Gary Johnson in Survey of 2016 Presidential campaign websites

On Budget & Economy: National debt of $20 trillion is obscene & unsustainable

It doesn't have to be that way, despite what the politicians say. Governor Johnson has pledged that his first major act as President will be to submit to Congress a truly balanced budget. No gimmicks, no imaginary cuts in the distant future. Real reductions to bring spending into line with revenues, without tax increases. No line in the budget will be immune from scrutiny and reduction. And he pledges to veto any legislation that will result in deficit spending. No excuses. No games. A REAL balanced budget.

On Corporations: Eliminate double taxation embodied in business income taxes

Many leading economists have long advocated such a shift in the way we are taxed, and Gary Johnson believes the time has come to eliminate the punishing tax code we have today and replace it with a system that rewards productivity, investment & savings. The IRS as we know it today would no longer be necessary, and Americans would no longer need to live in fear of the force of government being wielded under the guise of tax collection.

On Crime: Too many unnecessary laws leads to too many in prison

The failed War on Drugs is, of course, the greatest example. More generally, mandatory minimum sentences for a wide range of offenses and other efforts by politicians to be "tough" have removed far too much common-sense discretion from judges and prosecutors.

These factors, combined with the simple fact that we have too many unnecessary laws, have produced a society with too many people in our prisons and jails, too many undeserving individuals saddled with criminal records, and a seriously frayed relationship between law enforcement and those they serve.

Fortunately, a growing number of state governments are taking steps toward meaningful criminal justice reform. The federal government must do the same, and Johnson is committed to bringing real leadership to this long-overdue effort.

On Drugs: Why do we tell adults what they can put in their bodies?

Decades of ever-more-intrusive government has steadily eroded personal freedom in this country. Adults are no longer free to make their own decisions.

Gary Johnson believes government should be truly limited--limited in the way the Founders envisioned. Responsible adults should be free to marry whom they want, arm themselves if they want, make their own decisions about their bodies, and lead their personal lives as they see fit--as long as no harm is done to others. And they should be able to do so without unconstitutional scrutiny by the NSA, the ATF, the DEA or any other government agency.

On Energy & Oil: Man contributes to climate change, but no government fix

When it comes to global climate change, Johnson believes too many politicians are having the wrong debate. Is the climate changing? Probably so. Is man contributing to that change? Probably so. The important question, however, is whether the government's efforts to regulate, tax and manipulate the marketplace in order to impact that change are cost-effective--or effective at all. Given the realities of global energy and resource use, there is little evidence that the burden being placed on Americans is making a difference that justifies the cost.

On Government Reform: Strong advocate of term limits for governors & Congress

On Homeland Security: Founding Fathers would be disgusted about spying on citizens

Imagine the disgust of the Founding Fathers if they were to see the national government spying on citizens' private communications, monitoring financial transactions, photographing license plates, and even demanding to know what a person is doing at a public library--all without warrants or due process of law.

Decades of ever-more-intrusive government has steadily eroded personal freedom in this country. Adults are no longer free to make their own decisions, and virtually no part of Americans' private lives are today safe from government scrutiny and regulation.

Gary Johnson believes government should be truly limited--limited in the way the Founders envisioned--without unconstitutional scrutiny by the NSA, the ATF, the DEA or any other government agency.

On Homeland Security: Overturn simplistic, chaotic, reactive military policies

As President, Gary Johnson will move quickly and decisively to refocus U.S. efforts and resources to attack the real threats we face in a strategic, thoughtful way. The U.S. must get serious about cutting off the millions of dollars that are flowing into the extremists' coffers every day. Relationships with strategic allies must be repaired and reinforced. And the simplistic options of "more boots on the ground" and dropping more bombs must be replaced with strategies that will isolate and ultimately neuter those who would, if able, destroy the very liberties on which this nation is founded

On Homeland Security: Reactive military policies allow real threats to flourish

Looking back over the past couple of decades, it is difficult to see how the wars we have waged, the interventions we have conducted, the lives sacrificed and the trillions spent on the other side of the globe have made us safer. The chaotic, reactive military and foreign policies of the past two Presidents have, if anything, created an environment that has allowed real threats to our safety to flourish.

As President, Gary Johnson will move quickly and decisively to refocus U.S. efforts and resources to attack the real threats we face in a strategic, thoughtful way. The U.S. must get serious about cutting off the millions of dollars that are flowing into the extremists' coffers every day. Relationships with strategic allies must be repaired and reinforced.

On Immigration: Bigger border fence will only produce taller ladders

Governor Johnson has long advocated a simplified and secure system of work visas by which willing workers and willing employers can meet in a robust labor marketplace efficiently and economically.

On Tax Reform: Current tax code penalizes productivity & investment

On Technology: No government "back doors" into encrypted, private info

Yet, there are increasing calls for government regulation and intrusion into the Internet. Some politicians recently passed so-called Cyber Security legislation: the government is determined to insert itself into our freedom to communicate, conduct business and seek information via the Web.

The government is even demanding that it be granted special "back doors" into encrypted, private information held and moved by Internet providers. The excuse is security--a laughable concept from a government that has proven time after time to be incapable of protecting even the most basic data.

Gary Johnson has consistently opposed these attempts at government interference with the Internet, and as President, would return the government to the side of freedom and innovation--not regulation.

On Abortion: Government ill-equipped to address abortion; it's personal

As Governor, Johnson never advocated abortion or taxpayer funding of it. However, Gov. Johnson recognizes that the right of a woman to choose is the law of the land today, and has been for several decades. That right must be respected, and ultimately he believes this is a very personal and individual decision. He feels that each woman must be allowed to make decisions about her own health and well-being.

Further, Gov. Johnson feels strongly that women seeking to exercise their legal right must not be subjected to persecution or denied access to health services by politicians in Washington or elsewhere who are insistent on politicizing such an intensely personal and serious issue. As Governor Johnson did support a ban on late term abortions.