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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 8, 2016)
• Now Ducks don’t have to go far to get their ice cream fix: Red Wagon Creamery launched its new shop at the University of Oregon’s revamped Erb Memorial Union on Sept. 6. The newly remodeled EMU officially reopens on Oct. 6. • For more than 35 years, BRING Recycling has run a free education program for all Lane County students that includes free field trips, classroom visits and curriculum for teachers. In August, BRING hired Emily Shelton to fill its education and events manager position. Shelton spent five years serving as marketing director at the Science Factory Children’s Museum where BRING says “she gained a higher appreciation of STEM [science, technology, engineering, math] education and engaging children in science at a formative age.” • Ward 1 Eugene City Council candidate Josh Skov is having a campaign kickoff at The Barn Light, 924 Willamette Street, 4:30 to 6:30 pm on Thursday, Sept. 8. Skov’s campaign says, “This will be an opportunity for voters to learn more about how Skov will fight for our community, and to learn how supporters can get involved.” All welcome, but space is limited, so the campaign is asking for attendees to RSVP at joshuaskov.com/fall_kick_off or on Facebook. Skov faces Emily Semple in the November election for the City Council seat. • At noon Friday, Sept. 9, the City Club of Eugene will discuss the Glenwood Refinement Plan. Speakers are longtime Glenwood resident and business owner Steve Moe and Courtney Griesel, community development manager for Springfield. Program coordinator is Randy Prince. City Club will meet at the UO Academic Extension at the Baker Center, 975 High Street. Nonmembers $5, members FREE. •The Raging Grannies Eugene invite you to support the 21 youth plaintiffs appearing in court for the Our Children’s Trust climate case before U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken. The hearing starts 10 am Sept. 13 at the Wayne L. Morse U.S. Courthouse, 405 E. 8th Ave. There will be oral argument, and Aiken will review U.S. Magistrate Judge Coffin’s April ruling in the youths’ favor. “The plaintiffs sued the federal government for violating their constitutional rights to life, liberty and property, and their right to essential public trust resources, by permitting, encouraging, and otherwise enabling continued exploitation, production and combustion of fossil fuels,” according to OCT. The Grannies will hold a “blessing vigil” 6 pm Sept. 12 at the courthouse. • Photographer Sophie Gamand’s 13-month Flower Power pit bull calendar is available for $30 starting Sept. 20. Proceeds benefit animal rescue. All dogs in the calendar are adoptable, including a dog from Eugene- based rescue Luvable. Go to sophiegamand. com for purchase. 8 September 8, 2016 • eugeneweekly.com BY CAMILLA MORTENSEN LIBERTARIAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE GARY JOHNSON AND THE FREE MARKET FORMER NEW MEXICO GOV. GARY JOHNSON TALKS TO EW ABOUT HIS PRESIDENTIAL RUN PHOTO COURTESY GARY JOHNSON 2016 L ibertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson is, for some Lane County voters, a possible alternative to Ber- nie Sanders. But while Johnson told EW during a recent phone call that he believes climate change is man-made, he also believes a free market economy is part of the fix. “I do believe that climate change is occurring,” the affable former governor of New Mexico Johnson says, and that it’s hu- man caused. That’s a little stronger than the Johnson-Weld campaign web- site that says the climate is “probably” changing and is “prob- ably” human-caused. According to Johnson, “You and I as citizens are demanding less carbon emissions.” He cites an Environmental Protection Agency statistic that says the U.S. is responsible for 16 percent of the carbon load worldwide. “Carbon does not know any boundar- ies,” Johnson says. But he also says the practice of burning coal and building more coal facilities is “not happening from a free market stand- point.” And that natural gas is taking coal’s place thanks to the free market. Johnson is running with former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld on the third party ticket. The campaign has drawn notice in the wake of Sanders’ loss to Hillary Clinton in the Democratic pri- mary. Johnson, who bills himself as “absurdly honest,” laughs loudly when asked if he waited to spring his campaign until after Bernie left the scene and says he’s been there all along, whether Oregonians noticed it or not. Johnson says some of this recent attention reflects the fact that the Libertarian ticket is composed of two former two-term Re- publican governors elected in heavily Democratic states, who are “fiscally conservative, socially inclusive and skeptical that mili- tary intervention will result in a safer world,” combined with the polarity generated by Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. That attention has also generated more interest in the Liber- tarian Party, and Libertarian voter registration has skyrocketed, “relatively,” Johnson says. When asked about what his campaign could take away from Sanders’ run for office, he says, “I happen to agree with Bernie on, I think, most of what Bernie has to say.” But Johnson says that where “Bernie and I come to a T in the road” is when it comes to economy. “I agree with Bernie that crony capitalism is alive and well, and that the system is rigged,” Johnson says, but “free markets are not crony capitalism.” Rather, Johnson says, crony capitalism is when the government involves itself in business and allows for favoritism, as opposed to govern- ment leveling the playing field. Can government end income inequality? he asks. “That’s Peter taking from Paul,” Johnson answers his own question. “That’s an equation that Peter loves!” Johnson aligns with many Oregonians in his pro-mari- juana stance. He says that his first day in office he would reschedule marijuana, which the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency recently decided not to reschedule from its current federal status as a drug that is not legal for doctors to pre- scribe. “Legalization of marijuana is a states issue,” he says, “similar to alcohol.” In keeping with his Libertarian platform, Johnson says he and Weld are in favor of the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement (TPP), saying it will create U.S. jobs and eliminate a lot of tariffs and advance free trade. Johnson says he wants more government transparency, and he tells EW that he has not taken any Koch brothers mon- ey for his campaign that he “knows of,” saying “I do believe that an individual should be able to make unlimited contri- butions, but it should be 100 percent transparent and there is no transparency on Super PACs.” He reiterates, “To my knowledge, we have not taken one penny” from the Kochs. When asked about public records disclosure, Johnson tells EW, “I’d like to make a pledge to you: I’d be the best person you’ve ever seen on this. What do you have to fear from the truth?” Johnson needs to poll at 15 percent to participate in the upcoming nationally televised presidential debates. A recent Pew poll has him at 10 percent. Green Party candidate Jill Stein averages around 4 percent. Last time he ran for president in 2012 he got less than 1 percent of the vote. The first debate is Monday, Sept. 26, and Johnson says he is optimistic and if he doesn’t get into that one, he could get into one of the October debates. Both Johnson and Stein are the only third party candidates on the ballot in Oregon.
