by Eric DonderoMeet Bill Johnson. He serves in Governor Bob Riley's Cabinet as Chairman of Economic and Community Affairs. He's also a former Birmingham City Councilman.
Johnson resigned his post last Friday to run in a crowded field for Governor. An attractive candidate on the surface, but he's not likely to garner much support from the GOP's libertarian wing, nor should he.
From the Opelika and Auburn Now:
This will be Johnson’s second race for a statewide office, but his first in Alabama.Translation: He used to be in favor of Liberty, now he's for Big Government Nanny-Statism.
He made an unsuccessful bid as a Libertarian for the U.S. Senate in Missouri in 1994, getting only about 5 percent of the vote in a race won by Republican John Ashcroft. In that race, Johnson adopted the Libertarian platform of legalizing marijuana and prostitution. That platform repeatedly came up in Johnson’s future political ventures and was used in a Democratic ad to attack Riley in his re-election bid in 2006.
Each time it came up, Johnson said he personally opposed the legalization of marijuana and prostitution, but was running under the Libertarian banner.
The Republican Liberty Caucus recently organized in Alabama. The State is also home to a number of "switchover" Libertarians to the GOP, including a number of Ron Paul supporters, and well-known Libertarian Media guy Stephen Gordon.
We here at Libertarian Republican heartily applaud former Libertarian Party members who join the GOP and bring their libertarian ideals with them. But there's nothing worse than a former Libertarian who joins the GOP only to become a social authoritarian, most especially one who apologizes for his past libertarian views.
Alabama Libertarian Republicans should support Anyone but Johnson.
15 comments:
LOL Eric, the we should also not support Sarah Palin in AK in her re-election bid, as she is also opposed to opposed the legalization of marijuana and prostitution!
And your hero Rick Perry also used to be Democrat.
Oh, the hypocrisy and inconsistencies flourishes on your blog!
BTW: Johnson is good looking indeed. Don't worry to much about the marijuana, Gary Johnson will get him right in time. He seems like a great guy to support.
Eric, thanks for informing us whom we should support! :-)
Ironic that you would say that Sarah Palin opposes legalization of marijuana, particularly since that is exactly what her GOP opponents in the 2006 primary slammed her on - being a "closet supporter of marijuana legalization."
Stick to Thai politics Stefan. You're knowledge of Alaska politics is seriously lacking.
Eric, has she spoken out for allowing prostitution?
((I would agree with her decision on this one, vs you...not every state needs to be NV).
Palin, has smoked mariujuana in her youth, I knew already last year, but did not like it. That was during the time it was legal in AK.
"Palin has said she doesn't support legalizing the drug, fearing the message it would send to her five children".
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/29/politics/politico/thecrypt/main4397109.shtml
What about speed limits, has she increased the speed limits in AK> No siree. See, I do know something about AK politics.
Better luck next time Eric, seems my political knowledge of Thailand, Iran, Iraq and AK - on this issue - is way better than yours. Also, why has she not introduced legislation to allow at least medical marijuana as governor? Has she allowed hemp? She should know the constitution and the 10th Amendment and has all the power as governor.
Also Eric, so you say the AL should support anyone who is on the scale more statist than Johnson? Hmmm maybe he has done something "verboten" in your eyes - supported Ron Paul. No siree, we can't have Ron Paul supporters running for gov. In AL currently probably no pro-drugs and certainly no pro-prostitution candidate will have a chance of winning, but using the federalism and making incremental changes, like allowing hemp and marijuana at hospitals would be a start.
For the record Stefan, I made an error. Should've been more specific:
Alabamams should support any other REPUBLICAN! besides Johnson.
In the event that Johnson wins the primary, I'd say just abstain in the voting booth. Or, hopefully there will be a Libertarian on the ballot.
Not the only error you have made, Eric:
http://www.reason.com/news/show/128824.html
BTW: is :any other Republican" going to be less of a nanny state than Johnson, also on the two issues you raised? Oh Eric, you can write such BS. Anyone with a two bit brain can see through it... A LP maybe more libertarian than Johnson, I agree. Funny how you became this libertarian "radical" with regard to these two issues (but with Palin you make an exception), but with other things you tell me, I am the radical and should be more "mainstream libertarian" and less principled? BTW: I have no problem with supporting libertarian leaning, i LOOK FOR A FEW BASIC ISSUES, AND HAS NO LIBERTARIAN POLITICAL TEST AT ALL.
I still don't understand why Dondero ever advertised himself as a "mainstream libertarian," when he's the same guy who proudly touts his former "alternative lifestyle."
Eric is not the best advocate of libertarianism to the political mainstream. I think he should focus his "outreach efforts" on the porn industry.
It's always good to have something in common with the people you're trying to reach out to. So Eric can focus on the swingers, and I'll focus on professional wrestling fans. Maybe these two constituencies will be strong enough to withstand 8 years of Obama if we show them the way.
Dan correct. Somehow pro-swinger sounds to me to be more "girly-man" than pro-wrestling!!
Stefan, my feeling is the next time Dondero "hits the road" he should use the following pick up line, courtesy of pro wrestling patron saint Ric Flair: "Ladies you can never be first, but you can always be next...WWWHHHOOOAAAHHH!"
Dan, Dan, Dan, young man. I've been using that line for many years. And you'll be happy to know, works like a charm.
Thanks for the suggestion though.
Judge Roy Moore is also in the race, Eric.
Girlie-men like you have to/want to pay for sex, this tells you something that you lack. A real man would never pay for sex.
Yeah. "Real" libertarians believe we all have the right to get our dicks sucked by a prostitute on the street corner while smoking dope in front of an audience of school children. Fascists disagree.
Liberty...you're either for it or against it.
chuck: you do not advance liberty if in the proces you take liberty away from others... to use your example, you cannot interfere with my liberty not to have been forced to see a prostitute all around and if a prostitute or a client transmit any sickness, also aids, what has this to do with liberty? Should a prostitute not have more choices, e.g. to earn money in another way where she can really be much more happy?
You also formulate it only from a man's point a view. Liberty is for all, women included!
Sarcasm is lost on the self-important.
My take on Bill "the bagman" Johnson can be found here: http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/2009/06/i-am-passionate-conservative-republican.html
with the title:
"I am a passionate conservative Republican": Governor Riley's bagman announces he wants Riley's job. Riiiight.
1st paragraph and money quote:
Well, well. Bill Johnson sez he just can't wait to be king, er, ah, I mean governor of Alabama. He announces in the story below that he is "a passionate conservative Republican." Well, passionate perhaps. Certainly this is the same (married) guy who got caught screwing a (married) judge's wife at the Republican National Convention, so OK, I'll concede "passionate."
. . .
This guy has more political baggage than Imelda Marcos had shoes, and he must be banking on mass amnesia to think he can be elected Governor in this state. He is brilliant, amoral, and a complete sociopath. His next move will be to try to hack this site because he really likes to use technology on political dirty tricks. Just ask Dr. Russ Fine. . .
This is before I heard the news, passed to me by a LEO today, that the Feds have been honing in on Johnson for misdeeds with Katrina funds, among others. His words:
"He would do well to hire a platoon or two of lawyers. From what is swirling around, his chances of avoiding trouble are dwindling."
-- Mike Vanderboegh
Ok, so what's the real reason Dondero hates this guy? Palin's biggest connection to the LP was speaking to them -- this guy is obviously more libertarian than she's ever been. Yet Palin was The Messiah - what gives?
Post a Comment