More than perhaps any other member of the U.S. Congress – including U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) – Michigan Congressman Justin Amash (R-Michigan) is emerging as the ideological heir to the uncompromising libertarian legacy of former U.S. Rep. Ron Paul.
This week, Amash brought an amendment to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives which would have stripped funding for the National Security Agency’s phone records collection program – one part of the federal government’s Orwellian domestic spying operation.
“They’ll tell you that the government must violate the rights of the American people to protect us from those who hate our freedoms,” Amash told his collegues in defense of his proposal. “When you had the chance to stand up for Americans’ privacy, did you?”
Sadly, the “Republican-controlled” House did not – as Amash’s amendment narrowly failed by a 217-205 vote.
Gotta love the “Evil Empire” at work, huh?
The good news? Every single member of the South Carolina congressional delegation – U.S. Reps. Jim Clyburn, Jeff Duncan, Trey Gowdy, Mick Mulvaney, Tom Rice, Mark Sanford and Joe Wilson – voted in support of Amash’s amendment.
Frankly, that’s further evidence of just how out-of-touch with South Carolina U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (RINO-S.C.) has become. Graham – one of our country’s top warmongers – is a staunch supporter of the federal government’s domestic spying program.
Anyway … props to Amash for leading this fight. And props to Clyburn, Duncan, Gowdy, Mulvaney, Rice, Sanford and Wilson for casting their votes in defense of our liberties.
Meanwhile jeers to “Republican” House Speaker John Boehner and “GOP” leader Eric Cantor for leading the effort to kill this amendment – thus preserving the ability of the government to collect our private information absent any compelling reason or constitutional basis.
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34 comments
Sic, Sic, you well know how the game is played. The “solidarity” of the SC delegation in the House voting in favor was because they KNEW that it would not pass. Now they can go home and tell their constituents that they “fought hard” but got outvoted by all those other guys.
I don’t know enough about most of these guys to know who genuinely voted yes, but I’d assume most of them did. I’d say Wilson is likely the least genuine yes vote.
CNSYD… This bill lost by a very narrow margin.. It was NOT clear if it would pass or not. So what you stated was just plain wrong, but alas we are all entitled to our own thoughts.
FYI.. Wilson, Rice and Clyburn were a surprise for me, ut Sanford, Duncan, Gowdy and Mulvaney are either Libertarian or damn near close to being libertarian. So they are not a surprise.
12 vote margin
Sic, Sic, you well know how the game is played. The “solidarity” of the SC delegation in the House voting in favor was because they KNEW that it would not pass. Now they can go home and tell their constituents that they “fought hard” but got outvoted by all those other guys.
I don’t know enough about most of these guys to know who genuinely voted yes, but I’d assume most of them did. I’d say Wilson is likely the least genuine yes vote.
CNSYD… This bill lost by a very narrow margin.. It was NOT clear if it would pass or not. So what you stated was just plain wrong, but alas we are all entitled to our own thoughts.
FYI.. Wilson, Rice and Clyburn were a surprise for me, ut Sanford, Duncan, Gowdy and Mulvaney are either Libertarian or damn near close to being libertarian. So they are not a surprise.
12 vote margin
Great article! “The good news? Every single member of the South Carolina congressional delegation – U.S. Reps. Jim Clyburn, Jeff Duncan, Trey Gowdy, Mick Mulvaney, Tom Rice, Mark Sanford and Joe Wilson – voted in support of Amash’s amendment.”
Great article! “The good news? Every single member of the South Carolina congressional delegation – U.S. Reps. Jim Clyburn, Jeff Duncan, Trey Gowdy, Mick Mulvaney, Tom Rice, Mark Sanford and Joe Wilson – voted in support of Amash’s amendment.”
Amen…………..And props to Clyburn, Duncan, Gowdy, Mulvaney, Rice, Sanford and Wilson for casting their votes in defense of our liberties.
Amen…………..And props to Clyburn, Duncan, Gowdy, Mulvaney, Rice, Sanford and Wilson for casting their votes in defense of our liberties.
Good for Amash, but you have to realize how hopeless this is. It can’t even pass a vote in the House, would likely not pass in the Senate (likely would be filibustered by Graham or McCain anyways), and we know for a fact Obama will veto it. You’d have to have the kind of numbers that could override a veto.
Good luck voting out those who voted no, and good luck getting a presidential candidate in 2016 that isn’t for this shit.
Unfortunately, you’re absolutely right.
So, we should just give up? It’s about time a Republican stood up for conservative principles and the constitution! Ya gotta start somewhere!
Smirks, you’re bumming me out! I can’t disagree.
Is that the vote Sanford almost missed because he showed up in jogging attire and had to leave. All his years in Congress and he didn’t realize a coat and tie was required.
Why, thank you! We’ll need some good luck.
Good for Amash, but you have to realize how hopeless this is. It can’t even pass a vote in the House, would likely not pass in the Senate (likely would be filibustered by Graham or McCain anyways), and we know for a fact Obama will veto it. You’d have to have the kind of numbers that could override a veto.
Good luck voting out those who voted no, and good luck getting a presidential candidate in 2016 that isn’t for this shit.
Unfortunately, you’re absolutely right.
So, we should just give up? It’s about time a Republican stood up for conservative principles and the constitution! Ya gotta start somewhere!
Smirks, you’re bumming me out! I can’t disagree.
Is that the vote Sanford almost missed because he showed up in jogging attire and had to leave. All his years in Congress and he didn’t realize a coat and tie was required.
Why, thank you! We’ll need some good luck.
You can tell there was a full moon 2 nights ago…Jim boy Clyburn voted the same way with SC GOP Reps on the same bill…some one may want to get Mr Chair some air and water…he is probably turning blue about right now
You can tell there was a full moon 2 nights ago…Jim boy Clyburn voted the same way with SC GOP Reps on the same bill…some one may want to get Mr Chair some air and water…he is probably turning blue about right now
All this leads one to wonder to what extent blackmail plays in the governing process. It is an established historical fact that, before personal computers, J. Edgar Hoover would assign FBI agents to tail prominent men both inside and outside government. He gathered the incriminating information they collected into a huge file system that he used to exert control over others.
He was known to send his men to “talk” to legislators about pending legislation…armed with information regarding that persons dishonest or immoral behavior.
Nowadays it is much easier to gather incriminating information.
You speak the truth, brother. I often wonder if Lindsey Graham is just such an example. Certainly Sanford could be a candidate, and a host of others. Once you are compromised…in for a penny, in for a pound.
All this leads one to wonder to what extent blackmail plays in the governing process. It is an established historical fact that, before personal computers, J. Edgar Hoover would assign FBI agents to tail prominent men both inside and outside government. He gathered the incriminating information they collected into a huge file system that he used to exert control over others.
He was known to send his men to “talk” to legislators about pending legislation…armed with information regarding that persons dishonest or immoral behavior.
Nowadays it is much easier to gather incriminating information.
You speak the truth, brother. I often wonder if Lindsey Graham is just such an example. Certainly Sanford could be a candidate, and a host of others. Once you are compromised…in for a penny, in for a pound.
Yeh,Trey Gowdy and Joe Wilson have discovered their “inner libertarian selves”Hahahahaha.
Yeh,Trey Gowdy and Joe Wilson have discovered their “inner libertarian selves”Hahahahaha.
So what did Amash accomplish? Oh yea, NOTHING.
Good job. Congratulations on your failure.
So what did Amash accomplish? Oh yea, NOTHING.
Good job. Congratulations on your failure.