Remarks of Presidential Nominee Jo Jorgensen

Well thank you so much for that, Spike. We're getting off to a great start giving me all your time, and I welcome you to the team. Spike. I know it was a hard fought battle, and I still remember when I believe it was you, I know it was your campaign team joined our pizza party in Georgia. I would see you on the campaign trail and I just remember all the hard work you put in it. So well earned, and well fought.

So hello delegates. And let me say once again that it is an honor to serve you. First, my apologies for having the wrong person on the screen this morning. I was actually receiving so many Facebook notifications that somebody had to come in and change the settings, before I could even speak. It's just been so wonderfully overwhelming. The campaign team was up most of the night. We think that this is going to be the most massive volunteer campaign in LP history. So thank you very much to the supporters.

And thank you, Kevin Moore, our volunteer coordinator, who's making this run smoothly. I'd like to give you a few other thanks before I get into this. Mark Montone [phon.] who started advising me in my 92 race, he's been invaluable. Chuck Hall has been there since probably day two of the campaign and I know he hasn't gotten any sleep in several days and he has just been so loyal. And Caitlin Cloven [phon.] has done an awesome job with our social media. She's always been there when I needed her, and I just can't be, I couldn't be happier with anybody else.

So, a few of you have mentioned to me that I've gotten a lot better in my speaking since our conventions went online. And I have to tell you that the major reason for that is Carla Howell. She has been coaching me. And if anybody has not seen her "Who's Driving" series, and you're running for office, you need to check it out. Even if you're not running for office, great ammunition to try to convince a friend.

And Joe Halpmann [phon.] has been with me on the trail, very early mornings, very late nights—he's been there by my side and I just can't say enough about Joe. Indiana is so lucky to have him, again such a hard worker. And Stuart Flood [phon.], so Stuart is the guy who has been by my side, since day one. He was the guy who I said, Well I think I'm, I think I might run for the presidential nomination. What do you think? And before I knew it, he had grabbed my hand and I think he had already introduced me to about 30 different people. So, thank you so much Stuart and I should have listened to you from the start with your with your advice.

And last, there just aren't enough words to thank Steve Dasbach. The first phone call I made after I got the nomination last night was to Steve, and I just said, Steve, thank you for the nomination, this nomination is as much his as mine. And for those of you who don't know, he has been a volunteer full-time campaign manager. We've had complaints about campaigns in the past spending too much money. That is not our campaign, and that is mostly due to Steve. So, Steve, this is dedicated to you because you're the one who got it.

Of course I'd like to thank my family, my husband Marlon my daughters Emily and Eva and grandson Cameron, which I hope will all be able to make it to the convention. And thanks to you Nick Sarwark for once again running a nice convention, and to the other candidates who I mentioned last night, and again to the delegates. I am just so excited to campaign for all of you.

And we've got work to do. America, we have work to do.

The government's reaction to the coronavirus presents huge challenges for us, and an opportunity. Our economy has been dealt a double blow: a government mandated shutdown that has thrown tens of millions of people out of work. And now politicians have passed the CARES Act to fix the mess that they created. The CARES Act takes care all right—of the special interest pals of the Democrats and Republicans. President Donald Trump promised American voters that he would drain the swamp, but the swamp under his presidency is brimming like never before. And the Democrats love it. Politicians are overspending recklessly, printing piles of money out of thin air. How much new government spending, will they add 5 trillion, 6 trillion? And how much inflation will we see? What will that do to the value of your take home pay, to your savings or your retirement nest egg?

So what's the opportunity? All across America, people are realizing just how bossy, bullying, and bumbling government is. Locking up people who protest the shutdown while letting out violent criminals out of prison. Sometimes it takes a big event to see with clear eyes. The government's response to the virus has just revealed how little today's politicians believe in freedom and how much they believe in central planning, despite their repeated blunders. Americans are now seeing there's something wrong going on here.

As President, I will urge governors to end all government mandated lock downs now, slash state regulations so the economy can recover. At the federal level, I will lift government controls on businesses wherever possible so they have every chance to rebuild, and do away with those controls, permanently. People, businesses and churches should decide themselves the right balance between safety from the virus, and the need to keep our economy going. Freedom and individual choice works.

If I'm elected president, I will do everything in my power to halt and reverse the CARES Act. Any bill that doesn't cut total government spending, I will veto. But I'll do much more than that. Let's end the federal income tax. This will give back on average, $12,000 every year to each American family that they can use to pay off debts, replace that furnace that's about to die or help out a family member in need.

And ending the income tax and balance the budget. In order to do both, we need to end the income tax and balance the budget.

[I'm sorry are you askinh me to stop. Okay, I apologize I thought I heard somebody asking me to stop].

As I was saying, in order to... income tax and balance the budget we'll eliminate programs and departments that are better served by the private sector. Let's get government off your back and keep it off.

The war on drugs has caused more human suffering than drug use does. It's now time for a drug peace. As President, on day one I will pardon and free every non violent prisoner convicted of a so called crime, where there was no victim. Innocent prisoners and whistleblowers will go home to their families, drug gangs will go out of business, our streets and our homes will be safe.

For many workers, Social Security imposes the biggest burden of any tax, and yet it's insolvent. We must allow taxpayers to immediately opt out and keep their earnings. To ensure seniors get back the money they were forced to put in we'll liquidate trillions of dollars worth of assets owned by the federal government, and use the proceeds to give seniors in or nearing retirement, a private account. Seniors will have a secure retirement that's not dependent on the whims of Congress.

Americans have been sold the myth that we have a free market in health care. We don't. Government rules and regulations drive up prices five to 10 times more than what they should be. I will work with Congress and the states to unleash a truly free market in which providers and insurance companies have to compete for your dollars. Healthcare quality and safety will go up while costs plummet. We'll see great innovation and convenience, like never having to fill out another ridiculous form on a clipboard, like being able to get health care 24-7 when your child is in pain. Free clinics and pro bono care for the poor will be everywhere. No one will even want Medicaid.

America has been at war for 18 years. As president, I will immediately order our troops home from the Middle East, and work to dramatically downsize military spending. America will become one giant Switzerland, armed and neutral. We'll end senseless and unnecessary casualties and death. Our servicemen and women will return to their families, healthy and whole. Finally, America will be at peace with the world.

The 2020 presidential race has been a frenzy of accusations, insults and egos. I'm offering something completely different. I'm running to cut government on bold, fresh proposals that make America feel safe, secure and prosperous. If this is what you want, please join me, visit joj2020.com. Wote libertarian. Thank you so much.



NICK SARWARK: Thank you and congratulations Dr. Jorgenson Mr. Cohen. This is the ticket that we can put up against the two old parties, both of which have some pretty pathetic candidates...

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Earlier remarks in advance of the vice presidential nomination

"...As for the VP nomination, well there are a lot of great candidates and I will be happy to serve with whoever the delegates choose. I leave it up to the good choice of the delegates,

I would like to make just a few comments though. As many of you know Spike is a fellow South Carolinian. South Carolina was critical in the freedom light more than 200 years ago so if you need something done, I guess you can go to a South Carolinian. And after all you went to me last night which, again, I really appreciate.

I am a very loyal loyal person. I would like again to say, I am so grateful that the pragmatic caucus endorsed me. So, I am going to pass along that the pragmatic caucus did nominate Ken Armstrong, or did endorse him rather. So if you're looking for a pragmatic nominee, he was their choice, at least for the vice presidential vote.

Kokesh— I was on the campaign trail, and I'm sorry I realize I'm giving less names here sometimes; that's kind of how we would refer to each other on the campaign trail. I was in many, many debates with Adam Kokesh, and he is an excellent speaker. And I can't tell you how many times, people would come up to me and say, gosh, I really like your ideas. Adam, he's he's really a ball of energy isn't he? So I know that he would be a great speaker, a great communicator for the Libertarian Party.

And then last, I'd like to mention John Monds. First of all, in the pragmatic caucus vote, John Monds actually was second to me for the number of votes. So I need to mention that, yes, the pragmatic caucus was impressed with John Monds. I feel he's a very practical person, and like me he also received a B rating in the radical caucus, which I think is really a strong message that John, like me, is both principled, and practical.

Now, in the debate on Thursday we were asked by John Stossel who we were planning on voting for if we did not get the nomination. And I said that I would vote for John Monds. Well that is still true today. As John said about me, Nothing has changed so nothing has changed since the Thursday debate; I will echo his words. And in the vice presidential nomination that is who I will be voting for.

However, I leave it up to you. And again, I appreciate so much everything the delegates have done. I've got a lot more to share with you, but I yield my time. Thank you."