Full Interview with 2020 Libertarian Vice Presidential Nominee Spike Cohen

Adapted from IPR and Wikinews reports

On May 23 at the online Libertarian National Convention, the Libertarian Party nominated Clemson University psychologist Jo Jorgensen, the party’s 1996 vice presidential nominee, for president on the fourth ballot. The next day, the party nominated podcast host Jeremy “Spike” Cohen for vice president on the third ballot. Cohen, who went into the convention as the running mate of performance artist Vermin Supreme, was not the candidate Jorgensen initially backed for the vice presidential nomination.  Cohen is co-owner of Muddied Waters Media, which features his podcast (((My Fellow Americans))).

Backing the True Outsider

For the first time in my life, I am voting for a major party presidential candidate.  My reasoning, however, has not changed.  Tomorrow I will vote for Donald Trump for the same reasons I  voted for Ralph Nader in 2004, Chuck Baldwin in 2008, and Gary Johnson in 2012.  I am voting against the corrupt, globalist establishment that has ruled this country for decades and left us in a state of economic stagnation, never-ending war, and social degradation.

Review of the 2016 Free & Equal Debate

The following was previously published on Wikinews as part of the monthly series chronicling the 2016 presidential election

On October 25, the Free & Equal Elections Foundation held a debate on the campus of the University of Colorado in Boulder, moderated by actor Ed Asner and Free & Equal founder Christina Tobin. This was the organization’s third election cycle hosting a presidential debate. Constitution Party presidential nominee Darrell Castle, Party for Socialism and Liberation presidential nominee Gloria La Riva, and Reform Party presidential nominee Rocky De La Fuente all took part in the near two-hour event. Gary Johnson, Jill Stein, and Evan McMullin were each invited but did not attend.

Short Interview with Presidential Candidate Darryl Perry

As part of Wikinews’ monthly series on the 2016 presidential election, I briefly interviewed write-in presidential candidate Darryl Perry.

On September 29, writer and former 2016 Libertarian Party (LP) presidential candidate Darryl Perry, the newly-elected chair of the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire (LPNH), announced the creation of a write-in campaign for president across several states. In a press release, he stated three goals for his run: “(1) to run the most libertarian presidential campaign in history; (2) to proclaim the ideas of liberty as boldly and as often as possible; and (3) to give as many people as possible the opportunity to vote for an actual libertarian in November.” Wikinews reached out to Perry to discuss the campaign.

Ex GOP Congressman Joins LP, Seeks VP, Then Leaves

Adapted from the Wikinews series On the campaign trail and originally posted at IPR

As soon as Donald Trump secured the Republican presidential nomination, Libertarian Party (LP) membership applications doubled. Longtime Republican consultant Mary Matalin, former Massachusetts governor William Weld, and former Congressman Kerry Bentivolio of Michigan, were among those who left the GOP in May to find a new home in the LP. While Matalin enthusiastically backed Libertarian presidential runner-up Austin Petersen, and Weld won the party’s vice presidential nomination; Bentivolio, who had endorsed Dr. Ben Carson for president before joining the party, had a much different experience.

Is the LP About to Nominate a Gun-Grabbing Big Government Neocon?

William Weld in 2014.
Image: Patrick Whittemore

Libertarian Party presidential candidate Gary Johnson tapped former Massachusetts Governor William Weld as his pick for the Libertarian Party’s 2016 vice presidential nomination.  Though ardent Johnson supporters laud the move as making the Libertarian Party ticket “viable,” there has been a strong backlash from those who do not believe Weld is libertarian.  Analysis of Weld’s policy positions gives credence to the detractors.  Delegates to the Libertarian National Convention ought to consider Weld’s history carefully when they meet to select a ticket at the Convention later this week.  They may just be on the verge of making a gun-grabbing big government neocon, a standard-bearer of the party.

IPR’s Third 2016 Libertarian Party Presidential Preference Poll Results: Johnson & Petersen Tie Amid Voting Anomalies

The below article was lost from IPR following a switch to a new server.  It is posted below (with comments intact) as it looked before the switch.

IPR conducted a poll with SurveyMonkey from May 20–23 asking readers to select their preferences for the Libertarian Party’s 2016 presidential and vice presidential nominations.  303 individuals participated in the poll.

Gary Johnson: Jewish Bakers Should Be Forced to Bake Nazi Cakes

Originally posted at IPR

Gary Johnson
Image:Gage Skidmore

During the first hour of the Libertarian Party presidential forum that aired Friday night on the Fox Business Network, leading Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson admitted that in his view, Jewish bakers should be forced by government to bake wedding cakes for Nazis.

The issue arose when fellow Libertarian presidential candidate Austin Petersen brought to the attention of moderator John Stossel that in an earlier debate in Oregon, Johnson declared that bakeries should be forced to bake wedding cakes for gay couples.  Johnson affirmed the position, arguing that being able to discriminate on the basis of religion is a “black hole.”  

Gary Johnson Is Not the Free Speech Candidate

Gary Johnson

This past week, shortly after he announced he was mounting a second run for the presidency, former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson, the Libertarian Party’s 2012 presidential nominee, shocked libertarians with his declaration (to at least three news sources) that the face covering worn by many Muslim women, the burqa, should be banned from public places.  Though Johnson later retracted the comment (after much condemnation from libertarians), it provides evidence that his instincts on free expression, particularly of unpopular views, swing statist rather than libertarian.