The Washington Post published an op-ed today by Liz Cheney, which demonstrates her view of Donald Trump as a danger to our democracy. She is courageously risking her position in House leadership to call Trump and her Republican constituents out on the ” big lie” that Trump won the election and that Joe Biden is an illegitimate president. The “former guy” is a circus- barking, gaslighting toxic cult-leader succeeding in a takeover of the decompensating Republican party.
Trump uses his ” big lie,” anti-American reality show spectacle to remain relevant after America legitimately ousted him from office. His removal has thankfully slowed the destruction of American democracy. However, his corrupt, opportunistic acolytes continue to empower his racist, autocratic influence on political discourse. Liz Cheney is modeling patriotism over party affiliation as she publicly proclaims 2020 was a fair election with a legitimate election of Joe Biden.
As a result of Cheney standing up for truth over propaganda, the Republican minority in the House will soon vote to remove her from her party leadership role and replace her with a female Trump loyalist who is on board with spreading the lies about the election results. This move on McCarthy and his caucus confirms a truth that Cheney is fighting against; the Republican party platform is pushing the “big lie” to keep them in good standing with Trump to secure the support of his base for the 2022 mid-term elections. The only interpretation one can make about the ” big lie” is that it aims is to transform the American democracy into a banana republic based on misinformation and no rule of law.
In her op-ed, Cheney said, ” I am a conservative Republican, and the most conservative of conservative values is reverence for the rule of law.” Cheney’s conservatism was even illustrated during Trump’s presidency by voting in agreement with his policies over 93% of the time. However, she has opposed his assault on and disrespect for the Constitution and our democratic traditions, like disrespecting the patriotism of military officers, disparaging U.S. Ambassadors and spreading lies about election fraud.
Crucial points that Cheney made in her op-ed were;
- Republicans must decide if they are going to choose truth and fidelity to the Constitution
- On Jan. 13th, Kevin McCarthy said Trump was responsible for the mob attack at the Capitol.
- Over 60 federal and state courts, including Trump-appointed judges, have rejected the former president’s arguments about election fraud and have refused to overturn the election results
- Trump has never expressed remorse or regret for the Jan. 6th attack on the Capitol
- He now suggests our elections and our legal and constitutional system cannot be trusted to do the people’s will.
- Republicans must support the ongoing criminal investigations into the Jan. 6th attack
- It is crucial to support a parallel bipartisan commission to fight against misinformation and nonsense regarding the insurrection
- Republicans need to support Republican principles and steer away from the anti-democratic Trump cult of personality
Cheney is emotionally alarmed about her party’s descent into an anti-truth disregard for the rule of law. The decline of the Republican party’s allegiance to democracy and its worship of an autocratic, dangerously disturbed former president has Cheney fighting bravely on her own to save her party and our democracy. Her House colleagues are unpatriotic weaklings. As a democrat, it is challenging to embrace anti-Trump Republicans who voted for him despite knowing he is incompetent and dangerous. However, Cheney is showing courage, and her moral respect for democracy deserves support and care.
