Stop waiting for a hero

Beginning in November 2017 I was excited to be elected by the Republicans in Colorado’s 5th Congressional District to be their voice at the Colorado Republican Committee’s Executive Committee ( @cologop). It consists of the same geography as the... 1/16

2/District for which @RepDLamborn represents, or at least does in part. Duties included attending monthly, or so, meetings in Greenwood Village, CO where we would hear about fundraising, strategy, votes, election efforts, #COpolitics, etc. I enjoyed the participation & because..

3/I was new I wasn’t totally relied upon for much. Still, it was nice to be a part of something bigger. I held this volunteer position until Jan 2019 when I resigned. It was in those 15 months that I saw complete abdication of moral value, from people’s own personal agency...

4/to the cause of supporting Trump & being seen to support @realDonaldTrump . When Colorado @SenCoryGardner (R) was in the middle of his 6 year term, making the moderate appeals one can afford to that far out from a primary, he was cursed for how non-conservative he was...

5/acting. I saw the guy making genuine attempts at being a moderate Republican making attempts at appealing to Colorado’s largest swath of voters which grows faster than the majors, the independents. Even when, in 2016, Colorado Republicans had gone for @tedcruz over Trump...

6/Cory, though he didn’t endorse the Donald in 2016, #CORepublicans could not forgive the man for being anything close to a reelectable Republican in Colorado. Gardner might as well had donned the Don wig and gave Big Macs to his farming buddies because nothing he’d...

7/done up to that point would win over the State Party apparatus. I really, really wanted to give Trump a chance. Like many, I saw the opportunity in front of the President, to pivot to a professional man of honor, someone I could be proud of and I could even tell my kids,...

8/“Hey, that’s our President.” That day never came but I was really hoping for it. When I finally acknowledged Trump’s unreliability I hung my hope on Congress. Figuring the Representatives to be the most vulnerable to the voter, I watched and waited for any of them to...

9/speak up and call out bad behavior. If just to say, “I support the President. I don’t support his language/attitude/pettiness/bullying/etc.” You know what happened next. It never came. Not from my Congressman, not from any. I then thought to myself, “A Senator in a...

10/vulnerable political position might at least tighten the screws on the President a little.” Concerns, deep concerns, & even serious concerns were what Senators called out with, rather than sharing their allegiance to their long held moral values or even just party pillars..

11/that claimed to care about conservatism. They weren’t powerless but they looked the part. Senators elected by a majority of their states could instead be mistaken for appointees of the parties themselves. 2018 brought a batch of senators that would never again have to run...

12/with Trump. They wouldn’t be up against their next reelection until Trump would be on his way out from his potential second term. I realize that leaves a lot out to take into account but it would be one less thing they’d factor. Still, not a peep. At this point I was done. ...

13/I fought it. I didn’t want to give up the spot, to give up the influence, to be a small voice of my brand of sanity. But I couldn’t do it anymore. The R next to my name had become irreparably tarnished. Too few on the national stage who would continue to hold the mantle...

14/of a decent Republican, like @Schwarzenegger and @MichaelSteele, were able to make enough impact now because of the amount of noise drowning them out. The respected in my own community were now changing their tone after once standing up for decency and honor during...

15/the 2016 primary. Friends, who I am still glad to call my friends, are yet to find a thing they can’t deflect to a #FoxNews talking point. I’ll give the Trumpists this, they have their messaging pipeline sealed tight.

This is all to say...stop waiting for a hero. Every...

16/opportunity they had, they let pass, from the top down and they’ll keep doing it. It’s time you made your move because they won’t. Not that one you’re still wondering about or the other one in the wings.

STOP WAITING FOR A HERO!

Go make your move.

/end

#ILeftTheGOP

Orgs like:
@StandUpRepublic
@StandUpAmerica
@fairvote
@uniteamerica
@IssueOneReform
@RCVforColorado
@representus
@allontheline
...are just a few ways to get involved. I’m fortunate to be involved with @SUR_Colorado in promoting election security. There are many causes! Go!