Dear Senators, Congressmen, and GOP leadership,
This is an open letter to the GOP leadership, a final plea before your epitaph. It is no secret that the Republican Party is in a fractured state and has been for sometime now. With the rise of the Tea Party movement in 2006 many Americans have woken up to the massive amounts of corruption in Washington DC, the ever increasing massive size and roll of the federal government, the fiscal irresponsibility, the grotesque amounts of spending and continuing resolutions, as well as the gradual intrusiveness and erosion of our constitutional rights.
While it may appear to some that the all of the ills and issues that we currently face are symptoms of the last seven years under our current radically progressive presidents administration, what the establishment in Washington has seemed to have forgotten is that the Tea Party originally rose up in retaliation to the policies enacted by the Bush administration, not that of Barrack Obama. However, things have certainly worsened under the rule of President Obama. However the disease of the big government statists has been festering within the leadership of our country for over a century. It is a cancer that has metastasized in both political parties. In fact it was a Republican, Theodore Roosevelt, that first brought this disease of Fabian Socialism to our shores under the guise of his Progressivism. Today, Hillary Clinton is proudly touting her “progressiveness” on the campaign trail, and the truth is that there are sadly many Republicans whom, though they would never admit to it, are just as progressive as those on the left side of the aisle.
I am sure that at this point you are writing me off as someone that has been indoctrinated by that “crazy” Glenn Beck. Of course had people listened to Mr. Beck several years ago at CPAC when he was warning of this progressive disease then we may have been able to avoid the fracturing that has taken place within our party. Glenn Beck is one of the few honorable voices of truth and reason in media that can be found today and if you still believe that he “crazy” than go ahead and label me as well. I do admire Mr. Beck a great deal but I would not go so far as to say that I have been indoctrinated by anything that he has said. While I do agree with him on many of the issues our nation faces, I have a mind of my own and I do my own research and scholarship. History is a wonderful thing and we can learn a great deal from the choices that those that came before us have made. You see, we have amazing tools at our disposal these days. Not only do we have libraries, but we also have vast wells of knowledge on the internet that we can use to fact check people in Washington, as well as hold them accountable to the promises they have made and whether or not they have kept them or broken them. It is too bad that not enough of us are actually willing to take the time to do so.
It is not the purpose if this letter to go through each account of the times that you have worked against the will of we the people, nor am I going to address in detail how when we gave you the house you told us that you could do nothing without the senate, and when we gave you the senate you said that you could nothing without the white house. The only reason I even bring it up is to remind you of how shady that you have all been in the hopes that you will be able to see why we the people are so upset with the Washington elitists.
The Republican Party is fractured and though there are some, very few, that still believe that the establishment has our countries best interest at heart, the overwhelming majority of us know the truth. The only interests the establishment has shown to have is their own and that of the special interest lobbyists. Something has to change in Washington and I pray that it changes quickly before it’s too late.
As I am sure that you have probably noticed by now all of the so called “establishment” types that started this campaign season did not fare so well. The only one still standing is Sen. Marco Rubio and unfortunately he does not have a great amount of trust left among the base because of the Gang of Eight fiasco he was involved in. For that reason Senator Rubio’s chances are not looking very optimistic at this point. Which is sad because I for one actually like Sen. Rubio.
You are most certainly well aware of who is the current front runner… the wrecking ball that is Donald Trump. How this man has gotten this far in a Republican primary should scream volumes as to how angry the American people are and how out of touch you, the establishment are. He has somehow been able to completely dominate this election cycle thus far, and he is leading in most of the polling going forward; with the exception of the one that really matters of course. He does not beat Hillary Clinton in the general polls and his likability ratings are through the floor awful. Yet Donald Trump has been able to completely turn the political process of choosing a nominee upside down. The man whom nobody took seriously nine months ago now has the political pundits scratching their heads.
Donald Trump has tapped into something that you, the establishment, does not quite understand. He has tapped into the anger and frustration of the American people. Perhaps you are unaware of this because over the decades spent in public office you have become callous to the climate among your constituents. Perhaps it is because after all of the years in Washington you have forgotten that your office is supposed to be an act of service and not career path to wealth and power. Perhaps you have simply grown deaf to the will of the people because you refused to turn off all of the lobbyist that are screaming in your ears for favors. Or perhaps you have just been to busy reaching across the aisle in hopes to make “comprehensive” backroom deals in smoke filled rooms so that you could look “bipartisan” to all of the leftist media outlets. In other words, you have forgotten that you were sent to Washington to REPRESENT the will of the people not the will of the ruling class. You may not even be taking the time to read this letter so why should I even bother?
I bother because I love my country. I bother because I still believe in a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. I bother because I love my children and it is their future that is being destroyed and as their father I must do all that I can to stand up for their freedoms and their liberty. Because like you, I too am a representative. My voice represents the future generations of this country and I will not be silent in the face of this tyranny that is threatening to enslave those generations under the rule of a ubiquitous authoritarian government.
I keep hearing people say that the reason Donald Trumps campaign has been so successful is because there is some new movement going on. What movement? A movement away from the constitution in support of an authoritarian despot who says he will rule by executive fiat? (Have we not seen enough of that in the last 8 years?)
So what is this new movement that people are referring to? A movement from principles to populism? From reason to insanity? From individual liberty to egalitarianism or nationalism? That is not a movement that any rational thinking patriot should get behind. It does not sound like a movement in the spirit of the Sons of Liberty, and it does not sound like a movement in the spirit of the American Revolution, rather if there is a movement towards populism or nationalism it is more reminiscent of the French Revolution than that of our own founders. It certainly is not a movement that embraces American exceptionalism or constitutional conservatism.
The real reason that Donald Trump is doing well has nothing to do with some vast new movement. His success has everything to do with celebrity. Whether people will admit it or not they are drawn to him because he is a well known figure that has been an outspoken character in the media for thirty years and that has a lot to do with peoples attraction to him. We live in a media obsessed culture, and one cannot go ten minutes without seeing or hearing something about what Donald Trump did or said. The guy doesn’t even have to spend campaign money on ads because he is in the media constantly. Even when the other candidates are being interviewed it is Donald Trump that is the topic of discussion, not where the candidates stand on policy or issues. This has been a great disservice to both the candidates as well as to we the people during this campaign season.
Another reason he is gaining support I have already addressed and that is that people are extremely fed up with the Washington establishment going against everything that the people have elected them to represent. The people are angry, they feel betrayed, and they no longer trust anyone in Washington. Now they are looking for an outsider to go against the Washington establishment and shake things up or to tare it all down. They don’t want someone that has been bought and paid for by lobbyists or special interest elitists. Of course what they are failing to realize is that Trump has been one of these big time donors to the Washington establishment for years. What they do see is the cliff that our country and culture is rapidly approaching and they are looking for a captain that can right the ship before we reach the point of no return. Much to my dismay they are turning to Donald Trump who is an authoritarian strong man rather than a principled man of humility or integrity.
I cannot begin to express how disappointing it has been for those of us that actually recognize who and what Trump truly is as his supporters seem to be blinded by their anger and frustration. It doesn’t matter how many articles we show them about his flip flopping, or how he is in favor of a universal healthcare system, or that he supports funding planned parenthood (which is a private organization and shouldn’t be receiving subsidies whether they perform abortions or not). It doesn’t seem to matter to them that he has yet to give any real answers in regards to how he will execute any of his policies other than the same promises and platitudes of “we’re going to start winning, we’re going to build a wall...a huge wall” (and having Mexico pay for it), or the ambiguous “make America great again” slogan (Which he stole from Ronald Reagan of course).
I have nothing personally against Donald Trump. I’m sure that his motives are pure in seeking the presidency and that he is not some dictator in the making just waiting for his opportunity to seize power. I do believe that he is an opportunist though and as someone that has toyed with the idea of running several times in the past he saw the fractured state of the Republican Party and the growing distrust among the American people and knew that this was the perfect opportunity for him to run. He probably did not expect to do as well as he has. All that said however, that does not mean that I believe that Donald Trump would make a good president. Quite the opposite in fact. While originally I said that I could support him should he get the nomination I no longer hold that view point. He has simply done and said too many things that to me show the true nature of his character as well as his positions on policy.
As a Christian there are two documents in which I live my life by. One is of course the Word of God, the other is the Constitution of the United States. The values and principles that I hold near and dear to my heart are outlined in those documents and I believe wholeheartedly that both were inspired by the Holy Spirit. This is why for me when it comes to choosing my representatives I hold firm to those principles and make my decisions according to where candidates stand in regards to those values. This does not mean that I will only vote for Christians or that I am looking for some sort of saint when it comes to electing leaders. It is not my place to question another individuals salvation, that is completely between them and God. It is however my duty to evaluate ones character, especially when choosing that individual to represent me and my family.
Jesus did give us a litmus test as to who we can evaluate an individual He said that, “we will know them by their fruits.” Donald has claimed to be a Christian many times on the campaign trail and yet given his track record of his questionable business practices, his narcissistic and vain attitude, his flagrant disregard for the need of repentance or conviction, and the vitriol that comes out of his mouth I would say that I have examined the fruit of the tree of Donald Trump and it is toxic. Another litmus test that Jesus gave was, “it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks.” Again, it is not my place to question Mr. Trumps salvation nor would it even be required for me to vote for the guy, but if what comes out of his mouth is any sign at all as to what lies in his heart than Mr. Trump does not know the same Jesus that I know nor does he possess the character that I am looking for in a representive.
There are many reasons that I cannot and will not support Donald Trump should he become the nominee, not the least of which is how he has presented himself throughout this campaign. But as a husband of a beautiful woman that happens to be black, and a father of two beautiful mixed children, I find what Donald Trump did (or in this case did not do) when asked how he felt regarding the endorsement he received from former Klansman David Duke during an interview with CNN last Sunday inexcusable. I have heard Bill O’Reilly, Rush Limbaugh and others say that it was not that big of a deal. Well, that may be the case for some but as for me and my family it was a very big deal...a huge deal. I know that Mr. Trumps excuse was that he didn’t hear the question because he was having earpiece issues. I have watched that interview multiple times and it is obvious to me that Mr. Trump knew exactly what was asked because he repeated it a couple times back to Jack Tapper. Shortly after the interview Mr. Trump did send out a tweet disavowing David Duke and the white supremacist groups that were endorsing him. Yet why did he not do it when on national television? The speculation is that he did not want to risk losing some of the Southern States in the primaries on Super Tuesday. As a southerner that too offends me because not everyone in the South are racists in fact the numbers a very few so it’s not as if it would have made that big of a difference anyway. What’s more why did he feel the need to pander to such an evil group of individuals such as the Klan or white supremacists, if that is indeed what he was doing?
By failing to disavow David Duke and Ku Klux Klan on television says to me that Mr. Trump cares more about his polls and his votes than he does about the safety of my wife or my children. Because as history shows us those sick individuals that Mr. Trump appeared to be pandering to are the same sick individuals that would like to see my family at the end of a rope. The bottom line is that Trump has a history of making bigoted remarks about black people and Latinos, he has a history of saying vulgar and disgusting things about people he disagrees with, and he has a history of degrading women with chauvinistic remarks. This is why I find what he did (or failed to do) in that interview on CNN a big deal. To me it was offensive, intolerable, immoral, and perhaps unforgivable, and Mr. Trump owes a great deal of people an apology. I won’t be holding my breath though.
The tactics and demeanor in which Donald Trump and his surrogates have employed throughout his campaign have brought this process of choosing the nominee that will represent our party tragically to an all time low. He has displayed very little humility when he wins and little to no integrity when he loses. Instead all we have seen on display is his irreverence for the nomination process, a lack of respect for those that hold opposing views, his blatant disregard for truth or accountability, the constant slandering and a lack of honor for the other candidates or their achievements, vicious assaults on the character and integrity of anyone that dares to question his less than reputable record, his failure to provide substantive answers for any of his proposed policies, and a frightening display of his narcissistic vanity and irrational temperament when pressed on the issues. These are the characteristics of a sociopathic schoolyard bully, not the president of the United States. There is a difference between not being politically correct and just being a jackass, and I’m pretty sure that it was the Democrats’ that had an ass as their party mascot not the Republicans.
As a disciple of Jesus Christ I would not be able to place my vote for a Democrat that held views and positions that were completely contrary to the values and principles that I hold dear. How than can I be expected to vote in good conscience for a candidate of another party whose views and positions were completely opposed to the values and principles of my own? I am beholden to man. My principles will always come before party. I always thought that it was left that cared more about party than principles. I cannot place my name behind a candidate just because they have an ( R ) behind their name on ballot. Especially if that candidate lacks the character and integrity that God expects me to have and who does not hold first to the principles of the Constitution. I cannot ignore the discernment or the promptings from the Holy Spirit just to beat the Democrats. When I hear it said that, “it’s all about winning,” or, “do whatever takes to win,” there is very little difference, if any at all, than someone saying, “the ends justifies the means.”
The truth is, if I may be so honest, it is the establishment who are to blame for a lot of the frustration and distrust that is felt throughout this country. And if you were completely honest with yourselves you would see that it was you that created Donald Trump. Now you are feeling the pressure as to how to stop this runaway Trump train that threatens to hijack and potentially destroy the Republican Party. A threat that you helped to create and are now wondering what you can do to stop it.
It would be an amazing answer to prayer to see you do the honorable thing and get behind the real Washington outsider that can right the course of this country. The other man that the establishment helped to create but, unlike Trump, a man of integrity. A man that stands on the founders first principles and who has been sending an unapologetic clarion call for conservatism and the constitution his whole life. You could start to mend the fractures within the Republican Party by humbling yourselves and getting behind the man that would be running away with this this thing if it weren’t for Trump sucking all of the air out of the room and demeaning the whole nomination process. The man that you, the establishment, have been trying to take out since he first decided to run for the senate in 2010. You could seek the forgiveness of all of the constituents that you have failed time and again as well as make up some of the lost trust that the people have in you by doing the right thing and supporting Sen. Ted Cruz.
Ted Cruz is the only candidate that has proven that he can beat Donald Trump, and beats him in almost every poll head to head. Ted Cruz also has a very good chance at sending Hillary Clinton to the cleaners in the general election. Ted Cruz is also the closest thing to a Ronald Reagan conservative that we have seen in decades. America needs a leader with a humble heart, a determination of will, and a strong moral character. That leader is Ted Cruz.
It would also go a long way by convincing Marco Rubio to join Ted Cruz on his ticket as the Vice President. The Cuban Crusaders could be the hope for America’s future.
Or you could continue to ignore the threat that is Donald Trump knowing full well that should he get the nomination he will lose to Hillary Clinton and the GOP will cease to exist because he will drag the conservative movement through the mud on his way down. And you know that he would lose too because so far the media has treated Trump with kindergarten gloves. The things that he has said and done just in this campaign cycle alone will be enough to turn off a significant amount of voters and the media has not yet even begun to vet his past. There are also a great deal of true conservatives that have voiced concerns about voting for Trump while still being able to maintain their dignity and integrity. Bare in mind that the #NeverTrump is one of the trending topics on social media among conservatives. A great deal of us see no difference between a vote for Donald Trump and a vote for Hillary Clinton other than the letters behind their names. They are both big government liberal New York progressives.
I suppose that you could also try and run the gambit of getting to a brokered convention in the hopes of defying once again the will of the people by supplanting another one of your establishment cronies as the candidate. I strongly urge you to use caution if this is the route you are planning to take. In fact I would strongly urge against doing such a thing. You would literally be tying a noose around your own necks. You think this party is fractured now? Any attempt to usurp the will of the people this time would guarantee that the Republican Party shatters all together just as the Whigs did a century and a half ago. And you know what they say about Humpty Dumpty… “all the kings horses and all the kings men...”
Which ever way you slice it, the GOP and the Republican Party as you know it is in critical condition. If the establishment cannot see the threat that Donald Trump poses than you are in denial, if you choose to ignore it than you are suicidal. Consider your options prayerfully. Choose wisely, but make your decision quickly because time is short. This is my open letter to the GOP leadership, it is up to you whether or not it becomes your epitaph.
Sincerely,
Steven Michael Steenbergen
February 4, 2016
P.S. After Saturday evenings primary/caucus results, it is obvious that Marco Rubio and John Kasich are spoilers in this race. There is no way for either one to win against Trump so at this point they are only siphoning votes away from Ted Cruz and handing the nomination to Donald Trump. It is time to put the pressure on for Rubio and Kasich to get out of the race. At this point they both seem more interested in their pride than the will of the people or the good of the country.
