WASHINGTON—Libertarian Gary Johnson and Green Party candidate Jill Stein clashed Monday night on the day before the Nov. 6 election, as each outlined positions on economic policy and climate change.
Johnson, former Republican governor of New Mexico and Libertarian nominee for the 2012 presidential race, outlined his Libertarian approach for job creation in the opening remarks of the third party debate, which was sponsored by Russia Today, and held in their Washington, D.C. studios and broadcast on YouTube.
“When it comes to jobs, let’s eliminate income tax, corporate tax, abolish the IRS, replace all of that with one federal consumption tax,” Johnson said. “I’m advocating the fair tax, which I think is the answer to tens of millions of jobs being created in this country because we are talking about a zero corporate tax rate environment.”
Stein, former candidate for governor of Massachusetts and green party nominee for the 2012 presidential race, noted that Medicare for all will save trillions of dollars and free public higher education by returning seven dollars for every dollar invested.
“Every vote for my campaign is a vote for the solutions the American people are clamoring for right now. That means an emergency Green New Deal to create 25 million jobs, end unemployment, and jumpstart the green economy. That spells an end to climate change and makes wars for oil obsolete,” she said, noting that our government is overly reliant on fossil fuels and military-focused policy.
As the debate turned to climate change, the contrast was stark.
Stein said climate change caused by a fossil fuel-economy led to natural disasters like the hottest months on record, droughts in the U.S., melting of arctic ice caps, and Hurricane Sandy, problems fixed by her plan.
“We’ve got a fossil fuel politics, which is driving the climate crisis,” she said, noting that both the Romney and Obama campaigns are guilty.
Johnson agreed that humanity affects climate change, but as president he would not personally impact climate change.
“I think a good environment is a direct result of good economy,” he said, noting that consumers in theU.S.demand less emissions and that reduces carbon emissions domestically, but noted that he does not favor cap and trade because it hurts business.
Each candidate followed party lines concerning the role of disaster organizations like FEMA.
“FEMA could be drastically reduced in size and contracts could be prearranged to these emergencies,” Johnson said, lamenting the large role the federal government plays in coordinating emergencies.
But Stein disagreed completely, saying, “Fundamentally we need government to be able to come in with FEMA, provide the food, provide the water, provide the housing, provide the emergency assistance.”
In the closing remarks of the debate, Stein returned to the earlier topic of education, stating, “I’m the only candidate that will put an end to student debt, which has turned 36 million students into indentured servants,” she said.
Johnson did not mention education.
