USA TODAY's Susan Page reports that the former New Mexico governor warned that the United States "is on the verge of a monetary collapse." Johnson promised to submit a balanced budget if he's elected president and veto bills that fail to meet the test of fiscal austerity.
New Hampshire House Speaker William O'Brien invited all the presidential candidates to speak to state lawmakers. Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Johnson accepted.
Johnson met the criteria for inclusion at the Sept. 22 debate in Orlando, but he didn't qualify for the forum in New Hampshire hosted by Bloomberg and The Washington Post. For each debate, host news organizations set out criteria that have included such items as standing in national polls, fundraising marks and participation in previous debates.
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