Former NM Gov. Gary Johnson's Vision For a Truly Free America

Former Republican Gov. Gary Johnson was the top elected official in New Mexico from 1994 through 2002. He took office after beating a primary opponent backed by the Republican party and he won election twice in a state that has two-to-one Democratic registration.

Born in 1953 and a one-time competitive skiier, Johnson was not your typical governor. Instead, he governed as fiscally responsible and socially tolerant. He didn't raise taxes at all during his time in office and pushed through an aggressive privatization agenda that reduced costs while improving services.

He vetoed 750 bills and trimmed the state workforce by 1,000 positions at the same time. He was also the highest-level elected politician and one of the most vocal proponent of drug legalization during his tenure.

Johnson is now fronting the Our America initiative, which is dedicated to advancing the public debate on topics ranging from immigration to civil liberties to free enterprise to the federal deficit to the war on drugs to Afghanistan and Iraq. He is frequently mentioned as a possible Republican presidential candidate in 2012.

Reason's Matt Welch and Nick Gillespie talked with Johnson about the issues of the day—and what it was like to climb Mt. Everest shortly after busting his leg.

Approximately 10 minutes. Shot by Dan Hayes and Meredith Bragg; edited by Bragg.

Note: This is a condensed version of a longer interview. For the full half-hour version, go to http://reason.tv/video/show/1038

Back in 2001, Reason called Johnson "the most dangerous politician in America." Find out why at http://reason.com/archives/2001/01/01...

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[Reed Lauver]

We don't need to tax and regulate drugs. Private accreditation firms can do that more competently than a monopolistic, tax-eating government bureau.

[MEpianist]

This guy is pure class.

[Veesh Lah]

This dude RULES!!! We Got To Have Peace. Not just a war vibe I'm talking about, all humans are born the same so balance us out like America began. (But Curtis Mayfield was born better: listen to that song.)

[Ederik Schneider]

@maskedphrogg LOL thanks for the laughs

[maskedphrogg]

Fine, here's a tissue. Maybe you can see clearly with dry eyes.

[Ederik Schneider]

@maskedphrogg Actually you said "you aint got a clue what happened then any more than you could follow what happened last week". Referring to me, you made this personal but fine whatever, like I said I don't care what you think about me. As far as the facts, you haven't corrected anything, because there hasn't been anything to correct.

[maskedphrogg]

wtf? YOU brought up the 2008 campaign and made categorically false statements about it. It's not my fault you made that mistake.

Apparently you aren't here to repudiate your easily debunked false statements either. Pointing out factually wrong statements is not an attack on your person. It's an attack on the invalid statements you made.

[Ederik Schneider]

@maskedphrogg Yes to mention the amount of money he raised, again another fact and as far as what you think about me. You are wasting your breath, not here to make this personal.

[maskedphrogg]

Try to keep up here. You brought up 2008 initially not I. If you didn't want to talk about it YOU shouldn't have brought it up. In fact, you shouldn't have brought it up cuz you ain't got a clue what happened then any more than you could follow what happened last week.

[Ederik Schneider]

@maskedphrogg If you want to talk about 2008, you are going have to find someone else. My point is about 2012, where Ron Paul got plenty of exposure, especially for someone who only won a few States and I laid out for you how.

[maskedphrogg]

That's your point alright. It's also not true. If you can think you can slyly move the focus of attention from the 2008 campaign, the original topic, to the campaigns that will end on Nov 2 you are mistaken. Ron Paul did not get media time in 2008 and was categorically dismissed as irrelevant during the rare mention. He didn't fare that much better in 2012. Didn't win as many as Santorum... didn't RP win more or are you once again mixing 2008 in with 2012

[Ederik Schneider]

@maskedphrogg But my point is that Ron Paul did get media attention, I didn't say he got as much as the others. But he also didn't win as many primaries as Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum and the media tends to follow the winners.