Why I Am Voting For Justin Amash

It is a biennial American tradition. We gripe about our politicians and claim we want something different, someone who is principled and honest, someone who will do as he says he will do. We want Jimmy Stewart’s Mr. Smith - someone who will stand up to the entrenched interests in Washington and vote his conscious, someone who will look out for his country, not his own self-interests. We say that this is the type of person we want to elect to Congress, and then we go out and pull the lever for the same old people, or politicians just like them.

Sure, sometimes we get excited about people who say that they are a different type of politician, but have never demonstrated any type of independent streak that would give credence to this claim. We have suffered through many politicians like this, our current President being exhibit A. Hope and change becomes the same old political game, only with more ineptitude and coarser tactics.

So where do we find a Mr. Smith? May I suggest that we have just a man in Michigan’s 3^rd Congressional district – Justin Amash.

Let me just say right now that I don’t work for Mr. Amash. I’ve never even met the man and I’m sure he wouldn’t know me from Adam were I to walk up to him on the street. Neither he nor his campaign solicited this endorsement. In fact, until I send it to him, they will have no clue that it is coming. But while I have never met Mr. Amash, I have followed his brief political career with interest.

Justin Amash is my state Representative in Lansing. He campaigned on a conservative platform and has consistently, and without exception, done what he said he would do. He is less of a Republican than he is a true conservative. His philosophy strongly leans libertarian and he is a consistent and vocal opponent of government expansion. He is a man who is not afraid to vote NO, even if it is an unpopular vote and even if it runs counter to his party. If you see votes of 103-1 in the Michigan House, chances are very good that one vote belongs to Mr. Amash. He will not “go along to get along.”

In an era where “transparency” is a mantra of every politician, Justin means it. He is the only Michigan legislator to post every vote he casts on Facebook and Twitter from the House floor. He gives the number of the bill, a brief synopsis, and the reason why he voted as he did. Sometimes that explanation may be along the lines of, “This sounds like it might be a good bill, but we weren’t given a chance to read all of it before we voted on it.” (He has promised not to vote for a bill he has not read, a stance that, in itself, is a breath of fresh air and a dose of common sense that should be welcome in Washington.) After posting his vote on Facebook, he welcomes comments and questions and often enters into the discussion. He is also one of the only one or two Michigan Representatives that has never missed a vote in the House.

In this day when “obstructionist” is a pejorative term, it is my belief that more obstructionists are exactly what are needed in Washington. We need someone who will stand up to the proponents of big government, from both parties. As he has done in Lansing, I have no doubt that Mr. Amash will gladly oppose his own party when necessary. If you are looking for someone who will expand government, play party politics, or “bring the pork back to Grand Rapids,” look elsewhere. That is not the way he has played the game in Lansing and I see no evidence that he will change now.

Please go to his website: http://amashforcongress.com for his specific policy positions and to learn more about him. If you are on Facebook, I encourage you to begin following Mr. Amash.

On Aug. 3, I encourage you to vote for Justin Amash in the Republican primary for Michigan’s 3^rd district. This year, let’s be serious when we say we want something different.