Response to James Poplar - What it Means to be a Republican October 29, 2020

Response to James Poplar - What it Means to be a Republican

The Republican Party, described by Mr. Poplar, no longer exists. There is no creed, no policy platform. There used to be, as eloquently described by Mr. Poplar and others. The description they offer is entirely palatable in contrast to what is currently happening in the Party. The Republican "creed" listed in Mr. Poplar's piece is viable and worthy of discussion and debate. My hope is that good folk like Mr. Poplar will use their knowledge and expertise to bring the Republican Party back from the abyss and restore its status as a viable conservative governing party.  

The Republican Party is Mr. Trump's Party now. At this year's nominating convention, the party leadership offered no new party platform, and the announcement included the statement to "reassert the party's strong support for President Donald Trump and his administration." 

"Whatever..." is not a policy platform I can support. Chaos is not governance. I'm not the only citizen longing for the Republican Party's return as a viable national movement. Seventy former national security officials from multiple Republican administrations, 225 officials from the George W. Bush administration, more than 30 former staff members and state directors from Mitt Romney's campaign in 2012, more than 24 current and former Republican members of Congress, and several former Republican governors have all turned their support to Democratic candidate, Joe Biden. 

There are many important reasons that I cannot support the Republican Party with my vote, but the most important is simply this. I won't vote for any Republican because for them, some folks matter; some folks don't. 

Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley neatly summed up this attitude as he attempted to explain why it was ok for Vice President Pence to hold a rally in Wisconsin recently amid a nightmarish surge in cases of the coronavirus. When asked if it gave Pence pause about holding a massive rally there, Gidley responded,  "No, it doesn't. The vice president has the best doctors in the world around him." 

The rest of the folks didn't matter. 

I'm voting for a more robust, fairer economy. I'm voting for universal, affordable, quality health care. I'm voting for creating a 21st-century immigration system, a healthy and vibrant universal world-class education system, a restored and strengthened democracy, a strong effort to combat the climate crisis, and the pursuit of environmental justice. I'm voting for reforms to our criminal justice system, protecting our communities, and building trust. I'm voting for a 21st-century infrastructure system upgrading transportation, the energy grid, and universal broadband. 

I will vote for a party that cares about governance, that cares about solutions for problems in our society that are important to everyone. I will vote for a party platform with an eye to the future that is bold and will help us restore our status in the world. Most importantly, I will support the Party that puts a President in office who will serve all the United States. 

I will vote for the Democratic Party.