United Liberty
Justin Amash: Young Libertarians Should Work Inside the GOP
Mon, 03/04/2013 - 2:00pm | posted by Jason Pye
There is quite the debate going on in the liberty movement as to whether or not libertarians should partner with conservatives and/or Republicans to advance their beliefs. This was part of a discussion that I had with David Boaz, who explained that libertarians could work with conservatives on fiscal issues, but was “uncomfortable” with defining the movement to include conservatives.
Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI), who generally votes in a manner consistent with libertarian principles, weighed in on the debate last week, telling a crowd of college students that young libertarians should work within in the Republican Party to advance their views:
Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., called for greater youth involvement to unify the libertarian movement and the Republican Party on Feb. 26 at an event hosted by AU College Republicans and AU Young Americans for Liberty in the in the Mary Graydon Center.
Amash emphasized that legislators cannot please everybody, including their own party when voting on issues that cross party lines.
“You’re never going to find people who agree with you on every single issue,” Amash said. “It doesn’t mean that they are sellouts just because they disagree with you on one or two issues. It matters that they have a reason, that they have a principled logic to it.”
“Young people, you are the Republican Party. Don’t forget that,” Amash said. “The people running the show are only there temporarily. One of the critical things going forward is unifying the liberty movement with the Republican Party.”
[…]
Amash also urged today’s youth to get involved with the Republican Party.
As noted, this is part of a larger debate currently going on inside the liberty movement, thanks in part to Glenn Beck, who has expressed interest in libertarianism much to the dismay of some purist followers of the philosophy.
While many may want libertarians to remain autonomous, Amash’s comments highlight the arguments made by those who want to see our views brought more into the political sphere where there could be a chance to affect change. While there is much respect given to those who want our philosophy to be autonomous, many believe the only way to advance libertarian views is through working with conservatives on fiscal issues, for example, and using this as an opportunity to educate them on our beliefs on other issues, such as civil and personal liberty.
I’m not sure about this. I’m trying to think of some libertarian issues that a strong majority of Republicans have supported. About the only thing that comes to mind is tax cuts and/ or resistance to tax increases. Am I forgetting something?
I’m not comfortable backing the GOP. I generally disagree with religious social conservatives. Fiscal conservatism is often talked about but rarely delivered. So I find very little reason to back the GOP.
Another thought: Can anyone think of some past examples where a Republican held office and accomplished anything libertarian in that office?
When the federal govt now has it on paper that they can disappear you under the NDAA, and drone strike or otherwise murder citzens on us soil, and openly warrantlessly wiretaps everything, and then some, and then some, and then some…if i have to tick off all the crimes of this government to you, at this point, then you’re asleep to the point you will never wake up..it’s time e to stop dicking around with the republican party, and national politics, and start triaging this situation. that means MOVING TO NEW HAMPSHIRE OR WYOMING AND PARTICIPATING IN “FREE STATE” projects. its time to stop listening to hacks in suits telling us that everything’s fine and glossing over the realities of what we are facing, false flag attacks in both recent and more distant history. THEY ARE NOT FUCKING AROUND SO STOP SNIVELING BY THE COFFEE MACHINE IN YOUR BIRKENSTOCKS WONDERING WHAT VON MISES INSTITUTE BOOK YOU WILL READ NEXT AND REALIZE THAT IF LIBERTARIANS DO NOT ACHIEVE A MAJORITY IN SOME STATE, one way or another liberty will die in the entire country. Fully die.
I am no longer interested in the Republican party. They put the final nail in their own coffin when they engineered the bold-faced, chicanery-laden pharce that was the 2012 Republican Primary. The Republican establishment has proven to me over the last decade what they are truly made of. WE have a movement based on PRINCIPLE. The Republican party is pure CORRUPTION at this point. I am absolutely confident that it is far beyond repair. The time has come to finally kill the two party system once and for all. Let’s say “no” to Goldman Sachs Party R and Goldman Sachs Party D.
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