Why I am voting for Gary Johnson
- Jennifer Thomas
- Oct 19, 2016
- 3 min read
I grew up in a rural, Catholic, Republican county. At 18, I followed my father's footsteps and registered independent, because at 18, I identified as a Democrat, but my mother told me my grandparents would "roll over in their graves" if I registered as a Democrat.
As typically happens, during my college years, I began to understand more of the Republican mindset. Democrats seemed too communist with their financial policies. So, when I moved to Tennessee, I registered Republican.
Also, to be blatantly honest, I love voting. I love doing my civic duty. I would love to be on a jury and plan to be one of the election day volunteers in the future. So, registering Republican gave me the chance to vote in primaries!!!! Ok, off the nerd train.
In the past, whether or not my chosen candidate won, I have been able to feel good about my choice. I felt like I had done my civic duty and used the right to vote that was fought for by strong women. And to be honest, I usually toe the party line, especially in major elections.
As a registered Republican, I do not feel like I can use my vote to put Donald Trump in office. He is a good businessman, I will give him that, but I do not trust him as a politician. As the leader of the free world, he needs to be able to demonstrate restraint, diplomacy and just general good judgement. Have we ever seen examples of Donald Trump demonstrating these traits?
So, this could be a chance for me to jump the line, vote Democrat. But really, did they have to nominate Hillary Clinton? I do not, for one second, believe that she is innocent of treason. I think she broke rules that put lives of Americans in harms way. I think she actively broke those rules. And I think that she actively sought to cover up what she did.
Which leaves me stranded. I can't toe the party line and I can't jump to the other side.
Then, one day, on Facebook of all places, I saw an article about Gary Johnson. I began to research him. I literally could not find anything insidious ever written about him. He was a solid, successful, Republican governor in a Democrat state. He identifies with normal Americans. He has the mental and physical fortitude to do INCREDIBLE athletic feats. He paired up with another successful Republican governor and they have been steadily climbing in the polls, despite getting little media attention that isn't directed at his goofs. And really, who knew that Aleppo was the name of the Syrian city that is the center of the refugee crisis?
Now, as Gary Johnson is gaining strength, people are putting out articles that try to paint him in a bad light, and maybe, in a normal election year, I would find his shortcomings to be more alarming, but maybe not. I like that he is fiscally conservative. I like that he is socially more liberal. Do I agree with everything he stands for...no. But do I ever agree with everything a candidate stands for...no.
Republicans and Democrats are telling us not to "waste our vote" on a third party. But, if everyone that says that they might vote for Gary Johnson if he gains enough traction actually does vote for Gary Johnson, wouldn't that be a historical coup? We, as millennials, would have stood up to the two party system that has crippled our country. Wouldn't that be something we could be proud of seeing in the history books???
Did you know that Abraham Lincoln was the first Republican president...which was a party that was formed in 1854, only 6 years prior to his election (read about that here)????
Let's do this. Let's put down our apathy and stick it to the system that has put us into a national debt of over $19.7 trillion.
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