Near identical stances on most issues doesn't cut it. That averages out to like 70%.
I'm not a Gary Johnson supporter but.....
Gary Johnson said that prices could be stabilized by the Fed and adherents to the Austrian school have serious problems with that.
I agree that his view on the Fed is not a view that many in the Libertarian movement or those who adhere to a sound monetary police would endorse right away. However in Gary's defense his view (from reading his campaign site and interview responses) appears to stem from a practical political view. Which is that while ending the Federal Reserve is a worthy goal however this goal should be addressed at some later point instead as Gary believes that our current debt crisis is the more immediate threat that needs to be addressed first and foremost.
Thus limiting the Fed's role in the economy rather then completely eliminating it would be an easier political goal to achieve in the short-term when attempting to reach a consensus on how to deal with our massive debt crisis problem rather then just going for the Fed's throat which would be bound to run into a lot of stiff opposition even among some GOP members of the Senate and Congress.
I also don't like how he increased the prison budget as Gov of NM.
There's a lot of things in life I don't like but there are usually reasons behind why they occur. Can you provide any further details pertaining to why he raised the prison budget in New Mexico? What were the circumstances which prompted this increase? Right now you make it sounds as if it was an arbitrary response on his part. On another note he did also privatize half the prisons in New Mexico on top of advocating for the decriminalization of marijuana, balancing New Mexico's budget and leaving it with a surplus, along with cutting taxes and vetoing over 750 spending bills, etc
http://www.garyjohnson2012.com/record
I believe that he also favors the 14th Amendment more than Dr. Paul does.
This is probably the biggest difference between the two in which I support Ron versus Gary but I still am not seeing this as a major issue that would steer people away from Ron to Gary and vice versus considering the other polices they both support.
He's come out in support of the FairTax.
There is certainly reason and room to debate against his support of a FairTax versus Ron Paul's view that spending should instead be capped however both Gary and Ron both favor eliminating the IRS, eliminating federal income taxes, death taxes (inheritance tax) capital gains taxes, etc so there is room for agreement more so then division.
He's also said that he would try to stop Israel from attacking Iran...and if that means putting pressure on them, then that's not a non-interventionist foreign policy.
Citation please? I've yet to hear or read that Gary Johnson would intercede using military force to stop Israel from acting. Furthermore putting "pressure" is hardly being a interventionist as even Ron Paul would as he put it "put our diplomatic core to work rather then our military" when it comes to foreign policy matters.
All of that said, Johnson and Dr. Paul are too different on the issues for me to completely support Johnson. I like him, I think he's a great person and he's definitely good compared to Rombama, but that's not good enough to me. If Dr. Paul endorses Johnson, then I may vote for Johnson. I really wish Dr. Rev. Baldwin was running again because he was the best 3rd Party candidate since Harry Browne and Dr. Paul would've already endorsed Rev. Dr. Baldwin by now.
Still not seeing a major difference on topics that even Libertarians would disagree about and debate among themselves. If anything it just splitting hairs on a few issues (immigration and the Federal Reserve being the biggest differences) in which they are not 100% inline with each other as candidates but this still doesn't put them greatly apart where one person with Libertarian views would avoid supporting either Gary or Ron.
It could very well just be diplomatic pressure.
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