Objectivists have long debated whether people with our radical views can have any significant, positive effect by running for political office. Few, however, have actually stepped into the arena. One of the few is Amy Nasir. I recently spoke with Mrs. Nasir about her experiences and successes as a Republican committeewoman for a district in Michigan. Although this is not a major political position, it is a foot in the door of local politics, and, as Mrs. Nasir makes clear, she is reaching minds and making a difference at that level. Our hope with this interview is to spread the news that Objectivists can get elected to local political positions, and that in such positions they can have a positive effect. Enjoy the interview, let us know if you or anyone you know has had similar success, and feel free to contact Amy on Facebook if you’d like to chat with her about getting involved in politics in your area. —Craig Biddle
Craig Biddle: Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with me, Amy. I know TOS’s readers will be interested to hear about your aims and experiences to date in local politics.
As a state committeewoman for the Republican 13th District in Michigan, you are one of a few Objectivists who have ventured into politics. What inspired you to get involved?
Amy Nasir: Thank you for the opportunity to share my experiences with TOS readers! My hope is to give them an idea of what steps to take and what to expect if they’re interested in getting started as a delegate. I’ve been a delegate since August 2014, and a state committeewoman since January this year, for the 13th District in southeastern Michigan. This has given me a voice on the state level, influencing and encouraging people who are advocates for economic freedom.
Like many people, I’ve become increasingly interested in politics since 2009, with the start of the Tea Party movement. We had a Great Lakes Objectivists (GLO) booth set up at one of the first rallies in Michigan. After a few years of trying to make headway within the Tea Party, I realized that it was being overrun by social conservatives whose main priorities were to ban abortion and to insist that America was founded on Christianity. Some conservatives are so invested in the so-called social issues that they’re willing to trample rights and liberty to have their way with those issues.
So, instead, I started attending the Wayne County Campaign for Liberty (C4L) meetings at the suggestion of a good friend of mine, Alex Witoslawski, who also attends GLO. He is currently chairman of the Michigan Republican Liberty Caucus, at age twenty-four. He is a great inspiration, a courageous and principled activist, and I owe him many thanks for guiding me through the political machinations of the MIGOP. I also owe a debt of gratitude to our GLO members, Mike Neibel, Arlene Pearson, and Andrea Lilley, for encouraging me and standing by me as fellow delegates.
Biddle: Given your controversial, laissez-faire capitalist views, how did you manage to get elected?
Nasir: I began showing up at C4L meetings and got to know some like-minded people who are quite knowledgeable about local politics. Over a series of meetings, I spoke at the open mic about various issues, and I’d always take the opportunity to mention my philosophy study group, GLO. In April 2014, I filled out a form to be placed on the ballot as a delegate, which was notarized and sent to the county by C4L. I was elected by general election, getting 42 votes, uncontested.
I showed up at the 13th District meetings where delegates met, many of them being members of C4L. Later, the current establishment-type district chair was voted out at a state convention I was attending. I had been recommended by our new district chair, a leader at C4L, to be on the state committee. That night, I gave a short speech on individual rights and economic freedom, and explained why I should be on the committee. The district delegates voted immediately, and I was elected along with five other delegates, including the chairman, to be a state committeeperson.
Now, between those steps, there were many conversations, considerations, questions, phone calls, recommendations, and a substantial amount of reputation building. Most of this was not a grand plan on my part. I just jumped in, so to speak, and learned the ropes with a lot of help from like-minded people.
One interesting aspect of my position is the makeup of the 13th District. Our district is gerrymandered, so voters are 80 percent Democrat. Many of our delegates come from a liberal and/or union background and are rarely social conservatives. Another aspect—which has turned out to be surprisingly significant—is that I look like a liberal. I have funky light-blue and hot-pink glasses, bright red hair, and wear youthful-looking clothes, which might serve as a beacon for socially liberal/fiscally conservative people.
I was surprised at first that people welcomed me so quickly and warmly. I suppose my enthusiasm had something to do with it. In any event, I’m delighted to be involved and be able to inform these folks that Objectivists exist and are politically active—and are approachable as well.
Biddle: What’s involved in your position as a committeewoman? What are your general responsibilities?
Nasir: Despite looting taxpayers to pay for their primaries, the Michigan Republican Party is a private organization with a chairperson, vice chair, national committeeman and committeewoman, several outreach-type vice chairs, and state committeepersons, that being my role.
My responsibilities are entirely up to me, being a volunteer. A state committeeperson is not paid. In fact, it costs money to be in this position. A committeeperson attends all four state conventions within a year, which racks up gas, mileage, hotel, food costs, and travel time, usually during weekends. The largest convention is in September, where this year the presidential candidate hopefuls will be speaking. You must pay a $165 registration fee to attend, on top of the other costs. In regular conventions, there are no registration fees. There are workshops, speakers, and social gatherings.
That said, I’m not required to attend these conventions. Instead, I could send another delegate as a proxy to stand in for me and vote. I cannot be “fired,” but if I were not fully engaged, as I am, that could give my fellow delegates reason to unseat me in the next voting convention for state committee. I plan to attend them all to keep informed.
Also during these conventions, and during a monthly phone call, I participate on the coalitions committee. The other MIGOP committees include budget, policy, issues, election day operations, technology, and grassroots. There are seven committees and seven committeepersons in each district. So I have an opportunity to show up at these meetings, speak my mind, and persuade people to keep on track toward economic freedom and individual rights.
Biddle: What specifically do you aim to accomplish in the near future? And longer term?
Nasir: For the coalitions committee, there are plenty of activities, but I’m not greatly involved in this part of the process yet. What I focus on is: 1) finding like-minded people, 2) trying to recruit people to become delegates, and 3) convincing people that they can make a difference in getting rational, pro-individual rights and economic freedom advocates to populate the MIGOP. I’m figuring out the rest as I go along. (Incidentally, I’ll be giving a presentation based on this interview over Labor Day weekend at our Great Lakes Objectivists Conference, aka GLOCon.)
I’ve also just been elected to the board of the Michigan Republican Liberty Caucus, and I’ll be helping with organizing and marketing their convention in October. Because the members of this caucus are generally quite intellectual, I hope to persuade some of them to take a more principled, individual rights-based approach to defending economic liberty. I want to help them see the need to make this a moral issue and to advocate on those grounds.
Biddle: So you’re able to remain principled in the political environment?
Nasir: Yes, of course. After twenty-six years’ studying and practicing Objectivism, and getting through my share of hard times, I’m pretty good at cutting through complex moral situations and identifying the correct actions to take. It is difficult, and if I make mistakes, I either learn from them, or I take action to make amends. I have not yet caught myself compromising. The biggest temptation to avoid is trusting people based on their personalities, instead of upholding and acting on rational ideas.
In communicating with people, I try to be aware that there are no shortcuts in reaching a thinking mind. I keep in context the person’s knowledge and background. It’s important to be polite and considerate—even when you find it difficult to keep your composure when talking to someone who is irrational. When that happens, I disagree politely, excuse myself, and leave. In general, I encourage people to consider my ideas, to stay focused on individual rights, and to apply this principle to political issues. I aim to support like minds and lead by example.
Biddle: What difficulties or roadblocks have you faced so far?
Nasir: Few people talk about the important issues, and when they do address the issues, they rarely go to the fundamentals. This is why, as I said above, I keep pushing to get people to think in terms of individual rights. Because people don’t talk much about the important issues, it’s hard to know where people stand, and who might be interested in teaming up with you if there is a proposal or resolution to vote on. So you really have to pry to get to know what people are trying to do or support.
I find that many conservatives describe themselves as “Platform Republicans,” that is, people who are loyal to the National Republican Party Platform statement. However, this statement is riddled with contradictions and devoid of substance. As an indication, I searched for certain phrases in it, counted how many times they appeared, and here is what I found in order of frequency: marriage (twenty-one times), abortion (twenty), God-given (ten), free enterprise (seven), individual rights (three), economic freedom (two), personal liberty (two), capitalism (one). This is certainly something I’d like other delegates and committeepersons to be aware of. We need to emphasize individual rights, economic freedom, liberty, and capitalism.
One other major roadblock is the cynicism generated by the fact that we have a Republican governor and a Republican majority in both House and Senate—and most of these Republicans are calling for more, not less, spending and taxation. It’s disgusting, but it’s also getting more economic freedom-minded people to be energized and engaged.
Biddle: In what ways, if any, have you been pleasantly surprised?
Nasir: I have come to know some very good people who are not afraid to cause trouble for the statist establishment. And they inspire and delight me.
To go back to the story of my being asked by my district chairman to run for state committee, I decided to fully lay out my convictions—I am a pro-choice, pro-gay marriage, pro-immigration atheist radical for capitalism who runs an Objectivist group, plays in a semipolitical punk rock band, and so I told him I may not be a viable candidate. To my amazement, he didn’t back down and still wanted me to run. That was encouraging!
The most fun I’ve had was at a dinner, auction, and karaoke event the night before a convention. I found out that another state committeewoman was also a lover of karaoke. After a few times on stage harmonizing with each other, I was able to convince her and the rest of our 13th District members to come on stage and sing “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” by Twisted Sister. I declared that this was to be our official theme song for the 13th. It went over very well. If you look up the lyrics, you’ll see it’s the perfect song to sing to RINOs and statist Republicans.
Biddle: What advice would you offer to other Objectivists who might consider running for a local political office?
Nasir: Start by researching the process of becoming a delegate. Search online your state name and “Filing Requirements: Precinct Delegate.” There will probably be a form to fill out that you then notarize and send to your county. In Michigan, delegates are on the general ballot every two years, and you must submit this form about three months in advance of election day. Your name will appear on the ballot.
Once you win the election and become a delegate, you will have many more resources to get started with a run for local office.
The level of commitment is up to you. As a delegate, you will have the opportunity to attend a yearly state convention and vote on candidates the general public cannot vote for—the Republican presidential nominee, for instance. You might also look up Robert’s Rules of Order, as you’ll need to be familiar with them. Of course, you can attend district meetings without being a delegate, although you would have no power to vote.
It may also help to get involved with organizations such as Campaign for Liberty, Young Americans for Liberty, Students for Liberty, and the like. There is no shortage of opportunities here.
The most important political battle is happening within the Republican Party itself. Objectivists and liberty-minded people can have a big impact. I believe that if you can explain and apply individual rights to the political problem of the day, people will listen to you. They are seeking answers and moral resolve. We have the power to influence people, and we are the only ones with the moral ammunition to obliterate altruism-driven politics.
I used to think that it was too early for Objectivists to become part of this process, but not anymore. Most of my other 13th District state committee members have come to understand the immorality of government as charity, especially my district chair, who is familiar with Objectivism. They have a solid sense that their lives belong to them. And they’ve stayed on course, mostly, with advocating economic freedom, while being baited by the media with social issues. They also have an understanding that it’s not Hillary Clinton or the leftists they are truly up against, but the statists in the Republican Party. I think it’s the perfect time for Objectivists to look into this and get involved. If anyone has any questions, feel free to look me up on Facebook.
Biddle: I suspect you’ll hear from some TOS readers, and I hope you and they start a groundswell of Objectivists in local politics. That would be beautiful.
Thanks again for your time, Amy. And thank you for fighting the good fight with such enthusiasm and good cheer. My hat is off to you.
Nasir: Thanks, Craig!
You might also like
