Amash

If (D) hates him and (R) has ostracized him , as a legislator what can he possibly be effective for his constituents ?
He is now Gary Johnson with better hair --- just another Libertarian shaking his fist at clouds.

Curious to see what alliances become of this.
Being a climate change denier and anti-choice
Anti tax and now that he isnt a lone (R) against Trump --- what else is left ?

I got him selling insurance in 2 years
what a stupid move
 
57Brave said:
If (D) hates him and (R) has ostracized him , as a legislator what can he possibly be effective for his constituents ?
He is now Gary Johnson with better hair --- just another Libertarian shaking his fist at clouds.

Curious to see what alliances become of this.
Being a climate change denier and anti-choice
Anti tax and now that he isnt a lone (R) against Trump --- what else is left ?

I got him selling insurance in 2 years
what a stupid move
Click to expand...

it doesnt happen often but roughly every century the party structure of American politics undergoes a major shift...it seems to me there is an opportunity to put together a new coalition based upon some basic civic principles
 
57Brave said:
If (D) hates him and (R) has ostracized him , as a legislator what can he possibly be effective for his constituents ?
He is now Gary Johnson with better hair --- just another Libertarian shaking his fist at clouds.

Curious to see what alliances become of this.
Being a climate change denier and anti-choice
Anti tax and now that he isnt a lone (R) against Trump --- what else is left ?

I got him selling insurance in 2 years
what a stupid move
Click to expand...

Oh no! Someone may not be interested in a lifetime of congress.

I'm guessing he's thought through everything and the consequences. And I'm certain he will be fine.
 
sturg33 said:
Of all the people follow, Amash criticized Obama more than anyone, and did so in a thoughtful and objective way.

I dont follow his every move but I know he's not shy about calling out a wrong when he sees one

Republicans celebrating his departure are celebrating someone who lives by the principles of our founders.

Not a great look.

The left has been lost for years no surprise they hate him
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Thats why his silence on obamas spying of the trunp campaign/administration is all the more telling.
 
thethe said:
Thats why his silence on obamas spying of the trunp campaign/administration is all the more telling.
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Amash addressed this in his townhall when a lady asked him directly about it.

As always, we should look at actions over words.

Amash explained to the crowd that when Section 702 of the FISA amendments was up for renewal under Trump, Amash offered up an amendment to try to stop its use against Americans. Section 702 is intended to allow the federal government to spy on foreign targets overseas without having to get a warrant, overseen by the secretive FISA court. But Section 702's authorities have habitually been applied to secretly surveil Americans as well, for crimes that have nothing to do with terrorism or national security.

Despite all of Trump's complaints about surveillance, despite all his claims that the government had illegally spied on him, the White House threatened a veto. Trump ultimately signed a law that expanded the government's ability to spy on Americans.

Right now, even as we hear these claims that Amash doesn't care about FISA abuse, he's trying to pass legislation that will permanently end the authority for the National Security Agency (NSA) and FBI to collect and access the telephone records of American citizens without getting warrants. This is the program originally exposed by Edward Snowden. Amash, joined by the likes of Sen. Rand Paul (R–Ky.) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R–Ky.), has been fighting to stop this collection for years, since well before Trump was even a candidate.
 
Oklahomahawk said:
And he's absolutely right and we as a nation can't prove him right fast enough.
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I agree, but at the same time, those in the libertarian wing of our politics--most of whom I respect--have to be for something constructive and not sit on the sidelines when things aren't 100% their way. Younger Americans seem to be more conducive to market solutions and comfortable with disruptive technology (of course, they are still young and that comfort will likely evaporate as they age and their lifestyle patterns change), but our ability to compromise and expand the franchise really built this country and what is happening now really threatens the future. And to make sure this isn't viewed as "my way or the highway" comments on my part, both sides--indeed everyone across the spectrum--have to realize the sadness of the current situation.
 
How come every time it gets tough inside (R) they hide behind Libertarianism.

I actually thought Amash would stand up when it got rough.
What a disappointment as a leader

Say what you will about Rep Omar. Whenever she gets punched around inside the party she just fights back harder.
As if she had a point and a purpose.
Amash folded to (R) pressure like a cheap suit.

As far as the 2 party thing, that hass been a trope since --- forever and we consistently default to 2.
As the primary season starts with 20+ candidates running for the (D) nomination -- one will come out. And wouldn't they each be a 3rd party unto themselves ?

Kinda like a playoff system we love in sport.
I think the process of elimination is ingrained in our national DNA

The Super Bowl has 2 teams - the WS has 2 teams
Tomorrows WWC will be 2 teams. England or France or Sweden don't get to run off and complain about how they are not represented
They had their shot and came up short.
Win and advance

we are an either or society.
For better or worse
 
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50PoundHead said:
I agree, but at the same time, those in the libertarian wing of our politics--most of whom I respect--have to be for something constructive and not sit on the sidelines when things aren't 100% their way. Younger Americans seem to be more conducive to market solutions and comfortable with disruptive technology (of course, they are still young and that comfort will likely evaporate as they age and their lifestyle patterns change), but our ability to compromise and expand the franchise really built this country and what is happening now really threatens the future. And to make sure this isn't viewed as "my way or the highway" comments on my part, both sides--indeed everyone across the spectrum--have to realize the sadness of the current situation.
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there seem to be more purists in our politics than used to be the case...more people who disdain coalitions and the practical aspects of agreeing to a deal that leaves their side with half a loaf
 
nsacpi said:
there seem to be more purists in our politics than used to be the case...more people who disdain coalitions and the practical aspects of agreeing to a deal that leaves their side with half a loaf
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nonsense.

Looking only at the (R) side of the aisle that might be the case.

There are between 80 and 90 (D) House members openly calling for impeachment and leadership is holding out against.
If memory serves the Freedom Caucus (of which Amash was a member and received a boatload of publicity) held up legislation .
Please also see in the senate and remind me the time (D) hijacked a SCOTUS seat through political machinations.

If you allow (R) to dictate the conversation yes from their side there is disdain for coalitions.
Remind me, did AOC approach Sen Cruz or was it the other way around ?
The flawed immigration bill last week had who join who to muscle through McConnell's vision ?
 
57Brave said:
nonsense.

Looking only at the (R) side of the aisle that might be the case.

There are between 80 and 90 (D) House members openly calling for impeachment and leadership is holding out against.
If memory serves the Freedom Caucus (of which Amash was a member and received a boatload of publicity) held up legislation .
Please also see in the senate and remind me the time (D) hijacked a SCOTUS seat through political machinations.

If you allow (R) to dictate the conversation yes from their side there is disdain for coalitions.
Remind me, did AOC approach Sen Cruz or was it the other way around ?
The flawed immigration bill last week had who join who to muscle through McConnell's vision ?
Click to expand...

Within the Democratic Party there is a faction that has threatened to primary another faction if they do not toe the line in terms of maintaining ideological purity. And of course there is an entire group (mostly unelected) that is even more impractical in its views of how politics works. I lived in Berkeley for several years and had the opportunity to familiarize myself with their conception of politics. It is a rather immature one.
 
of course there is/are factions - that is the electoral process. Coalitions if you will

an entire group ? will you identify them please and speak to their level of influence

More immature than #MAGA ?
I live in S Georgia and have had the same opportunity . Except with Confederate flags and the history of Jim Crow and slavery.
 
57Brave said:
of course there is/are factions - that is the electoral process. Coalitions if you will

an entire group ? will you identify them please and speak to their level of influence

More immature than #MAGA ?
I live in S Georgia and have had the same opportunity . Except with Confederate flags and the history of Jim Crow and slavery.
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we need to have a cultural exchange...you spend a year in the East Bay and me a year in S Georgia
 
nsacpi said:
Within the Democratic Party there is a faction that has threatened to primary another faction if they do not toe the line in terms of maintaining ideological purity. And of course there is an entire group (mostly unelected) that is even more impractical in its views of how politics works. I lived in Berkeley for several years and had the opportunity to familiarize myself with their conception of politics. It is a rather immature one.
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I think the primary effect has taken over both parties and that is driving things to the extreme ends. I think Brat beating Cantor is probably the most visible upset on the R-side of the ledger, but we are seeing incumbents reacting to the prospect of a primary much more attentively than in the past. It used to be that money protected incumbents (and it probably still does in a general election), but primaries draw out a small and active subset of voters and that can be enough to unseat someone who isn't really paying attention. Witness Joe Crowley. He was actually taking Ocasio-Cortez seriously, but he couldn't get the average voter to believe him and, as the old saying goes, "90% of life is just showing up." Actually, it's 100% in elections.
 
Interesting piece from Politico on Amash.

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/07/07/justin-amash-republican-party-trump-1399338

The newly minted independent from Michigan said he has had concerns with the Republican Party for several years and thought he “could change things from the inside” as a congressman.

“I don't think a lot of the partisan discord and the rest started with President Trump,” he said. “It has been going on for years and gotten worse in recent years, but he's helping to fuel it and making it worse and making it more difficult for people to be independent in Congress.”

Rep. Will Hurd told Chuck Todd, host of NBC's “Meet the Press,” that it's “unfortunate that Justin [Amash] believes that the party is not big enough for his position and his ideas."
"I think the Republican Party should be a broad party," he added.

Amash told Tapper he is getting support from other Republicans, though they are not being vocal about it.

"I get people sending me text messages, people calling me, saying, 'Thank you for what you're doing, great op-ed,'" he said. "When I was discussing impeachment, I had fellow colleagues and other Republicans, high-level officials, contacting me, saying, 'Thank you for what you're doing.'

"So there are lots of Republicans out there who are saying these things privately," he said. "But they're not saying it publicly."
 
I expect one or two more Republicans in Congress to come out for impeachment later this summer.
 
Justin Amash
‏Verified account @justinamash
4h4 hours ago

Justin Amash Retweeted Donald J. Trump

To tell these American citizens (most of whom were born here) to “go back”

to the “crime infested places from which they came” is racist and disgusting.
 
57Brave said:
Justin Amash
‏Verified account @justinamash
4h4 hours ago

Justin Amash Retweeted Donald J. Trump

To tell these American citizens (most of whom were born here) to “go back”

to the “crime infested places from which they came” is racist and disgusting.
Click to expand...

Id love for someone to explain how factual statements are racist.

Thats why its clear Amash has an alterior motive.
 
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