Libertarian Party presidential candidate Gary Johnson, former New Mexico governor, visited Monday with Doug Blackmon, host of the Miller Center’s public affairs television show “American Forum,” before a live studio audience. Roughly 80 people attended the studio recording while 5,000 tuned in to watch a live video stream over Facebook.
The dialogue covered Johnson’s position on a wide range of topics including gay marriage, abortion, gun rights and the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as policy concerns such as the role of government in America, immigration, healthcare, foreign policy and military intervention.
Johnson directed his message about the national federal debt and a balanced budget toward the younger generation.
“If we don’t balance the federal budget, that burden falls on young people,” Johnson said. “Spending more money than what you take in, that burden is going to fall on young people and that is unfair.”
After the interview between Blackmon and Johnson, Johnson took questions from the audience.
One attendee raised the issue of student debt and the overall affordability of college. Johnson pointed toward guaranteed government student loans as being the main catalyst for massive student loans.
“If guaranteed government student loans were to have never existed, I am going to guess that college tuition today would be half of what it is,” Johnson said. “I would be open to a bailout of student loans from the standpoint of reducing the interest rate paid on the student loan. … It’s just unfair… [student debt] is the second largest category of debt of any category of debt.”
In response to how he presents himself to the college-aged electorate, Johnson said he seeks equal opportunity for the younger generation.
“You’re not being represented. You’re really getting screwed in what is happening. Healthcare, medicaid, medicare … you as a healthy person are having to pay for those who aren’t healthy. We’re sending you to war,” Johnson said. “Government can provide equal opportunity, that you and I are on equal footing.”
Several student organizations on Grounds have shown support for Gary Johnson. One group, Youth for Gary Johnson, draws membership from self-identified Libertarians as well as students discontent with the current major party candidates, Chapter President Cameron Springer, a third year Engineering student, said.
The presence of a third party candidate on the ballot could make the decision of who to vote for easier for those who are unenthused about the two major party candidates, Barbara Perry, director of presidential studies at the Miller Center, said.
“There’s not a lot of enthusiasm for the major party candidates so I think having a third party to vote for … makes it easier for people in that sense,” Perry said. “I think it’s harder for people in that Gary Johnson himself isn’t the strongest candidate we’ve ever seen as a third party candidate and has had some major missteps.”
When voters are trying to contrast two options they really dislike, Springer said they constantly will waver back and forth, so Johnson’s platform serves as an in-between.
With the upcoming election, some Americans are weighing the question of who to vote for next month, and others are simply considering whether to vote at all.
“I would always encourage people to vote but I would encourage people who are considering voting for a third party candidate to think carefully about why they are doing it and what are the possible ramifications of their voting for a third party candidate,” Perry said. “It is certainly their right, it is the whole point of democracy to choose … whichever they feel comfortable with.”
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