Working for George W. Bush was one of the greatest honors of my life. He is a man of character and competence, and those who know him the best like him the most. Donald Trump, on the other hand, lacks all those qualities. And yet, his Republican enablers have nominated him for president three times in a row.
Over the past eight years, I’ve heard a lot of conservatives say different variations of, “Trump is awful, but I’ll vote for him because I support his policies.” But I believe personal conduct matters. Imagine that your teenage son is the ultimate schoolyard bully. He lies, cheats, and always plays the victim. He treats women and minorities with contempt. He’s a sexual predator, perhaps. Maybe even a convicted felon. But would you say none of that matters as long as he’s bringing home decent grades?
America’s schoolyard bully is on the cusp of becoming president (again) and the stability of the world hangs in the balance. Donald Trump is the greatest threat to American democracy since the Civil War. He proved that on January 6, 2021, and he’s just getting warmed up.
Freedom, justice, equality and opportunity are not Republican values – they are American values. Republicans don’t hold the patent on patriotism. There is no dishonor in voting for a Democrat, but there is great dishonor in empowering a dictator. History will not be kind to those who remain silent, and I proudly support Kamala Harris.
The response of Trump’s allies to the 250+ Bush-McCain-Romney alumni who endorsed Harris-Walz were to belittle and dismiss. The truth is that they are your friends, your neighbors, the people whose children play soccer with your children. They have real, everyday concerns like you about the future of the country and who will lead it. They’ve worked at the highest levels of government and Republican politics and want you to know that Donald Trump does not represent the ideals they fought for throughout their lives.
They each believe a new direction for our country begins with Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.