Libertarian Town Hall watch thread

[ElectionsGuy]

I didn't get to see the very end but I was pretty disappointed. As has been in the past, Johnson sounds super unprepared, nervous, and awkward in his answering. To me, they were also underwhelming in their enthusiasm, there's so much more they could've said about being libertarian and why its an attractive ideology that can sell.

I will say I see why libertarians were skeptical of the ticket, it seems like they're really moderate and trying to please everybody, even though I basically know their positions they weren't very specific and they came across as passive in some areas. Weld is actually a better speaker than Johnson but he's barely even a libertarian (and it showed in some of his answers). That heroin mom though was getting on my nerves... I know she suffered a loss cognitive ability in her son, but she was going on and on and being quite rude and annoying. But of course Johnson bombed that question...

[Fuzzy Says: "Abolish NPR!"]

Weld isn't at the top of the ticket because he's less of a Libertarian than Johnson.

Johnson and Weld, both, are more PERSONALLY appealing than the other candidates.  They're both anti-interventionist in foreign policy, and that's the biggest issue for me.  

Johnson's comments on the difference between Free Trade and Crony Capitalism got my attention.  Trade has been an issue for me, but I do know that we did not always have the trade deficits we now run during times of low tariffs.  I would be interested to hear the Libertarians develop the case on this.

[#TheShadowyAbyss]

I didn't get to see the very end but I was pretty disappointed. As has been in the past, Johnson sounds super unprepared, nervous, and awkward in his answering. To me, they were also underwhelming in their enthusiasm, there's so much more they could've said about being libertarian and why its an attractive ideology that can sell.

I will say I see why libertarians were skeptical of the ticket, it seems like they're really moderate and trying to please everybody, even though I basically know their positions they weren't very specific and they came across as passive in some areas. Weld is actually a better speaker than Johnson but he's barely even a libertarian (and it showed in some of his answers). That heroin mom though was getting on my nerves... I know she suffered a loss cognitive ability in her son, but she was going on and on and being quite rude and annoying. But of course Johnson bombed that question...

He was GOD AWFUL in answering that question.

[Suburbia]

Weld is more prepared to be president. Johnson looked weak, nervous, afraid. This is why people see the Libertarian ticket as a joke, but they could still get 5% of the GE vote.

[ElectionsGuy]

I didn't get to see the very end but I was pretty disappointed. As has been in the past, Johnson sounds super unprepared, nervous, and awkward in his answering. To me, they were also underwhelming in their enthusiasm, there's so much more they could've said about being libertarian and why its an attractive ideology that can sell.

I will say I see why libertarians were skeptical of the ticket, it seems like they're really moderate and trying to please everybody, even though I basically know their positions they weren't very specific and they came across as passive in some areas. Weld is actually a better speaker than Johnson but he's barely even a libertarian (and it showed in some of his answers). That heroin mom though was getting on my nerves... I know she suffered a loss cognitive ability in her son, but she was going on and on and being quite rude and annoying. But of course Johnson bombed that question...

He was GOD AWFUL in answering that question.

His solution wasn't bad either it was just the WAY he answered it made him look ridiculous.

[Averroës Nix]

Johnson: "I haven't seen a doctor in three years."

That's a little concerning.

For a healthy man in his fifties? Not really. If you're worried about prostate cancer, you can get a FIT test, administer it at home, and mail it directly to the lab for testing. "Wellness visits" don't have proven benefits for adults who are in generally good health, who have no chronic diseases to manage, and who have at least a moderate level of knowledge about recognizing symptoms of serious problems and maintaining personal well-being.

[Suck my caulk]

Johnson REALLY needs Weld to speak for him...The cringe is real right now, I wouldn't be surprised of Johnson's support cuts in half as a result of this. Not even joking.

I agree with you. I have been leaning towards Jill Stein since Bernie Sanders, but I have been completely open to hearing out the Johnson/Weld ticket and switching my vote. That is not happening after this forum. Johnson is doing a poor job at answering questions, and Weld strikes me as a deeply unlikable character, much like Clinton and Trump. I guess Jill Stein is my candidate for sure.

Should've just gone with Perry.

LOL. "Well if someone is dying just beg for help and mercy from someone" (basically what he said at the convention debate) is not a policy.

The Party should have  went with McAfee. McAfee/Johnson would have been a powerhouse ticket, as Johnson seems very good as a VP choice, plus he is younger than McAfee. Of course, if we are choosing an ideal Libertarian ticket, it would be Ron Paul/Gary Johnson.

[Coolface Sock #42069]

Weld is more prepared to be president. Johnson looked weak, nervous, afraid. This is why people see the Libertarian ticket as a joke, but they could still get 5% of the GE vote.

It's a protest vote based on policy differences with the two major parties, not necessarily a vote of confidence in Johnson's ability to lead.

Only if the Libertarians were a threat to actually become president-elect would we have to worry about that.

[Fuzzy Says: "Abolish NPR!"]

I noticed Weld used the term "third way", which makes it seem as if he's just playing the role of a Libertarian for the sake of ballot access.

And, in truth, Johnson and Weld are more "Third Way" types than Libertarians.  That's probably good for their vote totals, but it won't make Libertarians happy.

[Suck my caulk]

I noticed Weld used the term "third way", which makes it seem as if he's just playing the role of a Libertarian for the sake of ballot access.

And, in truth, Johnson and Weld are more "Third Way" types than Libertarians.  That's probably good for their vote totals, but it won't make Libertarians happy.

......If you don't excite your base, then your vote totals may be in trouble. Johnson actually seemed more of a libertarian/Libertarian in 2012 than he does now, and I think it may damage his ability to actually enthuse Libertarians to vote for him. Ultimately, he will probably get around 1% like he did four years ago, but I would say 2% is his absolute ceiling this cycle.

[#TheShadowyAbyss]

Johnson actually sounded a LOT more liberal than he usually does, did he take a left wing turn since 2012?

[ElectionsGuy]

I don't think its any secret that they're trying to get disaffected Bernie voters.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

I noticed Weld used the term "third way", which makes it seem as if he's just playing the role of a Libertarian for the sake of ballot access.

And, in truth, Johnson and Weld are more "Third Way" types than Libertarians.  That's probably good for their vote totals, but it won't make Libertarians happy.

......If you don't excite your base, then your vote totals may be in trouble. Johnson actually seemed more of a libertarian/Libertarian in 2012 than he does now, and I think it may damage his ability to actually enthuse Libertarians to vote for him. Ultimately, he will probably get around 1% like he did four years ago, but I would say 2% is his absolute ceiling this cycle.

Johnson (and the party at large) is going to try different things from year to year to try to get to 5% of the vote, which really is the magic number, because then you get federal funding. Of course there's always the possibility of flaming out due to internal struggles over how to spend the money - that's what happened to the reform party, who got federal funding for 2000 because Perot was their candidate in 1996 - they got a competent candidate for 2000 in Pat Buchanan but they couldn't agree on how to spend the federal money and so Buchanan flamed out, receiving 0.4% of the vote. But Johnson seems to care more about the LP than Perot cared about the RP, plus Nicholas Sarwark (LNC Chair) appears to be intelligent.

[Ronnie]

To me, they were also underwhelming in their enthusiasm, there's so much more they could've said about being libertarian and why its an attractive ideology that can sell.

Honestly, I don't think they sounded enthusiastic about libertarianism because they are not enthusiastic about libertarianism.  They both sounded like moderate Republicans on the stage.

[Chief Justice Keef]

I didn't watch the whole event because I was occupied with other things tonight, but I did see clips later afterwards.

I get what Johnson and Weld are trying to do, and I think if they pull enough protest votes from moderate Republicans and disgruntled independents, they could crack 15% in the polls and make it to the primetime debate stage. But Johnson just felt completely unprepared being up there on stage. It's clear Weld is a significantly better public speaker than Johnson, and that goes a long way on TV.

It's not too late, however. This should serve as a learning lesson for Johnson and Weld to prepare for the next chance they get on primetime and come out in full force.

[Kleine Scheiße]

As a disaffected McAfee supporter:

We told you so.

EDIT JULY 19 2019: This was before he said the N word on twitter. I denounce John McAfee entirely.

[Deblano]

Hopefully they do one for Jill Stein too!

No thanks.

I don't want to see that goody-two-shoes, anti-GMO, anti-nuclear, anti-trade hippy on my television.

Maybe we can get the Nutrition Party on the line instead.

[sparkey]

As a disaffected McAfee supporter:

We told you so.

As someone who wavered between supporting McAfee and supporting Johnson:

Would McAfee have even had this town hall? And can you imagine Judd Weiss in this setting?

[IceSpear]

So the Libertarians have sacrificed their principles in favor of the possibility of even gaining a modicum of political power....is it time to accept them as a true party now?

[Kleine Scheiße]

As a disaffected McAfee supporter:

We told you so.

As someone who wavered between supporting McAfee and supporting Johnson:

Would McAfee have even had this town hall? And can you imagine Judd Weiss in this setting?

I think McAfee definitely would've had the town hall. Petersen? No shot. None. But certainly more people already know the name McAfee than Johnson and his backstory is so absolutely crazy that there's a very good shot they would do it just for the potential ratings. The sheer spectacle of it would be too much to pass up for the networks. Now, I don't think Weiss would've done very well, honestly. He's far too combative and I get some real arrogant vibes from the guy. My absolute ideal ticket would've been McAfee/Weld -- with the knowledge that ideologically it's not a very compatible ticket.

EDIT JULY 19 2019: This was wrong.

[Santander]

I just finished watching a recording of this and it was awful. Johnson talked about abolishing the IRS and then Weld later said that they don't necessarily have to abolish the IRS a couple of minutes later. They looked like an ill-prepared business school case comp team that steps over each other and "half-corrects" each others' statements.

[Lexii, harbinger of chaos and sexual anarchy]

So the Libertarians have sacrificed their principles in favor of the possibility of even gaining a modicum of political power....is it time to accept them as a true party now?

By that standard they should've been invited to every debate since they nominated Bob Barr

[ElectionsGuy]

I just finished watching a recording of this and it was awful. Johnson talked about abolishing the IRS and then Weld later said that they don't necessarily have to abolish the IRS a couple of minutes later. They looked like an ill-prepared business school case comp team that steps over each other and "half-corrects" each others' statements.

Yep, Weld continues to be a complete disappointment, there were so many red flags about this before the convention but that was sacrificed all for media attention.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

I just finished watching a recording of this and it was awful. Johnson talked about abolishing the IRS and then Weld later said that they don't necessarily have to abolish the IRS a couple of minutes later. They looked like an ill-prepared business school case comp team that steps over each other and "half-corrects" each others' statements.

Yep, Weld continues to be a complete disappointment, there were so many red flags about this before the convention but that was sacrificed all for media attention.

Given that the alternatives were Jim Gray, Alicia Dearn, Larry Sharpe, William Coley, and Derrick Grayson, Johnson made the best choice in terms of "who will give me the best chance of getting into the debates?".