Statement of January 17th

Friends,

Tuesday night, President Obama tried to deliver an "optimistic" State of the Union Address. That's OK. There is nothing wrong with optimism. I, too, am an optimist.

But throughout Obama's speech, he based his soaring rhetoric about everything from curing cancer to highly questionable improvement in the economy on things government has done -- or will do.

I have a real problem with that.

In 2012, some national publications compared the "job creation" records of several former governors who were running for President, and my record in New Mexico was deemed to be the best. My response raised some eyebrows: I said, "As Governor, I didn't create a single job."

It's true. Government doesn't create jobs. The private sector does, and government's job is to stay out of the way and create an environment in which entrepreneurs and other employers can prosper without unnecessary regulation, taxes and interference. That's what we tried to do in New Mexico…and it worked.

But today, it's difficult to find anything the federal government has done over the past several years that has made anything better. Obama talked about medical advancements. If anything, his government take-over of health care and the taxes it created have stifled advancement -- and will continue to do so for years to come.

The President accused anyone saying the economy is in decline of "peddling fiction", while the national debt has doubled under his watch -- and will reach $20 trillion by the time he leaves office. No economy can sustain that debt, and the Republicans and Democrats alike have done nothing to reduce it.

And when it comes to keeping us safe from those who would do us harm, despite the President's reassuring words, who can honestly say the we are safer from violent extremists and foreign threats than we were before Presidents Bush and Obama waged war and failed interventions?

It's time for someone to tell the truth about the challenges we face. That's why I'm running for President -- and doing my best to put liberty, smaller government and common sense foreign policy on the national stage as alternatives to the tired policies of the "major" parties.

The response so far to my announcement last week is tremendous. The national media took note, liberty advocates across the country are energized, and our phones are ringing off the hook. But to take advantage of a great kick-off, I must have your help.

Travel for media appearances and events, promoting what we're doing on social media, even being able to keep up with the phone calls. These ALL require funding, and for that, I must rely upon supporters such as you. Please go to Gary Johnson 2016 today and help make sure we have the funding we must have to build on a fantastic start.

Your support means a great deal to me, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks!

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