Get a Room! Justin Amash & AOC Get a Little Too Cozy
Former U.S. Representative Justin Amash recently invited Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to speak to students at UChicago Institute of Politics.
After the event, Amash thanked AOC publically, saying, “Thanks so much to @AOC for speaking with my students at @UChiPolitics! She graciously answered every question and went into overtime with them. Libertarians and progressives can be great allies in the causes of decentralization and better governance.”
To which Ocasio-Cortez responded, “Thanks for having me! Your students are wonderful and it was great engaging with them.”
While I appreciate Amash’s willingness to engage with “the other side,” I can’t say I agree with the idea that “Libertarians and progressives can be great allies in the causes of decentralization and better governance.”
Historically speaking, progressives have pushed for bigger government and more centralization of power — neither of which leads to better governance. Recently, progressives have pushed to defund the police, but that does not qualify as decentralization, but rather reduction and potentially abolition.
Amash used to be popular among Republicans for his conservative stance on most issues and for writing detailed explanations on every bill he voted on.
But in recent years, Amash’s reputation has taken a beating. First, he left the Republican Party and became an independent in July 2019. He then joined the Libertarian Party in April 2020.
Amash could have survived all the political party changes, but what really ended his political career was his decision to become a Never Trumper.
On October 31, 2019, Amash was the only non-Democrat in the House to vote in favor of an impeachment inquiry against Trump in connection with the Trump-Ukraine scandal. On December 18, 2019, he voted in favor of both articles of impeachment against Trump, the only non-Democrat to vote in favor of either article.
When Mitt Romney was the only Republican senator who voted to convict Trump in his Senate trial, Amash tweeted, “Thank you, @SenatorRomney, for upholding your oath to support and defend the Constitution. You will never regret putting your faith in God and doing right according to the law and your conscience.”
Wikipedia
Needless to say, it’s difficult to trust a guy who switches parties, votes to impeach Trump, praises Romney, and hobnobs with AOC.
