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I recently sat down with Libertarian Presidential candidate Gary Johnson at his home in New Mexico and watched an episode of Orphan Black, the hit sci-fi show. Between his CNN Town Hall meetings and endless speeches on the campaign trail, you’re probably asking: How did Gary get the time to watch a television show? It’s a good question, but the former Governor made the time, because he’s interested in the future and willing to explore how it might unfold.

Johnson is excited about using radical science and technology to make America stronger and help the human race.

Nothing else will change America more in the coming decades than radical science and technology. Consider CRISPR gene editing tech and the biohackers who are already trying to splice plant DNA in their skin to be able to photosynthesize energy into their bodies. Talk about a way to end world hunger. Or what about artificial intelligence and nuclear weapons—something Bill Gates and Stephen Hawking have recently publicly worried about? Some experts believe coming AI—an intelligence as smart as an adult human being—could arrive in as little as a decade with enough funding.

Gary Johnson is interested in these things and has ideas about them.

I had the pleasure of talking about it with him while he cooked me dinner and had me as an overnight guest in home (he makes a mean shrimp and scallop pasta). My visit was predicated upon being a possible Vice Presidential choice of his. Given the remarkable personalities also on Johnson’s radar (like Governor Bill Weld who he chose), I probably was a long shot for the position. But that didn’t stop Johnson from spending 2 half-days with me discussing radical technology and the best way to use it to improve America.

Preparing America For A New Age in Science and Technology

When Johnson talks about improving America, he really means it. In fact, I believe it’s the main reason he’s running for the US presidency. He worries about America imminently having a cultural and financial meltdown that could irreparably harm this nation—and the world with it. Johnson asserts that he wants to restore commonsense social open-mindedness and fiscal responsibility to our nation before that happens.

It’s not going to be easy for Johnson.

As a well-known extreme athlete and sports competitor, he’s in for the race of his life. He’s likely to be on all 50 state ballots and technically could win the Presidency, but that’s only probable if he’s included in the national debates with Trump and Clinton. To be included he has to reach 15% consistently in the polls. He’s in the low double digits now, but improving every month.

I strongly believe Gary Johnson should be in the debates, whether he makes the arbitrary 15% threshold or not. I believe this not only because it breaks up America’s monopolistic and un-American two-party system, but because Johnson brings a unique perspective to politics with his forward-thinking about science, technology, and future.

On The Issues