# For Libertarians: Which candidate do you support? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 9, 2016, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-libertarians-which-candidate-do-you-support/754421 "2016-05-09T19:00:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-libertarians-which-candidate-do-you-support/754421/1 "2016-05-09T19:00:49Z")
Going from the list on [this page,](http://2016.libertarian-party.org/) which candidate are you supporting, and why? I ask this because I see people in these political threads talking about how they are going to vote “Libertarian”…but they rarely(if ever) mention any particular candidates. Side question: For those who say that they will vote Libertarian, will you do so no matter which candidate is nominated, or are there candidates you just cannot support in that party? ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-libertarians-which-candidate-do-you-support/754421/2 "2016-05-09T19:46:50Z")
I’d certainly prefer Gary Johnson to the rest of that bunch. The biggest problem with being libertarian is there are a lot of wackadoos that all fall under the same tent. Honestly I’d vote for anyone running under the party banner as I have for the last 4 elections since I don’t have to worry about then getting elected and it is mainly a protest vote. This year I’ll vote for Hillary because Trump getting elected scares me. I’d prefer a canidate who supports personal liberty, is against military intervention and pushed regulations down to the lowest level possible while minimizing what is regulated but that is a tall order particularly when I don’t want a goldbug running the country either. ---
**Author:** ![zwede](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ac91a4/32.png) [@zwede](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zwede)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-libertarians-which-candidate-do-you-support/754421/3 "2016-05-09T19:47:39Z")
I could live with Gary Johnson as pres. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-libertarians-which-candidate-do-you-support/754421/4 "2016-05-09T19:51:09Z")
Gary Johnson is the best-known candidate and the one with the most political experience, thus he’s the one most likely to make an impact. I support him, but I won’t play any role in the selection process. Other than that, I don’t know anything about the candidates beyond what’s on the page. John McAfee was investigated for murder? [Shrugs] Still better than Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-libertarians-which-candidate-do-you-support/754421/5 "2016-05-09T20:49:51Z")
McAfee’s neighbor was found in a pool of blood in 2012 in the country of Belize. He was named a person of interest and fled to the US. The former anti-virus CEO, who left his namesake company in 1994, posted on a Russian drug-related bulletin board during the time. He was working on psychoactive drug development. [Exclusive: John McAfee Wanted for Murder (Updated)](http://gizmodo.com/5959812/john-mcafee-wanted-for-murder) In 2015, McAfee was profiled in USA Today. He maintained that he had survived assassination attempts related to his stay in Belize. He keeps a security detail. He is now involved with a tech startup in Opelika, Alabama. [John McAfee prepares for his 'last stand'](http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/02/10/john-mcafee-tennessee-security-legend-futuretense-alabama/21712017/) ETA: 2015 Tennessee arrest for DUI and possession of gun under influence. [John McAfee arrested for DUI, gun possession](http://money.cnn.com/2015/08/07/news/john-mcafee-arrest/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-libertarians-which-candidate-do-you-support/754421/6 "2016-05-09T22:22:40Z")
Really? All the stuff I see on FB and such says “vote Johnson” as if his nomination is a done deal, to which I thought they were still in their version of primaries? Johnson seems alright, I didn’t like Barr. He seems the least wacky, but as none of them have a chance of winning I don’t care. I guess one positive about McAfee is that he wasn’t involved in the company when it got really crappy and bloatware. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-libertarians-which-candidate-do-you-support/754421/7 "2016-05-09T22:48:20Z")
> [@Oredigger77](#): > > The biggest problem with being libertarian is there are a lot of wackadoos that all fall under the same tent. And there ain’t none under the Pub or Dem tents? ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-libertarians-which-candidate-do-you-support/754421/8 "2016-05-10T00:49:51Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Going from the list on [this page,](http://2016.libertarian-party.org/) which candidate are you supporting, and why? I ask this because I see people in these political threads talking about how they are going to vote “Libertarian”…but they rarely(if ever) mention any particular candidates. > Side question: For those who say that they will vote Libertarian, will you do so no matter which candidate is nominated, or are there candidates you just cannot support in that party? I’m not a big ‘L’ libertarian, but I lean in that direction. However, I’ll be voting for Clinton…to me, she is the only sane choice. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-libertarians-which-candidate-do-you-support/754421/9 "2016-05-10T02:41:39Z")
Definitely a small “l” libertarian, and i’ve said in other threads I support Sanders. I think many of his domestic policies are nuts, but there’s no chance he’ll be able to enact them anyway. But I like his foreign policy, and that’s where a president can really make his mark. He would do what Obama wished he had the courage to do-- stay the fuck out of ME wars. If it comes down to Trump and Clinton, I may just vote 3rd party since my vote doesn’t really matter-- I live in CA, and it’s reliably Democrat. If I lived in a swing state, I’d vote for Clinton. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-libertarians-which-candidate-do-you-support/754421/10 "2016-05-10T03:14:01Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Definitely a small “l” libertarian, and i’ve said in other threads I support Sanders. I think many of his domestic policies are nuts, but there’s no chance he’ll be able to enact them anyway. But I like his foreign policy, and that’s where a president can really make his mark. He would do what Obama wished he had the courage to do-- stay the fuck out of ME wars. > > If it comes down to Trump and Clinton, I may just vote 3rd party since my vote doesn’t really matter-- I live in CA, and it’s reliably Democrat. If I lived in a swing state, I’d vote for Clinton. Whoa…really? Which part of his foreign policy do you like?? To me he’s the classic trade protectionist populist liberal unicorns and fairies candidate…an almost perfect mirror of Trump, who is a classic trade protectionist populist rah rah Ameracha! right wing loony. Since it’s going to be Trump and Clinton I guess you should start looking over the 3rd party choices…I’d go Johnson if you are bound and determined to throw your vote away (as you say, it’s not going to matter as Clinton is easily going to sweep California…and, IMHO, trounce the Trumpster in epic fashion). ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-libertarians-which-candidate-do-you-support/754421/11 "2016-05-10T03:26:07Z")
> [@XT](#): > > Whoa…really? Which part of his foreign policy do you like? On foreign policy, Bernie Sanders has good points. (Not much on anything other than foreign policy, beyond cutting back on mass imprisonment.) Sanders was against the Iraq War from the start, unlike any other major-party candidate. Sanders has expressed desire to cut the military budget, shut down some of the most useless overseas bases, and be generally less belligerent in the Middle East, eastern Europe, and other places. [He took Hillary to task](http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/02/henry-kissinger-bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-debate-213626) for her relationship with Henry Kissinger. Of all the major-party candidates, he is the only one who seems to most sincerely believe that human rights exist and that the USA shouldn’t go around bombing stuff in order to make the world a better place. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-libertarians-which-candidate-do-you-support/754421/12 "2016-05-10T08:12:09Z")
The LP has a chance to have a better showing than they’ve ever had. Gary Johnson is the guy to lead them to that better showing, and if lightning strikes, he makes a credible President. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-libertarians-which-candidate-do-you-support/754421/13 "2016-05-10T11:48:42Z")
The suspense is electrifying. Will the LP, for the second time in its history, crack the 1% mark in popular vote (1980 Ed Clark got 1.07%)? Will the LP tie its all time electoral vote record of 1 (set back in 1972 by John Hospers)? Will a libertarian ever be able to answer the simple question: “if libertarianism is such a great idea, why is it that no nation in world history has ever tried it?” The answers are no, no, and no. Doesn’t matter if they nominate Gary Johnson or a suspected murderer or Krusty The Clown, the result will be at best a 3rd place finish with zero electoral votes and under 1% of the popular vote. The LP will remain as it always has been, a place for fringe Republicans to cast protest votes and avoid taking responsibility for voting for a winning candidate. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-libertarians-which-candidate-do-you-support/754421/14 "2016-05-10T14:41:58Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > John McAfee was investigated for murder? [Shrugs] Still better than Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. Even after what **Measure for Measure** wrote and linked to in post #5? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-libertarians-which-candidate-do-you-support/754421/15 "2016-05-10T14:50:21Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > The LP has a chance to have a better showing than they’ve ever had. Gary Johnson is the guy to lead them to that better showing, and if lightning strikes, he makes a credible President. _Quadrupling_ the best they ever had would get them 4% of the vote, and that lightning would have to strike one _hell_ of a lot of Republicans and Democrats before you got to a candidate that couldn’t get more than that. He’s got a good record governing two terms in New Mexico, but he was a Republican at the time. Since he’s become a Libertarian, he’s gone nowhere. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-libertarians-which-candidate-do-you-support/754421/16 "2016-05-10T14:57:57Z")
Gotta love [Joy Waymire.](http://2016.libertarian-party.org/Waymire/) > [@](#): > > She also believes that God has supernaturally intervened in her life on numerous occasions, including by manifesting several graphic and painful stigmata on her head, hands, feet, and side. Having once suffered from Hepatitis C, astigmatism, diabetes, thyroid disease, and rheumatoid arthritis, among a host of other tragic conditions that had her confined to a wheelchair, she says that she has been miraculously healed of all, with doctors unable to offer any rational medical explanation. Now if she can cure herself of disease, who’s to say she won’t have the economy humming right along in no time? How about [Derrick Reid?](http://2016.libertarian-party.org/Reid/) > [@](#): > > Despite having been a gifted student who readily mastered the difficult fields of engineering and law (so that he is now both an electronic engineer and an attorney), he admits that his ability to write and otherwise communicate in English is limited, calling mathematics his first language. A president with limited ability to write and communicate in English! What could go wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-libertarians-which-candidate-do-you-support/754421/17 "2016-05-10T15:04:17Z")
If the Libertarian Party wants to become viable, it really needs to learn how to “Just Say No!” ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-libertarians-which-candidate-do-you-support/754421/18 "2016-05-10T15:12:21Z")
Gary Johnson ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-libertarians-which-candidate-do-you-support/754421/19 "2016-05-10T21:55:37Z")
> [@XT](#): > > Whoa…really? Which part of his foreign policy do you like?? The part where we decide it’s no longer a good idea to jab a stick into a hornets’ nest. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-libertarians-which-candidate-do-you-support/754421/20 "2016-05-10T21:58:28Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Gotta love [Joy Waymire.](http://2016.libertarian-party.org/Waymire/) That’s a might fine hat she’s a-wearin’!! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-libertarians-which-candidate-do-you-support/754421.md?page=2)