# Gary Johnson on Legalizing Marijuana **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 7, 2011, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gary-johnson-on-legalizing-marijuana/588216 "2011-07-07T18:33:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gary-johnson-on-legalizing-marijuana/588216/1 "2011-07-07T18:33:43Z")
I don’t know much about this guy, but I like his position on the “War on Drugs” outlined in this [CNN commentary](http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/07/07/johnson.legalize.pot/index.html?hpt=hp_t2). He’s a candidate for the GoP nomination in 2012, a former governor of New Mexico, and now I’m going to give him serious consideration as my candidate of choice. Anybody know of any looming scandals or outright nuttery that could torpedo his run? ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gary-johnson-on-legalizing-marijuana/588216/2 "2011-07-07T18:44:53Z")
No looming scandals, but he has admitted, unapologetically, to years worth of recreational use of illegal drugs (cocaine, marijuana, LSD) in his past, so I am not sure how the rank-and-file GOP are going to feel about a doper (small d) leading the party of George W Bush, who I am sure would be shocked at such blatant disregard for The Law… ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gary-johnson-on-legalizing-marijuana/588216/3 "2011-07-07T19:46:54Z")
He’s looked pretty attractive to me, too. I’m leaning against re-registering Republican in order to vote in the primary because it seems a little unethical, but if I do, he’ll likely get my vote in the primary. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gary-johnson-on-legalizing-marijuana/588216/4 "2011-07-07T19:48:47Z")
Gary Johnson has positions? ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gary-johnson-on-legalizing-marijuana/588216/5 "2011-07-07T20:08:07Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > He’s a candidate for the GoP nomination in 2012, a former governor of New Mexico, and now I’m going to give him serious consideration as my candidate of choice. Anybody know of any looming scandals or outright nuttery that could torpedo his run? I don’t think his run is seaworthy enough to really be torpedoable. He couldn’t even get an invite to the latest GOP debate. He won’t break the top four in any of the primaries except maybe NM. But if you don’t mind voting for a guy that won’t win, you could do worse. He’s a pretty extreme libertarian, which IMHO makes him pretty nutty, but he at least seems sincere in his nuttiness, which is more then I can say for much of the rest of the GOP field. He’d probably be a more worthy recipient of a libertarian protest vote then Ron Paul anyways. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gary-johnson-on-legalizing-marijuana/588216/6 "2011-07-07T20:32:49Z")
Given the Republicans assorted track record for drug abuse, whoring about, spousal abuse, gambling abuse, shagging interns and lying in general why not? Hell, the current and past governmental record of all parties for drug abuse, whoring about, spousal abuse, gambling abuse, shagging interns and lying in general I can’t see what harm he could actually do if he got into the White House and started passing a bong around compared to what the current crop of elected officials probably has going on. Maybe the general quality of weed in the US would go up… ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gary-johnson-on-legalizing-marijuana/588216/7 "2011-07-08T00:04:44Z")
I’d love to see his other positions. Has he been pandering to Teh Crazy? ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gary-johnson-on-legalizing-marijuana/588216/8 "2011-07-08T00:07:32Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > I’d love to see his other positions. Has he been pandering to Teh Crazy? Basic extreme libertarian stuff. He’s basically Ron Paul without the racism. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gary-johnson-on-legalizing-marijuana/588216/9 "2011-07-08T05:10:39Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Basic extreme libertarian stuff. He’s basically Ron Paul without the racism. I don’t think he’s advocated returning to the gold standard either. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gary-johnson-on-legalizing-marijuana/588216/10 "2011-07-08T06:25:04Z")
> [@waterj2](#): > > I don’t think he’s advocated returning to the gold standard either. This [article](http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20110613/NEWS05/110613003/Iowa-GOP-bus-tour-revives-gold-standard-debate) claims he’s strongly in favor, though he certainly isn’t as vocal about it as Paul. ---
**Author:** ![Recovering\_Republican](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Recovering\_Republican](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Recovering_Republican)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gary-johnson-on-legalizing-marijuana/588216/11 "2011-07-08T11:07:48Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I don’t know much about this guy, but I like his position on the “War on Drugs” outlined in this [CNN commentary](http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/07/07/johnson.legalize.pot/index.html?hpt=hp_t2). > > He’s a candidate for the GoP nomination in 2012, a former governor of New Mexico, and now I’m going to give him serious consideration as my candidate of choice. Anybody know of any looming scandals or outright nuttery that could torpedo his run? You mean other than the nuttery he’s already expressed? I do agree, the war on drugs is a waste of time and money. It’s also not a priority right now. Getting people back to work is. ---
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2011, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gary-johnson-on-legalizing-marijuana/588216/12 "2011-07-13T23:19:05Z")
He was a good governor in New Mexico, and worked to attract high-tech business. He cut government expenses, without simply targeting the poor and elderly. He also has a much better understanding of immigration than most conservative politicians. Sadly, his work was largely undone by his successor, Bill Richardson, who I used to admire tremendously. ---
**Author:** ![Strainger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strainger/32/244_2.png) [@Strainger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strainger)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2011, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gary-johnson-on-legalizing-marijuana/588216/13 "2011-07-14T00:28:24Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > I’d love to see his other positions. Has he been pandering to Teh Crazy? [Gary Johnson on the issues.](http://www.garyjohnson2012.com/issues) [Gary Johnson’s blog.](http://www.garyjohnson2012.com/blog) Give them a read and make your own decisions. I don’t see “teh crazy” there; I see pragmatic, tolertant, economic arguments for each position. While I don’t agree with him 100% on everything, he’s the candidate whose positions I most align with and will therefore be voting for him. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2011, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gary-johnson-on-legalizing-marijuana/588216/14 "2011-07-14T02:26:02Z")
I had understood that his M. O. as governor was to simply indiscriminantly veto everything that crossed his desk. Not so? ---
**Author:** ![Strainger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strainger/32/244_2.png) [@Strainger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strainger)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2011, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gary-johnson-on-legalizing-marijuana/588216/15 "2011-07-17T18:10:00Z")
By 1995, he’d vetoed 200 out of 424 bills, indicating that he signed 224 bills, so I wouldn’t call that indiscriminate vetoing. He did do a lot of vetoing though, compared to other governors. [http://www.garyjohnson2012.com/record](http://www.garyjohnson2012.com/record) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gary-johnson-on-legalizing-marijuana/588216/16 "2011-07-18T02:21:57Z")
Oh, OK, I guess my hyperbole detector was broken when I saw that claim somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gary-johnson-on-legalizing-marijuana/588216/17 "2011-07-18T23:51:39Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Oh, OK, I guess my hyperbole detector was broken when I saw that claim somewhere. Vetoing 47% of bills seems huge to me. While perhaps not completely indiscriminate it shows a real problem working with the legislature. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2011, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gary-johnson-on-legalizing-marijuana/588216/18 "2011-07-18T23:57:09Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Basic extreme libertarian stuff. He’s basically Ron Paul without the racism. Since when was Ron Paul a racist. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gary-johnson-on-legalizing-marijuana/588216/19 "2011-07-19T01:00:48Z")
Yeah, seriously, there are a million (at least) seemingly bizarre things about Ron Paul that you could throw out there for a one-liner which would be accurate, but the racism charge is really weak. The whole newsletter kerfuffle speaks more to the, er, “eclectic” mix of supporters that he attracts. That, actually, is the difference between the two candidates: Gary Johnson is Ron Paul without the oddball following (which, perhaps unfortunately, leaves him with basically no following). ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gary-johnson-on-legalizing-marijuana/588216/20 "2011-07-19T01:15:46Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > No looming scandals, but he has admitted, unapologetically, to years worth of recreational use of illegal drugs (cocaine, marijuana, LSD) in his past, so I am not sure how the rank-and-file GOP are going to feel about a doper (small d) leading the party of George W Bush, who I am sure would be shocked at such blatant disregard for The Law… I am soooo voting for this guy. 🙂 spooje D) California [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gary-johnson-on-legalizing-marijuana/588216.md?page=2)