Rep. Justin Amash speaks at CPAC 2013(Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)It seems to suggest, after all, that there is no place for an independent in politics.
For years, fiscally conservative advocacy groups were giving then-Republican representative Justin Amash awards, praise, and donations. Now that hes an independent, however, many of those same groups are snubbing him entirely.
Yes : Although Amash remains the most fiscally conservative member of Congress, his departure from the Republican party and support of impeachment have apparently made him a leper in the eyes of the exact same groups who claim to want to fight for fiscal responsibility.
Take, for example, the libertarian/conservative group FreedomWorks. As Matt Welch notes in a piece for Reason, the group gave Amash a FreedomFighter award every single one of his first eight years in Congress, lauding his commitment to the fight for individual liberty and fiscal responsibility. By all accounts, Amash is still very much fighting for those things. The only difference, really, is that hes now doing so as an independent rather than as a Republican and now, FreedomWorks is saying it doesnt plan to continue supporting him.
We dont have any plans to get involved in MI-03 at this time, seeing as were focused on some other key races to help regain the GOPs House majority, a FreedomWorks spokesman, Peter Vicenzi, told The Dispatch. Were going to support some incumbents as well, mainly [House Freedom Caucus] members.
(Note: Amash had actually co-founded the Freedom Caucus, but left it just last June, only weeks before leaving the Republican party altogether.)
FreedomWorks, unfortunately, isnt alone in changing its mind on Amash. As Welch notes, the Club for Growth which brags on its website that it is the only organization that is willing and able to take on any Member of Congress on policy who fails to uphold basic economic conservative principles . . . regardless of party used to be Amashs biggest campaign contributor. Like FreedomWorks, the Club for Growth also gave Amash awards during his first eight years in office, and it still gives him an impressive 99 percent lifetime rating. Given all of this, youd think that the group would continue to support a representative that is so closely aligned with its stated mission.
But youd be wrong. When The Dispatchs Declan Garvey asked if theyd be supporting Amash this time around, he reportedly received an indignant no.
The DeVos family also announced that it would stop supporting Amash last year, and the self-described conservative/libertarian Americans for Prosperity said that they have nothing to announce regarding Amash at this time.
As Welch notes, Amash is indeed facing a tough battle in 2020. Whats more, Welch is also correct that the loss of Amash as a member of Congress would be a loss for the groups that are now refusing to support him. He does, after all, represent many of the exact values that they claim to be fighting for.
The truth is, though, I think that whats happening to Amash here represents a huge problem for our country overall whether you agree with his specific views or not. It seems to suggest, after all, that there is no place for an independent in politics.
Like him or not, you really should respect the fact that Justin Amash makes his political decisions based only on his principles which is truly refreshing in our hyper-partisan era. All too we often, we see politicians on both sides desperately twisting themselves into partisan-hack pretzels, for the sole purpose of defending their own team or attacking the other, without any thought to principles or values whatsoever. This is incredibly harmful, because the people in power over us are not interested in searching for the truth. Instead, theyre viewing everything through their partisan lenses, concerned only with how they can spin things to make their side look better than the other.
This is bad news for all of us. The best policy, after all, is always going to be whats based on actual facts. Whats more, the prevalence of blind partisan loyalty makes government corruption much easier. Think about it: If politicians know that, no matter what they do, theyll have a whole team backing them up and defending them, its going to make it easier for them to get away with more.
I want to see Justin Amash win, and thats not only because I happen to agree with him on most things its also because, even when I dont agree, I can rest assured that at least hes being guided by something greater than the thoughtless partisan hackery.
The rest is here:
- Freedom Caucus: The Fight Club of Congress - The Christian Science Monitor - September 29th, 2023 [September 29th, 2023]
- History shows a better strategy than shutdown for reducing the deficit - MinnPost - September 29th, 2023 [September 29th, 2023]
- Haake: For the freedom caucus, chaos is the point - Chicago Tribune - September 29th, 2023 [September 29th, 2023]
- Appeals court sets hearing date on Missouri abortion rights initiative ... - Missouri Independent - September 29th, 2023 [September 29th, 2023]
- Things to Know About the Billionaire Card - a Diamond-Encrusted ... - CEOWORLD magazine - September 29th, 2023 [September 29th, 2023]
- Report on Countries that are Candidates for Millennium Challenge ... - Millennium Challenge Corporation - August 28th, 2023 [August 28th, 2023]
- The Freedom Caucus' shutdown threat recalls tactics of past House ... - NPR - August 28th, 2023 [August 28th, 2023]
- Opinion | Joe Biden op-ed: 60 years after March on Washington, we ... - The Washington Post - August 28th, 2023 [August 28th, 2023]
- Universal Basic Income: Fiscal fantasy or AI necessity? - talkbusiness.net - August 28th, 2023 [August 28th, 2023]
- Hurtling toward a fiscal cliff - POLITICO - POLITICO - August 28th, 2023 [August 28th, 2023]
- Governor Glenn Youngkin - Virginia Governor Ralph Northam - Proclamation - August 28th, 2023 [August 28th, 2023]
- New Zealand - The Heritage Foundation - January 4th, 2023 [January 4th, 2023]
- Singapore Economy: Population, GDP, Inflation, Business, Trade, FDI ... - January 4th, 2023 [January 4th, 2023]
- Mexico Economy: Facts, Population, GDP, Corruption, Business, Trade ... - December 12th, 2022 [December 12th, 2022]
- Economic liberalism - Wikipedia - November 7th, 2022 [November 7th, 2022]
- Don't ask, don't tell - Wikipedia - October 15th, 2022 [October 15th, 2022]
- In first debate, Healey and Diehl clash over the economy, abortion and Trump - WBUR News - October 15th, 2022 [October 15th, 2022]
- Election 2022: What to know about California propositions - Visalia Times-Delta and Tulare Advance-Register - October 15th, 2022 [October 15th, 2022]
- Vice President Kamala Harris calls on Texans to protect reproductive and voting rights during Austin visit - 25 News KXXV and KRHD - October 15th, 2022 [October 15th, 2022]
- How Republicans in the Rio Grande Valley are using faith to draw in Latino voters - CBS News - October 15th, 2022 [October 15th, 2022]
- Letter to the editor: Pierce will work for values that matter to Senate District 25 - Press Herald - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Letter to the editor: Left needs heads examined - Washington Times - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Book Banning, Curriculum Restrictions, and the Politicization of U.S. Schools - Center For American Progress - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Judge considers halting enforcement of Indiana's near-total abortion ban - The Times of Northwest Indiana - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Texas Youth Summit draws conservative to plot the culture war - The Texas Tribune - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- The Weight of Trump - The Atlantic - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Tanzania and Zambia want to upgrade the 'Uhuru Railway' but can they? - The Conversation Indonesia - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Power games: Plans to shift to a centralised market in power sector must take into account concerns of all stakeholders - The Indian Express - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Inside the Academic-Freedom Crisis That Roiled Florida's Flagship - The Chronicle of Higher Education - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Liz Trusss energy price cap handout will put her talent for U-turns to the test - The Guardian - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- FM stresses joint Arab action to overcome regional crises - Jordan Times - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- The contract of Nigerian citizenship and diaspora voting - Guardian Nigeria - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Study ranks Midland as top economic freedom area in Michigan - The Center Square - September 6th, 2022 [September 6th, 2022]
- Another Shocking Decline in Life Expectancy | The Fiscal Times - The Fiscal Times - September 6th, 2022 [September 6th, 2022]
- Liz Truss Has Been Elected As The New Prime Minister Of The United Kingdom. Replace Boris Johnson - Nation World News - September 6th, 2022 [September 6th, 2022]
- Why the Left Is Learning to Love the Military - The Atlantic - September 6th, 2022 [September 6th, 2022]
- Millions of dollars spent secretly at B.C. Legislature - theBreaker - theBreaker - September 6th, 2022 [September 6th, 2022]
- Economy forecast to grow by 7-7.5% in current fiscal Times of India - English Bharat Times - September 6th, 2022 [September 6th, 2022]
- The Union Government Is Arbitrarily Squeezing States Fiscal Freedom To Borrow - The Wire - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- House Freedom Caucus calls on McCarthy, McConnell to reject 'lame duck' spending this fall - Fox News - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- JAGs 7th and most ambitious season yet is titled 'The Freedom Practice' - Vermont Biz - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Why is the Michigan Medicine nurses' union abridging freedom of speech? - WSWS - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Board of Elections certifies recall effort to oust East Cleveland's mayor - News 5 Cleveland WEWS - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Bangabandhu's thoughts on economic freedom are still relevant - The Financial Express - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Overview: A Year of Taliban Rule in Afghanistan - Voice of America - VOA News - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Rochester enters the era of the $250,000 police officer - Rochester City Newspaper - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- India aims to be developed nation in 25 years: Modi - Gulf Times - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- EDITORIAL: Welcome to new thinker on the block - Coeur d'Alene Press - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Letters to the editor for Sunday, August 14, 2022 - News-Press - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- The Serious Lack of Good Governance and Economic Freedom: Root Causes of Sri Lanka's Ongoing Turmoil - Heritage.org - July 27th, 2022 [July 27th, 2022]
- The FOIA backlog continued to grow last year - Federal News Network - July 27th, 2022 [July 27th, 2022]
- More money rolling into state's casinos, less tax being collected The Daily Gazette - The Daily Gazette - July 27th, 2022 [July 27th, 2022]
- EDITORIAL: Fentanyl, death by the dose - Washington Times - July 27th, 2022 [July 27th, 2022]
- Liz Truss's tax cuts are not inflationary - The Telegraph - July 27th, 2022 [July 27th, 2022]
- The UN wants to educate children it will succeed only if it feeds them first - The Guardian - July 27th, 2022 [July 27th, 2022]
- Sunburn The morning read of what's hot in Florida politics 7.27.22 - Florida Politics - July 27th, 2022 [July 27th, 2022]
- A first look at the medium-term fiscal program - BusinessWorld Online - July 19th, 2022 [July 19th, 2022]
- Financial Giants Reject West Virginia's Claims That They're Boycotting Fossil Fuels - The Epoch Times - July 19th, 2022 [July 19th, 2022]
- Five Waldo County towns ready to vote on broadband - Republican Journal - July 19th, 2022 [July 19th, 2022]
- Indian Navy expected to spend 70 pc of capital budget in domestic procurement this fiscal: Rajnath Singh - ThePrint - July 19th, 2022 [July 19th, 2022]
- NGO letter opposing T.42 amendments in appropriations - Government Accountability Project - July 19th, 2022 [July 19th, 2022]
- Digital services provided by foreign firms to be taxed from tomorrow - The Kathmandu Post - July 19th, 2022 [July 19th, 2022]
- Ayushman health ID card: A need for fine tuning! - Times of India - July 19th, 2022 [July 19th, 2022]
- Windfall tax on crude goes against incentive of more pricing freedom - The Financial Express - July 9th, 2022 [July 9th, 2022]
- Diversity, equity and inclusion update: June 2022 issue | CU Boulder Today - CU Boulder Today - June 29th, 2022 [June 29th, 2022]
- Menendez, Schiff alarmed that Biden again approves US military aid to Azerbaijan - Armenian Weekly - June 29th, 2022 [June 29th, 2022]
- Egypt is cozying up to Russia. It's time for the US to step in. - Atlantic Council - June 29th, 2022 [June 29th, 2022]
- PM to say to G7 leaders: We must keep up our resolve on Ukraine - GOV.UK - June 29th, 2022 [June 29th, 2022]
- Where have all the Christians gone? | News, Sports, Jobs - Williamsport Sun-Gazette - Williamsport Sun-Gazette - June 29th, 2022 [June 29th, 2022]
- President Biden waives Section 907 restrictions on US aid to Azerbaijan - Armenian Weekly - June 24th, 2022 [June 24th, 2022]
- Senate retirement bill benefits wealthy Americans - The Hill - June 24th, 2022 [June 24th, 2022]
- Ambassador Kierscht Interview with The Key - US Embassy in Mauritania - USEmbassy.gov - June 24th, 2022 [June 24th, 2022]
- Roe v. Wade overturned: How will it affect abortion access in Indiana - The Herald-Times - June 24th, 2022 [June 24th, 2022]
- Constricted devolution of fiscal power - The Kathmandu Post - June 22nd, 2022 [June 22nd, 2022]
- Public office and accountability issues in Nigeria - Daily Trust - June 22nd, 2022 [June 22nd, 2022]
- Shaheen, Portman Participate in Discussion Hosted by Dartmouth on Russia's Unprovoked Invasion of Ukraine | US Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire... - June 22nd, 2022 [June 22nd, 2022]
- Congress Ignores Pressing National Business While It Obsesses on Jan. 6 - The Epoch Times - June 11th, 2022 [June 11th, 2022]
- Ukraine Economy: Population, GDP, Inflation, Business, Trade, FDI ... - June 11th, 2022 [June 11th, 2022]
- How would India fare on a modified misery index? Better than US & UK, worse than most others - ThePrint - June 11th, 2022 [June 11th, 2022]
- "Don't Want RBI To Become Extension Of Government": Ex CEA Arvind Subramanian - NDTV Profit - June 11th, 2022 [June 11th, 2022]