Justin Amash Leaves Republican Party, Becomes an Independent

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On July 4, Congressman Justin Amash of Michigan said he has left the Republican Party and is now an independent. See this story. In Michigan, there is no registration by party, so any voter is whatever affiliation he or she proclaims, with no paperwork involved in a party switch.

Amash is now the only member of the U.S. House who is neither a Republican nor a Democrat. In the Senate, there are two independents, from Vermont and Maine, Bernie Sanders and Angus King.

Comments

Justin Amash Leaves Republican Party, Becomes an Independent — 20 Comments

  2. Here’s some commentary from the Reason article about his departure from the GOP –

    “It is notable that Amash is going indie, and not joining the political party whose name matches his preferred ideological descriptor. This carries both practical and rhetorical considerations.

    “On the practical side, the congressman will no longer be a candidate in the April 2020 Republican primary for Michigan’s third congressional district; he is expected instead to file papers to run for re-election as an independent.”
    —

    In the WaPo op-ed where he announces his decision, he lashes out strongly at the two party system. (I agree with him on this.) However, his epiphany strikes me as disingenuous, even dishonest. Running as an independent is probably the most honest thing he can do right now, but when loses badly to a Republican in the general election next year he will either fade away from politics (not likely) or pull a Bob Barr and become the LP presidential candidate in 2024. IMO, his political principles are just as fluid as any other swamp-dweller … finger to the wind and say whatever it takes to be liked. Barf.

  3. I don’t think he will run for re-election as an independent. He said today that the Michigan straight-ticket device is a real barrier to independent candidates. He is right about that. I didn’t see him even hint that he will run for re-election as an independent. No independent has ever been elected to the Michigan legislature, nor to congress from Michigan.

  4. I think he has badly misplayed this whole adventure. Had he just switched to the Libertarian Party as a sitting U.S. Representative he could have accomplished the same thing as switching to independent. Actually, I believe he would have accomplished much more. He would still send a message about the toxic climate that exists today regarding the two party stranglehold but would have helped an alternative party enormously. I just don’t understand his motives for political suicide.

  5. Sometimes well-known public officials leave a major party and become an independent, and then a few months later, join a minor party. Examples are Ralph Chapman, Maine legislator who went from Dem to indp to Green; Virgil Good, who went from Dem to Rep to independent to Constitution; Lincoln Chafee, who went from Rep to Dem to independent to Libertarian.

  6. CO – In answer to your comment — “I just don’t understand his motives for political suicide” — Amash’s motives might be driven by his family’s business (ie. money) which is likely being heavily affected by Trump’s tariff war with China.

    Here are a couple of links to get you headed in the direction of enlightenment –

    http://www.conservativehq.com/category/tags/amash-family-business

    https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2019/05/18/republican-justin-amash-calls-for-impeachment-while-holding-personal-business-interests-in-china

  7. Richard- while I understand what you are saying I just don’t see why the switch to Libertarian would not have been in his best interest NOW. I sincerely hope the convention remembers this reluctance IF he shows up asking for the nomination. I believe he had a perfect opportunity and chose to pass. While I like much of his work, I won’t forget this.

  8. CO – I attempted to post a comment that answers your question about political suicide (at 10:47 PDT). The comment included two links and it said it was awaiting moderation. Then it vanished. Here is that comment without the links –

    CO – In answer to your comment — “I just don’t understand his motives for political suicide” — Amash’s motives might be driven by his family’s business (ie. money) which is likely being heavily affected by Trump’s tariff war with China. 
Here are a couple of links to get you headed in the direction of enlightenment –

    link 1 search for conservativehq Viguerie Amash
    link 2 search for theconservativetreehouse Amash

  9. By switching to Independent Amash has obtained a great deal of attention, including speculation about his intentions going forward. If he subsequently switches to Libertarian and announces that he is seeking the LP nomination for President then he will again capture the attention of our ADHD-suffering media establishment. One of the key obstacles for any alternative party candidate is that of breaking out of the obscurity that typically accompanies such status. Amash’s strategy may be designed to tackle exactly that problem.
    In terms of seeking the LP nomination, a sitting Congressman with the reputation Amash has certainly should be able to defeat the current field of announced candidates, provided he doesn’t wait until the last minute which would be a tactical mistake both by antagonizing LP members and by passing up opportunities to continue positioning himself as meaningful on the national scene.

  10. Don- with some difficulty I was able to read the posts you suggest. I guess, as they say, money talks!

  11. It seems extremely strange (and absurd) that a state would on the one hand have no registration by party, and on the other hand have a straight ticket device. It’s like they’re trying to say “hey we don’t want to force voters into narrow categories…but we do want to force politicians and candidates into those categories.”

    A Chafee vs. Amash LP campaign could get interesting and garner some media attention next winter and spring…

  14. See the END of the Roman Republic –

    120 BC-27 BC —

    top killers with their personality/cultist followers.

    More recent – Hitler in Germany 1933-1945.

    ALWAYS lots of killer monarchs lurking under rocks or even in public — like diseases in polluted water.

    PR and AppV — NOW Life or Death

  16. DemoRep – Your suggestions to save democracy in the USA are that if somehow we could fix minority gerrymanders and move to proportional voting or approval voting all would be well. I disagree.

    The reality is that DEMOCRACY IS TERMINALLY FLAWED. It’s only a temporary state of societal governance. The old parable about two wolves and a sheep voting for what’s for dinner is the flaw. It’s no more complicated than that. The founders tried to inoculate our country against democracy, but it didn’t stick. Yep, Western Civilization is headed for the cliff. Nuthin’ we can do about it.

  17. DW —

    Exactly what is the DW form of LAW making to last a Zillion years ???
    ————
    Meanwhile–

    Which has produced more death and destruction in LAW making in the last 6,000 plus years of somewhat recorded political history??? —

    Majority rule — aka Democracy

    OR

    Minority rule — aka Monarchy/Oligarchy >>> in REAL CONTROL of MOST regimes in last 6,000 plus years.

    Good luck for utopian ALL rule and/or NO rule — 1+2+2 main types = 5.

    PR and AppV and TOTAL SOP — NOW Life or Death

  18. SOME direct Democracy in the USA via area votes by voters on ballot issues —

    esp State const. amdts and laws —

    BUT many such issues are rigged — some special interest gang rotted stuff in the whole issue

    IE — take all [with the ROT] or nothing.

    About 99 pct plus MAIN laws enacted by UN-representative legislative bodies [gerrymander oligarchs] —

    controlled by special interest gangsters.

    Now very limited at large legis bodies – mainly in small local govts.

    Thus- mainly – Govts of, by and for the gerrymander oligarchs and special interest gangs – the wolf gangs.

    It especially shows in who pays NET taxes and who owes Govt debts.

    PR and AppV and TOTAL SOP — NOW Life or Death

  20. I’d wonder about those accusations against Amash.

    https://thelibertarianrepublic.com/no-justin-amash-wont-be-hurt-by-tariffs-on-china/

    Plus the evidence of perjury on where his family’s tools get manufactured is very much open to question.

    But its more then obvious that the minions (like Don) of our God Emperor and the twin-party system seem to be afraid of an Amash presidential candidacy if they’re attacking him this vigorously, especially to the point of creating fake websites, like they did before.

    Still, to me, it shows that Amash is indeed a Libertarian in his business sense and one that doesn’t bow to the false savior of economic protectionism.

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