# Justin Amash-The future of the GOP? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 7, 2014, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justin-amash-the-future-of-the-gop/695024 "2014-08-07T11:57:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justin-amash-the-future-of-the-gop/695024/61 "2014-08-07T18:09:42Z")
How Republican refusal to act on immigration reform means the Democrats are stiffing African-Americans … oh hell, let’s just admire that mindset for the miracle of nature that it is, shall we? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justin-amash-the-future-of-the-gop/695024/62 "2014-08-07T18:11:01Z")
The immigration reform stiffs African-americans because it allows more low wage labor into the country. More supply means lower wages. Basic economics. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justin-amash-the-future-of-the-gop/695024/63 "2014-08-07T18:15:58Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > The immigration reform stiffs African-americans because it allows more low wage labor into the country. More supply means lower wages. Basic economics. Again, cite – with percentages, please – that black people oppose the President’s immigration policies. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justin-amash-the-future-of-the-gop/695024/64 "2014-08-07T18:19:40Z")
That’s a loaded cite demand. You know they’ll support it in polls if they know it’s the President’s. For how they really feel: > **[African Americans and Immigration, Continued](https://prospect.org/power/african-americans-immigration-continued/)** > > More on the views of blacks as it relates to immigration reform Besides, you’re asking for verification of something I never contended. I said immigration reform hurts African-Americans. Which is 100% true. Increasing the supply of low wage labor disproportionately hurts African-Americans. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justin-amash-the-future-of-the-gop/695024/65 "2014-08-07T18:20:49Z")
The President _supports_, and your party _opposes_, DREAM - about legalizing people already here, already working, \*not \*getting reliable benefit of minimum wage or other employment laws. How is that consistent with this latest of your desperate ad hoc rationalizations? ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justin-amash-the-future-of-the-gop/695024/66 "2014-08-07T18:20:53Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Not all politicians, especially lower ranking ones, are good at politics. The Republican corporate establishment has been trying to destroy the Tea Party and have not been magnanimous when the Tea Party fails to die. I don’t see why Tea Party can’t respond in kind. Justin Amash’s war isn’t over just because he won this primary. He’ll continue to be denied committee assignments and they’ll try to beat him two years from now as well. > > This is an ongoing war for the soul of the GOP and frankly I can’t figure out why liberals seem to have more sympathy for the corporate lackey side of the party. Responding in kind does not mean shooting your own foot by attacking the guy you already beat. That is just dumb. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justin-amash-the-future-of-the-gop/695024/67 "2014-08-07T18:23:53Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The President _supports_, and your party _opposes_, DREAM - about legalizing people already here, already working, \*not \*getting reliable benefit of minimum wage or other employment laws. How is that consistent with this latest of your desperate ad hoc rationalizations? Many of them are working. Many are not. Not everyone is talented enough or connected enough to get forged documents. Any amnesty immediately increases the supply of workers. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justin-amash-the-future-of-the-gop/695024/68 "2014-08-07T18:23:54Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > That’s a loaded cite demand. You know they’ll support it in polls if they know it’s the President’s. For how they really feel: > > [African Americans and Immigration, Continued - The American Prospect](http://prospect.org/article/african-americans-and-immigration-continued) > > Besides, you’re asking for verification of something I never contended. I said immigration reform hurts African-Americans. Which is 100% true. Increasing the supply of low wage labor disproportionately hurts African-Americans. So African-Americans will support it in polls, but in spite of that, you think that you personally know better what they really feel about the issue? How did you become such an expert on the African-American community and their true feelings about politics? What are your credentials in that area? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justin-amash-the-future-of-the-gop/695024/69 "2014-08-07T18:25:30Z")
> [@Airbeck](#): > > So African-Americans will support it in polls, but in spite of that, you think that you personally know better what they really feel about the issue? How did you become such an expert on the African-American community and their true feelings about politics? I guess Jamelle Bouie is ignorant too? Or the people Jamelle has cited? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justin-amash-the-future-of-the-gop/695024/70 "2014-08-07T18:30:09Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > That’s a loaded cite demand. You know they’ll support it in polls if they know it’s the President’s. For how they really feel: > > [African Americans and Immigration, Continued - The American Prospect](http://prospect.org/article/african-americans-and-immigration-continued) That article doesn’t say what you think it does – it has no numbers, and pretty much just says that African-Americans have a complicated relationship with immigration. > [@](#): > > Besides, you’re asking for verification of something I never contended. You contended that the Democrats were ignoring African Americans, on immigration if not in general, and that they were becoming less important of a voting demographic to the party. This implies that they are ignoring/opposing their views on immigration, which you have not shown to be true. Further, I showed that as a voting demographic, they might be becoming even more important, not less so. > [@](#): > > I said immigration reform hurts African-Americans. Which is 100% true. LOL. What a silly, hyperbolically broad statement. No, it’s not 100% true. In some circumstances immigration reform might hurt them, and in some it might help them. For African Americans with relatives who want to immigrate, reform would definitely help (in this aspect). Hint: don’t say things like something is “100% true” – chances are, it’s not. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justin-amash-the-future-of-the-gop/695024/71 "2014-08-07T18:33:20Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > I guess Jamelle Bouie is ignorant too? Or the people Jamelle has cited? I don’t see what in that article supports what you have asserted as fact. The thrust of that article is that its a complicated issue, not that African-Americans definitely oppose Obama on immigration as a matter of fact. You do see the difference in what you stated and what is written in that article don’t you? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justin-amash-the-future-of-the-gop/695024/72 "2014-08-07T18:43:17Z")
Hearing **adaher** explain how bright Republican electoral fortunes are bound to be, I thought I’d make a list of people who are yearning to start voting for conservatives (but just haven’t yet): White people, because obvious African Americans, because they oppose immigration reform in their heart of hearts Young people because they are really libertarians, but they don’t know it yet Women because, uh, they care about motherhood or something Asians, because they are hard workers Hispanics, because they are family oriented Old people, because they would have preferred to have private Social Security investment accounts Poor people, because they want to be rich like Republicans Sick people, because Obamacare stinks Religious and ethnic minorities, because it is the party of Lincoln after all Those who have poor educational attainment, because they wish they could have had school vouchers instead of being stuck in failing public schools. Those with high educational attainment, because they are smart. Those with moderate educational attainment, because they are in the middle of the educational attainment sandwich, with the bread on both sides voting Republican, so they might as well anyway and aren’t good enough independent thinkers to act differently. So basically, 100% of Americans are going to break for Republicans very soon. As soon as 2016. Except for the 47%, of course. That’s right: 100% are going to vote for Republicans, and 47% are going to vote for Democrats. This is the thought process we have to contend with, folks. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justin-amash-the-future-of-the-gop/695024/73 "2014-08-07T18:49:16Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Judging by his lack of class in his victory speech Tuesday, I’d say he’s the very definition of the modern Republican. Given the provocation (Brian Ellis’s disgusting smear campaign in which he described Amash as “al-Qaeda’s best friend in Congress”) and the merits of the case (which boil down to "Amash respects the Constitution; Ellis wipes his ass with it), I’d call it a very classy and richly deserved demonstration of the fine art of bitch-slappery. > [@mhendo](#): > > But i’ve got to say, if his primary opponent described Amash, an Arab-American, as “al-Qaeda’s best friend in Congress,” then i’ve got no problem with what Amash said about him in the speech. Smiling, shaking hands, and making nice after a hard-fought bout is all well and good if the other guy has played by the rules. But if he’s been trying to punch you in the balls and bite your ear off for the whole match, you don’t owe him a handshake. This. The sort of assholery exemplified by Ellis isn’t going to go away unless and until its adherents get their noses rubbed in it hard enough. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justin-amash-the-future-of-the-gop/695024/74 "2014-08-07T18:53:46Z")
**Adaher** : “…And with African-Americans especially, Democrats have stopped bothering. They just assume that demographic is in the bag…” How about you try to learn to distinguish between what “Democrats” think (not even addressing the dubious proposition that there is a monolithic position among Ds), etc, rather than \*strawman BS \*you and other political opponents attribute to them? Or, provide a \*\*valid \*\*cite for the above proposition. HINT: “valid” means “other than Eric Cantor, or Hannity, etc”. ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justin-amash-the-future-of-the-gop/695024/75 "2014-08-07T18:54:34Z")
Democrats already showed you how they will deal with the SS problem. They will tie adjustments to the chained CPI so that benefits do not keep pace with actual cost of living increases. Shameful. It shows how private retirement funds would be superior to government “insurance”. Private companies couldn’t change the contract agreed to by both parties. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justin-amash-the-future-of-the-gop/695024/76 "2014-08-07T18:54:50Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > Being classy in your victory speech has absolutely nothing to do with your opponent, it has to do with the thousands of people who voted for him. Er, why do people who vote for a cheap smear artist deserve much more respect than the cheap smear artist himself? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justin-amash-the-future-of-the-gop/695024/77 "2014-08-07T18:59:18Z")
Because you want their votes in the general election. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justin-amash-the-future-of-the-gop/695024/78 "2014-08-07T19:07:24Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > That’s a loaded cite demand. You know they’ll support it in polls if they know it’s the President’s. For how they really feel: > > [African Americans and Immigration, Continued - The American Prospect](http://prospect.org/article/african-americans-and-immigration-continued) > > Besides, you’re asking for verification of something I never contended. I said immigration reform hurts African-Americans. Which is 100% true. Increasing the supply of low wage labor disproportionately hurts African-Americans. From your own cite, above : “Again, it’s not quite right to say that there’s a generalized African-American hostility to increased immigration.” You really really don’t read your own citations, do you? Your own cite doesn’t support “100% true”, it notes that feelings bout immigration vary quite bit \*\*by class \*\*within the A-A demographic. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justin-amash-the-future-of-the-gop/695024/79 "2014-08-07T20:03:20Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > This is an ongoing war for the soul of the GOP and frankly I can’t figure out why liberals seem to have more sympathy for the corporate lackey side of the party. Allow me to make it really simple then: [Tea Partiers are not mature enough to have positions of power.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_debt-ceiling_crisis_of_2013) ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justin-amash-the-future-of-the-gop/695024/80 "2014-08-07T21:09:27Z")
Adaher wrote:There aren’t enough workers to fund the Baby Boomers once they all leave the workforce at current tax rates. This has been known for some time, yet Boomers have escaped having to pay the higher rates needed to fund their retirement. The consequence of that should not be higher rates for workers today. It should be lower benefits for Boomers. And I think most workers today would agree with that. But go ahead, try to raise the payroll tax. I dare ya. My understanding of the Reagan/O’Neil deal was that Boomers would pay the higher rates needed to fund their retirement (as well as, like previous generations, paying for current recipients). Am I wrong? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justin-amash-the-future-of-the-gop/695024.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justin-amash-the-future-of-the-gop/695024.md?page=5)