CEDAR RAPIDS - It's his second trip to Iowa this year, but Gary Johnson isn't running for president in 2012, at least not yet, and he won't talk about when or if he'll join the herd of possible contenders for the Republican nomination.

In the meantime, the former governor of New Mexico is "trying to put a voice to what I think is the national outrage."

"I find myself outraged that the country is bankrupt, the fact that we're borrowing 43 cents of every dollar is not sustainable," Johnson told The Gazette Editorial Board Sept. 1, adding that Republicans deserve as much blame as Democrats. "This really has to change. Spending has to be slashed and taxes need to be reduced."

So Johnson, who vetoed 750 bills in two terms as governor -- only two vetoes were overridden, has been to 26 states, been on the radio and television every day since December. He rode RAGBRAI earlier this summer and is back in Iowa this week for several speaking engagements.

Johnson has been called the "next Ron Paul" - which he takes as a compliment. Like Paul, Johnson has opposed the war in Iraq and, despite initial support for military involvement in Afghanistan, he now opposes nation-building there.