Gary Johnson 2012

On Twitter today, Roger Ebert said of Gary Johnson: “The part I don’t understand: Why is this man a Republican?”

A better question is – why isn’t the Republican Party more like Gary Johnson?

Ebert was referencing this piece on the former New Mexico governor’s off-beat politics in Salon. You should read it. Johnson is one guy who, if he showed up to a Tea Party, I would say has every right to be there. His philosophy is consistent across the board – on the war on drugs, foreign wars, and government spending, Johnson is a legitimate advocate of small government. In other words, unlike 99% of his fellow Republicans, he means what he says and has the record to prove it.

I can quite honestly say that at this point there is not a single other Republican candidate I can imagine voting for in 2012. And I may not vote for Johnson either if he runs – but I do think he’s one of those rarest of creatures: an honest politician. And that counts for quite a lot.