I cannot in good conscience continue to openly support the Republican Party.
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I have returned! Hello again, everybody. I apologize for my absence from writing recently. A bad spate of writer’s block and an extremely disheartening political environment had severely restricted my ability to put words to paper. I am back, though, and I find myself staring at a world that, with each passing day, falls further into chaos.
Coronavirus still ravages the nation. The aftermath of George Floyd’s death continues to rock the country. And, in a stunning development worthy of historical note, William Barr lied, in official writing, about firing the US attorney general for the state of New York. This attempt to remove an outstanding AG, in the middle of the night, five months before an election, is unthinkable.
So, instead of talking about any of that, I’d like to tell you guys about a friend of mine named Dusty. Dusty is a great guy. He’s smart, he’s young, and he’s intelligent. When it comes to politics, he and I agree on most of the issues. The few times that I’ve talked to him, I have found Dusty to be a man worthy of admiration. And, since the Dusty I’ve just described is US Representative Dustin “Dusty” Johnson, he seems like a lock to have my vote come November.
Where we disagree, however, is Donald Trump. As I’ve mentioned before, I deeply despise Trump. I think he’s been bad for the party. His corruption is disturbing. His flagrant ignorance of the Constitution is deeply upsetting to this strict constitutionalist. Time and again, Donald Trump has shown that he has no place being President.
Dusty? Dusty recently accepted the endorsement of Trump for re-election. Other than vote against funding for Trump’s border wall, Dusty has repeatedly supported the things Trump does. In public, that is. In private, I know that Dusty dislikes Trump’s actions. All good men do, and Dusty is a good man.
He’s a good man who, for the sake of his political future, will defend a dangerous authoritarian hack for President. And that just cannot stand, which is why, at the moment, I will not be voting for Dusty Johnson come 2020.
Recent events have caused me to disown my support for Mr. Johnson. And they have made me realize something else, too.
Guys, I once stated that I would stay in the Republican Party, for better or worse, and fight for a better future.
I was wrong. Burn it down.
The party has shown, over the last few months, that there is no low they will not stoop too, no lie they will not tell, no authoritarianism they will not defend, at the altar of Trump. And so I cannot in good conscience continue to openly support the party, which means that, when it comes time to vote in November, I will support the Democratic ticket for Congress (I still will not be voting for Biden, however).
I like Dusty Johnson. In any other year, I would be his staunchest supporter. But he has forsaken his principles for his political future. And I cannot stand by that.
If things change in the next five months, I will happily forgive those in the party for their actions. I would gladly campaign for Dusty if he would just stand up.
Until then, I renounce the Republican Party. And I encourage those reading this to do the same.