Interview with Dr. Jo Jorgensen Pt. 1: The Integrity of the Libertarian Party

Punching Bag Post was honored to interview Libertarian presidential nominee Dr. Jo Jorgensen during our inaugural podcast.

Jorgensen is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Clemson University with a background in marketing, software sales, and business consulting. She grew up in Illinois and has two children. In 1996, she was the Libertarian Party’s vice presidential nominee alongside Harry Browne.

Jorgensen’s nomination, announced in May, makes her the first female to earn the Libertarian Party’s presidential nomination.

A few things Jorgensen stands for:

• A much smaller government
• Slashing federal spending and cutting taxes
• Never adding to the national debt
• Removing the US military from foreign wars
• Allowing real price competition in healthcare to reduce costs
• Eliminating trade barriers and tariffs
• Ending federal civil asset forfeiture prior to conviction
• Reducing prison populations
• Legalizing marijuana and ending the War on Drugs
• Eliminating the Department of Education and returning control of education to parents, teachers, and students

We began our interview with Dr. Jorgensen by asking about some “progressive” views the Libertarian party has been promoting for decades, including gay marriage and marijuana legalization.

“Looking at progressive issues, I like to point out to people…that Barak Obama and Hillary Clinton were both against gay marriage in 2012. And when I mention that to a lot of young people they’re just shocked.”

Republicans and Democrats tend to base their opinions on personal experiences and not out of concern for the rights of others, explains Jorgensen. The perfect example is former Vice President Dick Cheney, who opposed gay marriage until his daughter came out as a lesbian. 

“The Libertarians have always been based on…principle and individual rights,” says Jorgensen. “And with politicians, it’s kind of just whichever way the wind blows.”