The pundits, the media, the bloggers are all obsessed with polls. Every day, a new poll comes out, and they pounce on the percentages for each Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. And those numbers ebb and flow.

But one thing has been consistent for months in all that polling. The real majority of voters today consists of those who are not satisfied with either of the two "major" party candidates.

That is hardly shocking. My former party, the Republicans, have put forth an authoritarian nativist who spends his days attacking Mexicans, women, Muslims and anyone else he can find to blame for America's problems — or his own.

The Democrats? Well, their candidate can't seem to find a problem that can't be solved by spending more money on it, while laughably claiming her plans "won't increase the debt by a penny."

Americans deserve another choice, and that's why I'm running for president.

I was governor of New Mexico from 1995 to 2003. I ran as a Republican in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans — and I won re-election by a comfortable margin. Ditto for my running mate Gov. Bill Weld of Massachusetts.

We did this by governing as fiscal conservatives and civil libertarians. We view government's job to be protecting and promoting the freedom of individuals to live their lives without interference and manipulation by Washington, D.C. That's what most Americans want their government to be: Leadership that is neither bullying nor self-indulgent. Alaskans understand that better than most.

Not only do Bill Weld and I share similar electoral records, but long before the possibility of running on a national ticket together even arose, we were called the "most libertarian" governors in America.

I was an entrepreneur. I started a construction firm in New Mexico and grew it to employ more than 1,000 workers. I have lived the American dream, and in a nutshell, I ran for governor because I saw that state government had grown too large and too intrusive — and was endangering the opportunity for others to succeed as I had.

And that's why I'm running for president. Government should protect freedom, not be a threat to it.

Bill Weld and I both succeeded in reducing the size of government in our states. We can do it in Washington, D.C. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump? The one thing they have in common is that their plans for America would mean more government, less freedom, and a lot more debt.

Ms. Clinton thinks too many Americans have guns, and wants to make it harder for us to own them. When the Supreme Court confirmed the 2nd Amendment right of individuals to keep and bear arms, she disagreed. Me? I believe the 2nd Amendment means what it says.

On foreign policy, she's traveled far from opposing the Vietnam War in the 1970s. As Secretary of State, she was responsible for promoting counter-productive policies in Iraq, Libya, Egypt and Syria. These should not be America's wars.

Instead, our nation needs the confidence that it has a commander-in-chief who will act predictably and responsibly to defend America — and not to aggress elsewhere in our name.

And when it comes to the size and scope of government here at home, Hillary Clinton's only differences with President Barack Obama boil down to a belief that he hasn't gone far enough in his growth of government.

Donald Trump? A Republican Party that finds itself carrying a banner of protectionism, thinly-veiled bigotry, and nativism isn't a party I recognize, or by which I governed. I feel the pain of Republicans who are shaking their heads in disbelief at their party's leader.

I'm a Westerner. I'm an adventurer and an athlete. I understand the common sense, self-reliance and independence that are found in abundance in Alaska.

In a couple of weeks, I invite you to join me in sending a message of real independence to the nation. Join me in saying, "These aren't your only choices for president. There is a third way, an independent way. There is a dignified, honest and rational alternative to Trump and Clinton."

I'm Gary Johnson, and I'm asking for your vote.

Gov. Gary Johnson (@GovGaryJohnson) is the Libertarian Party's presidential nominee. His running mate is former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld. Learn more at www.johnsonweld.com.