Gary Johnson: Citizens can’t take on corporate polluters

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Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson believes the government shouldn’t intervene in the marketplace, but accepts the need to regulate certain aspects of the economy to protect Americans.

“The government does have a role to protect us against individuals, groups, corporations that would do us harm,” he told Current TV host Jennifer Granholm. “Those are legitimate functions of government.”

“The notion that there are polluters out there — and I ran into that as governor of New Mexico — and but for the government, who prevails over that activity? Yes, you as a citizen can file suit, but you know what, that is daunting when you’re up against big dollars that corporate polluters have at their disposal.”

Johnson’s views may clash with some hardcore libertarians. According to the Libertarian Party’s platform, the goverment’s only legitimate function in the economic realm is protecting property rights, adjudicating disputes, and ensuring trade remains voluntary. The platform is opposed to government intervention to protect the environment, claiming the issue is best regulated by social pressure.

The Libertarian candidate hopes to attract fiscally conservative, but socially liberal voters.

“End the drug war. Let’s get out of Afghanistan. Let’s bring our troops home. Let’s balance the budget. Let’s bring about marriage equality,” he told Granholm.

Watch video, courtesy of Current TV, below: