Detroit News Calls Gary Johnson “A Voice for Free Markets”

Called Johnson’s Economic Plans “Common Sense”

By: Elias J. Atienza

The Detroit News editorial board put out a new editorial where they called the Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson “A voice for free markets.” The Detroit News is the second biggest newspaper in Michigan.

“Gary Johnson may not know what Aleppo is — though after his embarrassing campaign gaffe we’re sure he’s figured it out,” The Detroit News writes. “[B]ut he knows where the problem is in the American economy: The free market isn’t free.”

The Detroit News praised him for his economic plan’s approach for its “common sense simplicity.”

“Certainty is the ingredient missing from the current economy,” The Detroit News writes. “Federal agencies are choking off growth with rulemaking that limits the ability of businesses to make market-based decisions and involves the government too deeply in employer/employee relations.”

The Detroit News also outlined his approach to taxes and government spending. Johnson told them that he would sign any tax cut that crossed his desk while also pushing for eliminating corporate income taxes.

“His is a simple, free market agenda that reflects his party’s belief that government should play a minimal role in American life,” The Detroit News continues.

In addition to cutting taxes, Johnson is committed to cutting twenty percent of government spending.

“He eschews sacred cows, saying Medicare, Medicaid and the military, three of the biggest consumers of tax dollars, can and must be cut substantially. And he’s right.”

However, they say that Johnson must provide further details to what else he would cut and the “unintended consequences” of cutting spending in order to be considered credible.

The Detroit News took an interest in his approach to healthcare. The Detroit News writes:

Under Johnson’s vision, health care would become part of the cost of living. Consumers would pay for their ongoing medical needs, and have insurance to cover catastrophic events. He believes, however, that costs for care could be cut to 20 percent of what they are today by allowing more competition into the system through such measures as advertising outcomes and prices.

Johnson also outlined his plan for regulating energy and the environment.

“The free market is working; you don’t need a lot of regulations,” Johnson told The Detroit News.

The Detroit News stopped short of endorsing him like the Union Leader, Richmond Times-Dispatch, and the Winston-Salem Journal. But they praised him for his approach to the economy.

“Libertarians are frequently cast as quacks who want everyone to stay off their lawns,” the write. “But returning to truly free markets, reducing the impact of government, and trusting both businesses and consumers to behave rationally doesn’t sound so crazy. It sounds like common sense.”