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View Full Version : Boehner Punishes the Principled - A Conversation with Amash




tsai3904
12-07-2012, 11:37 AM
A friend e-mailed me some months ago to suggest that I contribute money to a particular congressman's campaign. My friend is a Democrat of some national prominence, and I responded to him, "You know I never give money to Democrats."

He said, "No, this guy is a libertarian-leaning Republican, sort of like a young, sane Ron Paul." So I said I'd do some homework and consider a contribution if the congressman would be willing to have a phone conversation with me.

The next day, with the ringing of my cell phone, began my introduction to Congressman Justin Amash (pronounced uh-mosh'), the 32-year old representative of Michigan's 3rd Congressional District (Grand Rapids and surrounding areas).

We spoke for nearly half an hour, on topics ranging from abortion to government spending to national defense and -- this was Justin's topic -- the idea of private enterprises issuing competing currencies given the debasement being done to the U.S. dollar by our Federal Reserve and Treasury. Clearly, no inside-the-box thinker on my hands.

Of the many things to recommend Amash, who is the second-youngest member of the 112th Congress, including graduating magna cum laude with an economics degree from University of Michgan, where he also received his JD (law degree), perhaps the one that interested me the most was his Facebook page where Congressman Amash to this day posts an explanation for every vote he casts in Congress.

It is also worth noting that (at least according to his House web page), "Justin was one of only twelve Representatives to have perfect attendance, not missing one of the 948 roll call votes, during the First Session of the 112th Congress."

Amash is nobody's neo-con, aggressively criticizing "the unconstitutional war in Libya, the indefinite detention provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act, and the Stop Online Piracy Act -- SOPA." And while he is somewhat toward the conservative end of the spectrum on social issues, such as being anti-abortion, he holds strong reservations about federal involvement in our personal lives.

For this libertarian-leaning Republican, Justin Amash seemed about as good as it gets.

Before donating to his campaign, I wanted a second opinion -- and a third. So I contacted my friend Matt Kibbe, president of FreedomWorks, to ask his opinion of Amash, whom the FreedomWorks PAC had endorsed in 2010. Kibbe, who is not shy about changing his mind when politicians get Potomac Fever, said, and I quote, "Justin Amash is a rock star." I then contacted a gentleman I know in the leadership of the Club for Growth, a very large fiscal issue-oriented conservative PAC, who told me, "On our issues, Amash is probably the single best member of Congress."

'Nuf said.

Justin Amash thus became the only member of Congress to whom I contributed in the 2012 election cycle. I have never regretted it.

More:
http://spectator.org/archives/2012/12/07/boehner-punishes-the-principle

enrique
12-07-2012, 01:11 PM
Thanks Tsai. Looks like Amash is finally getting some national attention. Boehner is looking worse and worse every day...

TER
12-07-2012, 01:14 PM
Paul/Amash 2016!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

itshappening
12-07-2012, 01:31 PM
No, Amash to the supreme court where he can rule for 40 years appointed by president Rand

TER
12-07-2012, 01:34 PM
No, Amash to the supreme court where he can rule for 40 years appointed by president Rand

That sounds like an even better idea...