• /
  • /
  • Pagan Media to Interview Presidential Hopeful Gary Johnson

Pagan Media to Interview Presidential Hopeful Gary Johnson

Jason Pitzl-Waters —  October 14, 2011 — 24 Comments

[This post is reprinted from PNC-Minnesota, and was written by Cara Schulz]

For the past few weeks PNC-Minnesota has been working to set up a unique opportunity for Pagan media – a live interview with GOP Presidential candidate Gov. Gary Johnson. In addition to PNC-Minnesota, five other Pagan media organizations will participate  in a 2 hour live video Q&A with Gov. Johnson to take place on a Google+ hangout on Sunday, October 16th at 6:30pm CST to 8:30pm CST.  As the Hindu and First Nations communities share common interests with the Pagan community, two media slots have been reserved for them in addition to the six afforded to us.  This is a rare opportunity for Pagan media to ask a Presidential candidate questions about topics that are important to our diverse community.  It could be a first step in greater access to interview political candidates for Pagan media.

Gov. Gary Johnson

Gov. Gary Johnson

The Q&A session will be streamed live courtesy of  Keith Barrett, a Business Technology Leader and Analyst in middleware services.  The Q&A will also recorded for future play back.  The link for the live feed will be posted on PNC-Minnesota on Sunday.

Other Pagan media organizations participating in the Q&A with former New Mexico Gov. Johnson include Jason Pitzl-Waters of The Wild Hunt, Star Foster of Patheos.com, Devin Hunter of ModernWitch Podcast, and David Salisbury of PNC-DC and the Human Rights Campaign.

—

You can be sure I’ll be asking a variation of my “one question, “ and I hope this press interview will lead to more opportunities for the Pagan community to quiz political leaders and candidates about issues that concern us. If you have a question you would like a member of the Pagan media to ask, let us know in the comments section. My thanks to Cara Schulz of PNC-Minnesota for making this happen.

In Paganism, Religion , , , , ,
permalink

Jason Pitzl-Waters

Posts

  • Bill Baar

    I interviewed Johnson last March if you want some back ground http://baarswestside.blogspot.com/2011/03/former-new-mexico-governor-gary-johnson.html

  • Baruch Dreamstalker

    Has New Mexico had any Santero-busted-for-barbecuing stories? If so that might be worth a question.

  • http://www.magickal-media.com Alice C. “A.C.” Fisher Aldag

    That is amazing! Good luck, all!

  • Medeina Ragana

    Any possibility of pushing to interview the other candidates, like Caine, Perry, etc.?

    • Anonymous

      Caine? I’d TOTALLY vote for Michael Caine! :D

      But that other one…the Christian Supremacist one… Not a chance…

      • http://www.patheos.com Star Foster

        I’d love to interview Stephen Colbert about how his Super PAC gave Rick Parry the edge over Rick Perry.

    • Raven

      I would love to see what Caine would say. Business wise the man is very well placed, I also like he isn’t placating the media. The mainstream media is a joke at best, I want real questions being answered about employment and the caring of our armed services. I have a son in the Marines, and a daughter who is also going soon. I need to know that someone in the commander in chiefs seat will take care of my kids and any other parents kids too. Most everyone wants them to be safe or back home, but not everyone understands what that means for them. Most of these candidates want to hand over punk slips, to come home and not be able to get a job? As far as my being Wiccan, there is an issue within the military, they agree not to judge when it is a formal question, but when it is two of the same ranking Marines, the overly Christian will judge and called them satanist. My son, had this happen to him, the worst part is his dog tags say Catholic on them. He said ma, I have no idea what I believe but I am damned sick and tired of told what to believe. I really wish that he could have pushed on a harassment issue, but I know my son and he seriously doesn’t like to make waves. Long story short,eh? Job job jobs that is what we need first.

      • Raven

        Pink slips* sorry iPad auto corrects inaccurately sometimes.

  • Na304

    I am unsure about the other readers, but I am a fan of Johnson, and if after interviewing him, if you, the reader, like what he has to say, and would like to find out more about him then I suggest doing so. If we want to fix this country then check out Gary Johnson at http://www.garyjohnson2012.com Im a former Democrat, and just as I did, if you want to support him or see him in the white house then you MUST register as a Republican in your state ASAP in order to vote him in for the GOP nomination.

    • Raven

      Not all states have the you must be registered as one. Such as in Tn you don’t place an affiliate on your card. Until election day, then you just state what party you intend to pick. Some states have a side by side ballot, not letting anyone know te party at all. The only ones who know are the computers these days, and one tiny committee you never met. Personally, I’m up for anyone that fix the economy, everything else is secondary at best until we Americans are able to work again.

    • Ursyl

      Read his position on his website. All I’m seeing regarding taxes is more of the same trickle-down bullshit that got us into this position in the first place.

      We’ve been giving big corporations and the very wealthy tax breaks to create jobs for how many decades now? Where are the jobs? Only result of that policy that I’ve noticed is CEO and such pay increasing tremendously while pay for everyone else has flattened. Their income is certainly increasing. The rest of ours sure isn’t.

      The essence of stupidity is to keep doing the same thing while expecting a different result. And that is all I see from any of the GOP candidates or would-be candidates.

      • guest

        That is not his stance at all actually, he has spoken out against all the corporate favors and loopholes for the well connected many many times… He is in favor of scrapping the tax system we currently have and enacting the FAIRTAX , if you look it up you will see, with the fair tax there is no room for any of this corporate loophole stuff

      • http://www.facebook.com/hardymacia Hardy Macia

        Johnson is definitely not your same-old-republcian candidate. If he was then he’d be included in all the debates and be given equal airtime as the other candidates. No Johnson is a threat to the status quo, a big threat.

        Johnson supports the FairTax which replaces the current tax system of loopholes for the wealthy and special interest with a revenue neutral shift to a consumption tax that the rich won’t be able to wiggle out of since there are no exemptions in the FairTax bill.

        The FairTax replaces our currently regressive system on the poor with a system that doesn’t tax those under the poverty level at all and encourages recycling versus run away consumerism.

        • Ursyl

          Do please explain to me, either of you, how a CONSUMPTION tax, which reads as sales tax to me, is fair.

          Unless necessities like food, clothing, medicines, and the like are excluded, consumption taxes are chosen. All the wealthy have to do is chose to not consume any more than they need, and viola! No taxes on them!

          In the meantime, families that must spend all they get living paycheck to paycheck pay taxes on all, while those who can get by with spending only a smaller percentage of their income pay taxes only on that smaller spent percentage.

          In all the years I’ve discussed this issue, I’ve yet to get a good explanation of how that qualifies as fair by any definition a thinking person would recognize.

          As for encouraging recycling versus runaway consumerism, how exactly are we going to pay for all the government services we depend upon: roads, police, fire, ambulance, schools, military, the courts, etc?

          • Jhntrease

            The fair tax is extremely fair. It starts with every single person in the United States receiving a check every month for $200. The purpose is to cover the tax on new products for those who fall at or below the poverty level. The $200 is adjustable to the GDP so it even accounts for growth in economy.
            One major benefit is the sales tax is on new goods at the end of the production and supply chain. That itself eliminates levels of built in taxes which adds to the purchase price. Plain and simple things will be cheaper.
            what also makes it fair is everyone rich or poor, middle class or even foreign tourist pay the same tax. If a rich person buys a new yaugt he will pay more then someone who buys a new Kia.
            Its only on new products so when somone shops in thrift stores or flea markets they won’t pay any tax. That itself promotes less waste!
            go to fairtax.org and you can plug in your personal income info and it will show you the added income you will have each month.
            Oh also regardless what administration is in the majority they won’t be able to manipulate it for their special intrest groups. Not to mention it eliminates the IRS!

  • http://spatialorientation.com Spatial Orientation

    Gary Johnson is the only candidate offering common sense solutions and policy prescriptions for the issues of our day. His exclusion from the polls and debates is shameful. The establishment press treats him like some fringe guy with “crazy” ideas like balancing the budget and subjecting public policy to cost benefit analyses. Check out more coverage of the Johnson campaign at http://spatialorientation.com/tag/gary-johnson

  • http://johnfranc.blogspot.com/ John Beckett

    The extent of religious freedom and the place of religious minorities is of particular interest to me as a Pagan, but the question I’d most like to ask every candidate is “what will you do to create jobs?”

  • http://www.facebook.com/paposehn Philip Posehn

    A good start. Looking forward to a day when we interview a top tier candidate.

    • http://www.facebook.com/hardymacia Hardy Macia

      Phillip,

      Gary Johnson is a top tier candidate.

      • Popular 2-term Governor of a 2-1 democratic state.
      • Only candidate who is still popular in their home state.
      • Best job-growth record while he was governor. (Better than Perry & Romney’s job-growth rates combined.)
      • Built one-man handy man business into a 1000+ person construction/mechanical engineering company.

      Just because main-stream-media hasn’t crowned him top tier — because they have their own agendas — doesn’t mean he isn’t top tier by his resume/background which is the most impressive of everyone in the field.

      Consider this a chance to meet a top tier candidate before he breaks through.

      - Hardy

  • Emerald

    Im a big supporter of Johnson, I got to see him speak at the Texas Cannabis Crusade this year, hes amazing! But the libertarian/republican presidential candidate that has been spreading the message of freedom and liberty consistently for over 35 years is Congressman Ron Paul! Ron Paul struck a nerve I didnt know I even had.
    Even Johnson voted Ron Paul in the ’08 elections. The question I would like to hear answered by Gov. Johnson is what are some differences between his message and Congressman Paul’s message since they are so similar?
    Brightest Blessings!
    -Emerald-

    • Anonymous

      From a quick glance, it seem to be choice. Ron Paul is Pro-Life and Johnson is Pro-Choice. (using the commonly used terms). It seems to me that he is consistent in his Libertarian views. YMMV

      • Emerald

        Ron Paul typically replies to this, that you cant protect liberty if you dont protect life. and as a ob/gyn he is sworn to protect both the mothers life and the unborn childs life by law. He argues that it is not only a religious standing but also a constitutional position as with every one of his positions.
        I feel as with a growing majority of people that Ron Paul could win the republican nomination and eventually the presidency, which would cut $1trillion in spending during the first year, eliminates 5 cabinet departments, end foreign aid, end foreign wars, allow americans to opt out of ssi, lower the corporate tax rate to 15% making us competetive in the global market, loosen regulation on our businesses, restore our dollar by allowing competetive currency, and President Paul will only take a salary of $39,336, approx. equal to the median personal income of the American worker. I truly believe Ron Paul can restore America.

  • http://www.patheos.com/blogs/bishopinthegrove Teo Bishop

    Question: Can Gov. Johnson speak directly to the #OccupyWallStreet movement, and its growing national and international presence, specifically to the rejection of corporate favoritism in the U.S. political system? Does the Governor see any imbalance in the way that individual citizens and corporate citizens are treated?

  • Jhntrease

    Gary Johnson is amazing!
    I am so impressed that he excepts everyone equaly. If anyone can bring us all together to end this partisan bickering its him. He has accomplished so much for the state of NM which is a Two-to-One democrat state and legislation. He easily won re-election and I believe he is the only person to be elected to two terms in the entire history of the state of New Mexico.

    I love how he answers a question as aposed to going around in circles never realy answering anything but throwing around talking points. He has real solutions to problems and is confident in his ideas to present them. He won’t pander just to get votes.

    If all the Republicans where as objective and consistant as him I wouldn’t have to hold my nose to vote. I have always been a republican but have never been satisfied with any candidate I have voted for. Gary Johnson will be the first one I will run to the polls for. I love my country and love our diversity. I Believe he is the only one that gets what this country is all about and whats at stake.