Thursday, July 25, 2019

Second Michigan congressman bails on GOP

Another Mich. GOP congressman has bailed because of Trump | News Hits - Lee DeVito, Detroit Metro-Times: 

July 24, 2019 - "Rep. Paul Mitchell is the latest Michigan Republican congressman in recent months to have bailed on the congressional GOP because of President Donald Trump. The second-term Republican ... announced on Wednesday that he will not run for re-election — surprising news considering it is only months after he won re-election and his district is not at political risk.

"The news comes just days after Mitchell condemned Trump for his racist tweets, in which Trump told four congresswomen of color, including Detroit's Rashida Tlaib and Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, to 'go back' to their own countries. All are American citizens.
@RealDonaldTrump, we must be better than comments like these. I share the political frustrations with some members of the other party, but these comments are beneath leaders.
"Later, after Trump followers at a rally began chanting 'send her back' in reference to Omar, Mitchell had reportedly requested a meeting with Trump to discuss the issue....

"Regarding his decision not to seek re-election, Mitchell told Politico he was frustrated with Congress and the party: 'You look at the rhetoric and vitriol, it overwhelms policy, politics becomes the norm,' he said. 'Everything’s about politics. Everything’s about an election. And at some point of time, that’s not why I came here'....

"Earlier this month, Michigan Rep. Justin Amash ... announced in an op-ed published in The Washington Post that he was leaving the Republican Party, citing a 'partisan death spiral.' He is now an independent. Although he did not mention Trump by name, Amash blasted the two-party system, which he says has become bound by loyalty to party over duty to the American people or the Constitution.

"'The parties value winning for its own sake, and at whatever cost,' he wrote. 'Instead of acting as an independent branch of government and serving as a check on the executive branch, congressional leaders of both parties expect the House and Senate to act in obedience or opposition to the president and their colleagues on a partisan basis.'"

'via Blog this'

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