03-03-2017, 10:42 PM
(03-03-2017, 02:38 PM)hollodero Wrote: OK alright. Maybe I should be fair to that guy. Right now I just really have nothing too good to say about any republican that doesn't seem to oppose the takeover of his party by the alt-right movement. Honestly, I see them all as suckers right now, as long as they sit in Congress and in the end just play along. Stirrup holders, all of them. But I should differentiate a bit, probably. Just, I won't.
Then again, I do not get why conservatives in general are fine with that takeover, so there's that.
No problem.
But, I assure you he's opposing and resisting on anything that comes close to not supporting The Constitution.
The man deserves kudos, if even only for his attendance.
Quote:Amash has been noted for his attendance. From Jan 2011 to Feb 2017, Amash missed 0 of 4,243 roll call votes.[39
I might as well post the Wikipedia run-down.
Quote:Economic issues[edit]
Amash supports free markets with limited government regulation. He advocates for economic freedom and believes that stimulus programs and government bailouts are ineffective ways to energize the economy. He also supports adopting a flat tax in lieu of targeted tax breaks and subsidies. Amash opposes central economic planning, which he believes contributes to unemployment, inflation, and unstable business cycles.[17] Amash was one of four Republicans who joined 161 Democrats to oppose a Constitutional amendment that would require a yearly balanced budget, due to serious concerns with that specific proposal.[41]
Earlier that year, Amash had introduced H.J.Res. 81, an alternative balanced budget amendment that addressed those concerns.[42] He believes that the federal government is improperly expanding its powers using the General Welfare, Commerce, and Necessary and Proper clauses.
Foreign affairs[edit]
Amash supports decreasing U.S. military spending, and believes there is significant waste in the military spending of the U.S. Department of Defense.[43] He believes that only Congress has the power to declare war, criticizing President Obama's military intervention against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, and intervention in Syria, for proceeding without a Congressional declaration of war.[44][45]
In 2011, Amash was one of six members of Congress who voted "Nay" on House Resolution 268 reaffirming U.S. commitment to a negotiated settlement of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict through direct Israeli–Palestinian negotiation, which passed with 407 members in support.[14][46] In 2014, he was one of eight members of Congress who voted "Nay" on a $225 million package to restock Israel's Iron Dome missile defenses, which passed with 398 members in support.[47] He supports a two-state solution to the Palestinian–Israeli conflict.[14]
Amash joined 104 Democrats and 16 Republicans in voting against the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which specified the budget and expenditures of the Department of Defense,[48] calling it "one of the most anti-liberty pieces of legislation of our lifetime".[49] Amash co-sponsored an amendment to the NDAA that would ban indefinite military detention and military trials so that all terror suspects arrested in the United States would be tried in civilian courts. He expressed concern that individuals charged with terrorism could be jailed for prolonged periods of time without ever being formally charged or brought to trial.[50]
On March 14, 2016, Amash joined a unanimous majority in the House to approve a resolution declaring the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) to be committing genocide against religious minorities in the Middle East (passed 383-0), but joined Representatives Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) and Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) in voting "Nay" on a separate measure creating an international tribunal to try those accused of participating in the alleged atrocities (passed 392-3).[51]
Domestic policy[edit]
Amash was the only representative from Michigan to oppose federal aid in response to the Flint water crisis.[52]
Security and surveillance[edit]
Amash is a frequent critic of the National Security Agency’s anti-terrorism surveillance programs.[15][53][54] He voted against the 2011 reauthorization of the USA PATRIOT Act,[55] the 2012 reauthorization of the FISA Amendments Act,[56] and the USA Freedom Act.[57]
Amash opposed President Donald Trump's 2017 executive order to temporarily curtail Muslim immigration until better screening methods are devised. He stated that “Like Pres. Obama’s executive actions on immigration, Pres. Trump’s executive order overreaches and undermines our constitutional system.”[58]
Health care[edit]
Amash believes health insurance should not be mandatory, and he supports free market health care reforms that foster interstate competition among insurance companies and increase access to health savings accounts.[17] He considers the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to be an overreach of the federal government's authority and supports efforts to repeal it.
Energy[edit]
Amash supports decreased federal intervention in energy-related issues. He wants to eliminate government-sponsored subsidies for energy production and decrease overall regulation. He believes that no form of energy production should be specially favored or restricted. In addition, Amash supports minimizing federal environmental regulations. He voted in favor of the Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011, which would have amended the Clean Air Act of 1963 to prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating specified greenhouse gasses as air pollutants.[59][60]
Social issues[edit]
Amash is considered pro-life, and generally opposes abortion and the use of federal funding for abortion.[61] He supported a repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act as per his Twitter account, stating that the "real threat" to traditional marriage and religious liberty is government, and not gay couples.[61][62] While Amash opposes government funding for abortion, he voted "present", rather than "yes" or "no" on the 2011 Full Year Continuing Appropriations Act, which provided for the cessation of federal funding to Planned Parenthood. He explained, "Legislation that names a specific private organization to defund (rather than all organizations that engage in a particular activity) is improper and arguably unconstitutional".[63] When the New York Times asked him to explain his approach to voting on legislation, he replied, "I follow a set of principles, I follow the Constitution. And that's what I base my votes on. Limited government, economic freedom, and individual liberty."[63]
Endorsements[edit]
Amash endorsed Ron Paul for president in 2012. Paul's brother, David, was an assistant pastor in Amash's district and endorsed Amash, saying the Michigan congressman shares common ground with Paul. He has also endorsed Senator Rand Paul for president in the 2016 Republican presidential primaries.[40][64] After Paul dropped out of the Republican primary race, Amash endorsed Senator Ted Cruz in his bid for the presidency.[65]
Marijuana legalization and forfeiture[edit]
Amash and Ted W. Lieu (D) introduced a bill[66] to block the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) from financing its Cannabis Eradication Program through civil asset forfeitures.[67] According to a DEA performance budget submitted to Congress for the fiscal year (FY) 2014, the DEA received $18 million in FY 2013 funding for cannabis eradication from the Department of Justice's Asset Forfeiture Fund.[68] Amash took aim at civil asset forfeiture in a statement, saying that the practice allows for "innocent people to have their property taken without sufficient due process."[69]
I think he may need to dial back on the EPA a bit, but otherwise I like his views/performance.
