Opinion: There aren’t any world leaders for a Libertarian like Gary Johnson to admire

To the editor: Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson has been put through the media ringer in the last couple of weeks because of his failure to name a single world leader that he admires. (“Gary Johnson’s campaign manager downplays world leader gaffe,” Sept. 29)

As a Libertarian, Johnson seeks limited government and socially tolerant society with protected individual liberty. Knowing that about the man, which leader should he choose? Angela Merkel, who while presenting a cohesive policy on refugees has continuously used German funds to bail out other European nations that probably cannot repay the loans? Perhaps Paul Kagame, a man who heroically ended the Rwandan genocide but went on to implement a racial hierarchy and rule as an autocrat?

Who among the pantheon of world leaders truly advocates limited government and individual liberty? One can admire the individual qualities about a leader, but an answer from Johnson would be interpreted as an endorsement. His failure to answer was not because of idiocy or ignorance. There are no true libertarian leaders in the world today.

Taylor Morris, Calabasas

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