody should be aware of what's going on, on the road," said Gonzales.

It's all meant to urge every driver to call authorities if they see something suspicious.

"Somebody sees something somewhere and we want them to be responsible citizens, report that and let us work it through our processes to abet the concern that they had when they saw something suspicious," said Paul Armes, TSA Federal Security Director for Nashville International Airport.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol checked trucks with drug and bomb sniffing dogs during random inspections.

http://www.newschannel5.com/st.....-statewide

[Jeff]

News from the future:

Agents are deputizing truck drivers, like Rudy Gonzales, into the First Observer Highway Security Program to grope old ladies and molest infants in search of phantom explosive devices.

[TrickyVic]

""It's all meant to urge every driver to call authorities if they see something suspicious.""

But all it reinforces is keep your mouth shut or you will deal with these jerkoffs.

[TrickyVic]

""Agents are recruiting truck drivers, like Rudy Gonzales, into the First Observer Highway Security Program to say something if they see something.""

What the odds Mr. Gonzales was just going along with whatever they said fearing repercussions.

[sevo]

How about if Rudy calls and says "I see a tree off to my left."
Hey, it's something.

[Mr Whipple]

If we rely on the kindness of strangers, the poor will keep getting screwed....

"Keep getting screwed"? So, you admit the government screws the poor? So, the answer is more government? Why? So, the poor can be screwed even more?

Logic eludes these people.

[Audrey the Liberal]

Who needs logic when you have good intentions.

[yogi]

WooMan at 3:00, regarding her inheritance: "I decided to keep 20% and give 80% away."

Put some magnets on her parents' corpses and surround them with coils of wires.

I can understand someone taking her inheritance and giving 20% away. I can better understand someone setting aside 80% of her inheritance and giving away the investment revenue to charities. She could figure out what do to the principal later, as she comes to understand how that investment money is being spent.

I may be wrong, but I get the sense that she wanted to cleanse herself of the responsibility of managing her inheritance.

[capitol l]

She didn't say how much the inheritance was for, though.

Could have been a hundred bucks.

[Arboles de la barranca]

ha ha. she was pissed at her parents for leaving her so little!

[yogi]

Don't want to watch the video again, but I think she said, "To be honest, I have some money." In modern parlance, in this context, that's five+ digits.

[capitol l]

I'm stickin' with my story, copper.

[Apogee]

I get the sense that she wanted to cleanse herself of the responsibility of managing her inheritance.

No, she wanted to smugly imply that she was a better class of person than the rest of humanity, of which none could be trusted to manage their own affairs.

Self delusion, coupled with an acute lack of self awareness - a bad combo to put in front of the cameras.

[sevo]

Besides which, she *didn't* give it to the government. She made the choices about where it was to go.
Wonder if the people who got it (who also didn't 'earn' it) were so morally constrained.
Or if they went out for a nice dinner and tipped well.

[Audrey the Liberal]

To be fair, it is [was?] her money, and she can spend it however she wants. That said, I do wish she could offer the same courtesy to others, and not be such a judgmental twat.

[Juice]

Dammit Johnson, drop the fucking "Fair" Tax bullshit. I can't believe you advocate such a fucking retarded idea.

[kilroy]

It's a great idea. You're retarded.

[yogi]

No, I'm retarded.

Not severely , but a "fair tax" or "9-9-9" tax plan does take a stab an the complexity of taxes. It has some rhetorical value, at least. Taxes are too complicated. Gary Johnson just shot himself in the foot by proposing a $200/month rebate. Why not $201 or $199? And why did the government take the $200 bucks from you in first place, if they were just going to give it right back?

[yonemoto]

The Fair Tax is great if it leaves intrastate transactions untaxable.

[yogi]

That would kill state sales tax. And that needs a good killing. But it would not change federal taxes.

[yonemoto]

No, I meant it would be a reasonable compromise if the Feds couldn't tax intrastate transactions; the states could still do that.

[Neu Mejican]

Apatheist|10.20.11 @ 5:45PM|#

Even simpler:
"'Elect me,' [they say], 'and I'll save you.'"

They=politicians from previous sentence. Reading comprehension, how does that work?

The larger context, however, of a man running for president makes the specific referent in the specific sentence unimportant.

His surface message is saying: "Politicians that say they will save you from [some specific danger], ...are evil."

But in the context of trying to get himself elected that implies

"But since I have told you this, you can rest assured I am not evil, so electing me will "save you" from them [a specific danger]."

He's like a post-modern french film about discourse theory in politics.

Gary Johnson says: I am the only politician that can truly save you since I know that

[Apogee]

Perhaps the US could try, just for once, electing someone who correctly points out that the government doesn't "save" anyone from anything.

I mean, if you have a better solution at this point, other than "but that's just how it is and it'll never change", then by all means let's hear it.

[sevo]

"Gary Johnson says: I am the only politician that can truly save you since I know that"
So you'll vote for GJ since you vote for all politicos who make that claim?

[A fan]

He should say I'll save from being fucked by the govt by closing several depts.

[Neu Mejican]

So you'll vote for GJ since you vote for all politicos who make that claim?

I don't vote for politicos who make that claim a major element of their campaign.

[Neu Mejican]

As an aside:

While governor, Gary Johnson's whole schtick was that he was going to save the people from the evils of government. He is Ron Swanson.

[Apogee]

The difference, if you care to pay attention to his results, is that he did, at least while he was in office.

[Neu Mejican]

Apogee|10.20.11 @ 8:12PM|#

The difference, if you care to pay attention to his results, is that he did, at least while he was in office.

His results? Not sure I am too impressed with his results as governor...having lived and worked in the state at the time. Given that people 'round these parts point to his tax cuts, they should think Bill Richardson's results even better since he cut taxes below the level Johnson left them. (don't buy the GJ "but the fees, the fees" argument either).

Like I said...he's Ron Swanson. Very likable. Not likely to be too effective in the job he's (sorta) seeking.

[sevo]

"His results? Not sure I am too impressed with his results as governor...having lived and worked in the state at the time. Given that people 'round these parts point to his tax cuts, they should think Bill Richardson's results even better since he cut taxes below the level Johnson left them. (don't buy the GJ "but the fees, the fees" argument either)."
So somebody might have done better and therefore a lefty will try to use that as ammo against him?
Why am I not surprised?

[Apogee]

they should think Bill Richardson's results even better since he cut taxes below the level Johnson left them.

And perhaps they would, if Richardson hadn't also expanded State Government at the same time, which is more like GW Bush.

Funny, I didn't think you liked W?

[sevo]

"Gary Johnson's whole schtick was that he was going to save the people from the evils of government."
Lefties are getting nervous!

[capitol l]

Will you please make a point please, and quit trailing(gamboling?) off into WIesque non-sequiturs?

[BakedPenguin]

He is Ron Swanson

Cool. I was starting to regret sending him money. Thanks for that, NM.

[Neu Mejican]

You're welcome.

It is important to follow with "I am Spartacus Ron Swanson!"

[sevo]

"It is important to follow with "I am Spartacus Ron Swanson!"
Yeah, and it's also important to cite some of what you claim.

[*]

Weev's libertarian-ish OWS rant:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9nKaU1LJxw

[capitol l]

Pretty good. Dude must be a Balko reader.

[Apogee]

But I thought nobody listened to libertarian arguments?

[sevo]

In our "57 state" experiment, we find California the first to find out how much 'cap and trade' costs:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/......DTL&tsp=1
No, it didn't go through the legislature; it was mandated by an agency.

[nekoxgirl]

Great Baby Jesus! California is going to be deserted in a few years. No one will be able to afford to live there if they really try enforcing this.

They really will have old people dying in the streets. Or rather, freezing/dying of heat stroke in their houses. Glad I get to see California before it turned into Left 4 Dead.

[.]

Great Baby Jesus! California is going to be deserted in a few years.

Nah. It'll just be another shithole like the rest of Mexico.

[sevo]

"nekoxgirl |10.20.11 @ 10:34PM|#
"Great Baby Jesus! California is going to be deserted in a few years..."
And ignoring your hyperbole, do you think it's going to get better?
Or are you, as a brain-dead ignoramus, just claiming it won't turn into North Korea?
Just wondering how bad it has to get before you admit you're too stupid to type comments.

[nekoxgirl]

What the fuck is your problem asshole?

The point of my comment was that if you drastically raise taxes on eletricity, industry and gasoline (which would be the result of getting carbon usage back to 1990 levels), the only people left in California will be the people that are too poor to move away.

But maybe I should put it in words you might understand:

Me no like cap and trade.

There? Better?

[stupid protester lady]

I don't give a damn if our tax money is going to maintain the military-industrial complex. And I don't even care if the Patriot Act killed off the Constitution once and for all.

War on Drugs? Whatever, only black people get busted for smoking pot anyway. But don't you dare touch the Progressive Income Tax! That's the only thing keeping this country from dissolving into absolute anarchy.

You know, like Somalia.

[capitol l]

Yup, cause rotting in prison is better than being 'poor', whatever the fuck that means. Tards.

If that's the 99% then I'll support the 1% all fucking day.

[Maxxx]

Jesus fucking Christ.

The first idiot has two masters degrees but hasn't figured out that painting crosses on your face won't get you anywhere.

The second douchebad says she's not into politics then talks at length about the need for wealth distribution and doesn't like "civil libertarians" because of "the poor".

[J]

VOTE GARY JOHNSON 2012 and if not at least go to his web site and actually see what he has to say i promise y'all won't be disappointed cause I wasn't he speaks the truth

[Uncle Joe]

"The root of all evil," says GOP presidential candidate and former two-term Gov. Gary Johnson (R-N.M.), "is politicians that are going to save [us] from terrorists..."

That's funny.
Didn't Johnson agree with Obama that people on the other side of the planet should be saved from the terrorist LRA?

Politicians saving Americans from terrorists is the "root of all evil" but saving non-Americans from terrorists isn't?

I like the "principles" of this "libertarian" more and more.

[DoomsdayPicnic]

Great video. Which one's Johnson?

[Ronald Reagan]

The most feared words in the English language shouuld be iI'm from the government I'm hear to help.

Cain: Anti-Abortion, But Pro-Choice
http://tinyurl.com/3bdk8bd

Cain: I am pro-life no exceptions but its none of my business as President or the government's business to tell families what to do.

[Dan]

http://www.bloomberg.com/video/78027552/

Taleb on OWS.