On July 4th, Justin Amash left the Republican Party, making his departure known via an op-ed in The Washington Post. The Congressman from Michigan had always been known to defy expectations, having, for instance, supported a libertarian-leaning Republican from Kentucky, Thomas Massie, for House leadership over the consensus choice of Kevin McCarthy. Later, Amash turned his attention towards President Trump, becoming the first Republican to support impeachment. After the brouhaha over the impeachment comments, Amash decided to strike out on his own, becoming the first Independent to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives in more than a decade. His op-ed squarely took aim at the partisanship of today and how it has eroded the American political process. "With little genuine debate on policy happening in Congress, party leaders distract and divide the public by exploiting wedge issues and waging pointless messaging wars," he wrote.
When the News Media Doesn't Cover Agreement
