Justin Amash: People Want a President 'Who Is Normal, Honest, Practical, Capable.'

The Libertarian presidential hopeful makes his case for your vote.

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Five-term Michigan Congressman Justin Amash has announced that he's running for the Libertarian Party's presidential nomination, which will be decided in late May. The 40-year-old son of Middle Eastern immigrants took office in 2011 as a Republican but left the party last July, saying he didn't want to be part of a partisan death spiral. He has consistently voted against corporate bailouts, increases in debt-financed government spending, overseas military interventions, and the prosecution of the federal drug war.

During the coronavirus pandemic, Amash has castigated federal agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration, first for botching containment efforts and then for asserting monopoly control over testing. He was one of a mere handful of no votes on the $2.2 trillion CARES Act, arguing that all relief payments should go directly to individuals and households rather than corporations, nonprofits, or government agencies.

Republican and Democratic loyalists are lashing out at Amash as a quixotic potential spoiler with no chance of being elected and calling for him to step aside. 

Nick Gillespie talked with Amash over Skype about why he thinks Donald Trump is too erratic to be given a second term, why Joe Biden is too old for a first term, and why he believes his vision of a freer country will take him to victory in November.

Edited by John Osterhoudt; Amash graphic by Lex Villena.

[hunterelliott]

It’s disgusting how both parties automatically think they own your vote.

[theGentlemanCaller]

Very few people want that. The average voter wants a Sugar Daddy.

[TheJackofsometrades]

Nick isn't wearing a leather jacket and I'm not really sure this is a real interview.

[ben]

How did Nick not ask him about his impeachment stance?

[jonasoblouk]

I really like Justin, but I do not believe for a moment that the people want someone who is 'Normal, Honest, Practical, Capable'

[uploadJ]

Wouldn't Justin have a better chance of defeating Whitmer for governor? Where am I wrong on this?

[indymarrow]

I wish people would stop calling themselves libertarian when they don’t support something as simple as due process.

[Ethereal]

Everyone when Amash is just a congressman: he seems pretty libertarian
Everyone when Amash runs for president: hE's nOt a ReAl LiBeRtArIaN

[irishspiritedgal]

Nobody’s on this planet can afford ANY of this game, let alone somebody else to lead anybody anywhere, STOP corporate welfare!

[hamishcounsell]

im reading a lot of comments about not being "a real libertarian" to vote a libertarian in you have to take it slow you cant pull the rug out of people like taking welfare away from people in an instant. How are you gonna convince people to vote libertarian if you lot are gonna be all high and mighty all the time

[shermanngjazz]

I would rather have Rand Paul 2024. The libertarian party is a joke even though I have libertarian beliefs.

[necelticsox]

This is the LP's chance at getting that 5%. Let's not blow it!

[garytaylor]

Amash did himself no favor here. Gillespie is a great interviewer, he is often not asking the question he is asking. More often than not he is looking for depth of knowledge and practical grasp on an issue. Amash failed on this in almost every issue covered. Right off the bat when asked about the C-19 he demonstrated he knew very little about the virus or its effects or lack thereof. And made no real case that he would have done anything different than either Whitmer or Trump. Pretty sure Gillespie thinks the whole virus thing was blown way out of proportion. I live in Michigan and most of these political types have been CYA cowards when it comes to standing up for citizens' rights. Amash stubbled thru most questions with tired we heard it before time warn answers with few if any meaningful details. He's got a lot to learn and polish. To see a great Gillespie on Reason TV interview watch his interview with Richard Epstein. Epstein basically exposes exactly how the C-19 debacle would go.

[teer]

This guy knew that he could not win reelection in his district. He knows that he cannot win this election. He does know that this newest gig will benefit him. Watch for the benefit a year from now. It is all about his opportunities.

[wb]

Maybe it would be worth Justin Amash doing a long-form podcast with Joe Rogan with his large audience.

[ZeekHusky]

No offense towards the guy, he does have my vote should he stick to his ideas but, I honestly do not see him winning.

[DianeMerriam]

For all of the Liberatarian "leaning" people in Congress, Amash is the only one who put his career on the Libertarian side, first by leaving the Republican party when almost every last one of them jumped aboard the "We all have to say the same thing" train and now by formally becoming the first Libertarian in Congress.

Do I agree with him 100%? No. But I'll take the 90% agreement and work with that.

[danivasquez]

How could people down vote this guy. He's smart articulate, non-partisan, pretty libertarian. Go AMASH!

[Monscent]

He just said he wants temporary UBI. Libertarian ?

[ChaosLierLen]

If I may so bold as to recommend a campaign song for one mindful of the deficit: Back In Black