The Good Ol’ Boy Network is under attack. And there’s no nicey face, kiss-and-make-up from its enemy, Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich), to his just-defeated primary opponent, Brian Ellis.
Ellis called Amash to congratulate his opponent on election night, after Amash defeated Ellis by a rather large margin. Amash refused to answer Ellis’s call.
No wonder. During the campaign, Ellis sure didn’t play nicey-nice, calling Amash “Al-Qaida’s best friend.”
Amash is well known as a Tea Party candidate, someone who fairly consistently opposes crony capitalism. Ellis was heavily funded by the Chamber of Commerce, local and national . . . and you know what that means.
Or should. The Chamber, “while claiming to be ‘pro-free-market,’” Ryan McMaken explains at The Circle Bastiat, “has gone after him for not spending enough government money. This is not surprising. Business groups like Chambers of Commerce are not free-market organizations at all, but rent-seeking lobbying groups looking for government favors.
There’s nothing new here. When Ron Paul was in Congress, the US Chamber ranked him as one of the worst members, giving him the lowest score of any Republican. In Chamber-speak, being “free-market” means voting for things like TARP and various bailouts and No Child Left Behind.
Are you for the freedom principle, or a mere insider free-for-all?
That principle may be why Amash rebuked not only Ellis but Ellis’s major backer, former Rep. Pete Hoekstra, as well. “You are a disgrace,” Amash lambasted Hoekstra. “And I’m glad we could hand you one more loss before you fade into total obscurity and irrelevance.”
Harsh. Though refreshing candor. In a fight over principle, nicey-nice may not suffice.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
10 replies on “An Epic Rebuke”
And look at the Tea Party candidates results, in no particular order.
Nevada-beat the establishment candidate, and Henry Reid is still the Senate Majority leader. He was and is unpopular.
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Delaware-beat the establishment candidate, and the Democrats won the seat (open seat).
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Indiana-beat the incumbent, Dick Luger, in the words of Peggy Noonan, a WSJ columnist- an adult in a place filled with children. One of his crimes-he reached across party lines for a consensus on important issues. But the TP beat him. And, in his seat, a liberal Democrat.
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In Mass, upset with Scott brown so didn’t support him –he dared to disagree, and have Elizabeth Warren in the Senate.
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In Missouri, not a TP but a fellow with strange views (and no clue what he was talking about) LOSES to an unpopular Senator.
Results of the TP and their candidates: Democratic wins.
I say this as a Republican, who agrees with SOME TP views, not all. And therefore would be (if i was into politics) drummed out for not hewing the party line.
Jay,
It’s the same way we got Bill Clinton when H Ross Perot split the Repubs.
But it’s not a reason to yield to the status quo when it isn’t working for 90% of the population.
Rick,
neither are the Dem policies working.
Today, NEITHER Reagan nor Barry Goldwater, the father of modern conservatism, WOULD GET TP support.
Reagan-because he was willing to compromise on issues–but compromsie meant BOTH sides had to give; Goldwater-beleived in pro-coice on abortions-keep the government out. (His quote-hope it is exact: ” I didn’t lead a revolution to get the government out of our pocketbooks to get them into our bedrooms”).
The ” social conservatives” would be aghast.
And many (including some I know) are against “welfare”, ” corporate welfare” and “welfare for the rich” UNLESS the change will have a possibly negative effect on THEIR wallets and bank accounts. Then, it is ” necessary” for whatever reason. (IE their money is at stake).
Go Justin!
The Republican establishment in Michigan had an informal “policy” not to seek or encourage primary challengers against incumbent congresspersons. The went by the wayside with the election of Amash (and Bentivolio who lost in the primary), as they were strongly challenged by establishment republicans (who were without the “official” support in their efforts, wink, wink).
Amash, among the most open of the congressmen and who explains EVERY vote over the internet, was absolutely and intentionally slandered by his opponent, and has every right to demand an apology, and retraction, and to disparage those who were supporting and encouraging those activities.
We need many, many more just like Justin Amash.
For Rep Amash it is well past the kiss and make up time with the Rino faction of the GOP. They will only tolerate him if that are forced to.
OT Partners in Crime–Just the cost of doing crime/business in this country. From Marketwatch:
By Mike Spector and Gillian Tan
Blackstone Group LP, KKR & Co. and TPG agreed to pay a combined $325 million to settle a lawsuit alleging that a number of private-equity firms colluded to keep down the prices they paid for companies during the debt-fueled takeover frenzy preceding the financial crisis, people familiar with the matter said.
Documents are expected to be filed with the U.S. District Court in Boston as soon as Thursday outlining the settlement and asking a judge to approve it, one of the people said.
KKR KKR -1.12% in a regulatory filing Thursday said it agreed to settle the suit on July 28 without admitting wrongdoing. Blackstone BX -0.31% and TPG also reached the agreement in recent weeks and are likely to not admit wrongdoing as part of the settlement, the people familiar with the matter said.
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KKR=the “Barbarians at the Gate” characters from the movie
Blackstone=the largest asset manager in the country
TPG=Huge, imbedded private equity.
didn’t make that clear. by partners in crime i mean they are partnered with the government who looks the other way/watches porn at the SEC until they get called out, then they go in for a cut of the profits.
All’s fair in love and war and politics.
Amash’s behavior doesn’t give me a warm and fuzzy feeling. Another vindictive office holder, no matter which party he claims to represent, doesn’t bode well for this country.
It’s not refreshing candor. It’s an example of someone who should not be in public office. What does he say to all those who voted for Ellis? Are they as deserving of his contempt? No one said he had to appear in public with the guy. But there is a time and place for everything. Amash chose the wrong time and the wrong place.
Pat, I agree; I also took the toruble- a day late- to0 see his record.. AS A LIFELONG REPUBLICAN (AS A TEEN, I WORKED FOR BARRY GOLDWATER) I HOPE HE LOSES.
Read hsi foreign and security views. TERRORISTS BE TRIED IN CIVILIAN COURTS. CHANGES IN DETENTION FOR TERRORISTS.
SMALLER DEFENSE.
I THINK HIS OPPONENT WAS RIGHT. HE IS A FRIEND OF AL-QUEIDA.
Hope this arorgant, self centered person loses.
I agree with Amish in not accepting Ellis’ call. When someone falsely accuses you of foul deeds or foul motives, they have committed the sin of bearing false witness. A call to congratulate Amish, is Ellis’ way of saying he’ll continue the lying insults.
When Ellis apologizes to Amish in a public statement, then Amish will take his call.
As for Ellis, he’s the true Al Quaeda and ISIS friend, because he wants to attack Syria and arm the ISIS rebels there. Like we armed Iran under the Shah (or should I say, created profits for the military industrial complex?), Noriega, Saddam Hussin, and Osama Bin Laden. It’s great for profit if you’re producing weapons in the USA.
To Jay and his concern about TP candidates that lose, what difference does it make if a RINO is elected instead of a Democrat? The RINO will vote like a Democrat and talk like a TP guy.
The net result RINO wins = Democrats and statists win, and liberty loses.
As evidence, consider Romney who gave Massachusets RomneyCare=Obamacare on a state level. And for the budget? Romney kinda endorsed the Ryan budget (Romney wanted more spending in certain areas). Yet the Ryan budget INCREASES government spending 3.1% each year in the first decade and doesn’t balance until 2040. That isn’t conservative, and is actually more than Obama is spending.
Consider Daniel Mitchell’s Nixon Disinfectant Rule: when given a choice between two statists, vote for the liberal. That way the liberals get the discredit for what government does, and the RNC learns that backing RINOs is a losing strategy.
But I do understand the RINOs. It’s their selling of government favors in commerce that generate a lot of campaign cash from the 1% rich. The Republicans in Congress even voted to extend the Dept. of Energy program that gave us the Solyndra debacle plus other less reported cases of selling out taxpayers to the 1% rich owners of “green” energy companies.
I’d prefer government get back to lassize faire, like it used to be prior to the 1900s. When the USA went from a backwater to the envy of the world thanks to its freedom which gave us world leading prosperity. Freedom and prosperity are highly correlated.