My Wish for Our Country

I chose to celebrate Independence Day differently than I ever expected would be necessary: by proclaiming something I haven’t felt free to say, in hopes that I can help maintain the freedoms our wonderful Constitution has given us. I believe President Donald Trump is a serious threat to our constitutional republic, and making sure he is not re-elected is critical to its survival.

I have been a Republican ever since I could register to vote. I have been a delegate to two Republican National Conventions, one as a College Republican in 1984 to re-nominate Ronald Reagan and the other in 2016 to nominate Donald Trump. In between those years, I have served as a Republican Precinct Committeeman for some 25 years, been a County Republican Chairman, Legislative District Chairman, and served on the Executive Committee of the Arizona Republican Party.

Why all these efforts for the Republican Party? Because I believe in its platform of free market capitalism with equal opportunity for all, fiscal conservatism, smaller government, less regulation, a strong military, the right to bear arms, pro-life, free trade, and more.

As important as all of those things are to me, adherence to our Constitution supersedes all of them. Our founding fathers created an ingenious structure to ensure our freedoms, starting with the Declaration of Independence that we celebrated recently. A basic tenet of our country that I think we all agree on is that no man is above the law – NOT EVEN THE PRESIDENT! With Trump in office for a second term, freed from what little restraint he might exercise to assure re-election, I question what we might have left to celebrate four years from now on the 4th of July.

Donald Trump ignores Republican values, American values, and even basic human decency – not to mention the Constitution’s checks and balances on our three co-equal branches of government. Examples are too many to list, and he provides new ones every day. We simply cannot give Donald Trump four more years to divide the country, build his kingdom and cement his place above the law. We need a new president.

So while I continue to hold Republican principles of government dear, I ask you to join me in contemplating what’s best for the survival of our constitutional republic and then follow your heart. I will respect your decision as I hope you will respect mine. Being able to speak our beliefs without fear of retribution is one of the forms of freedom we supposedly enjoy. Long may our country live! #AmericaOrTrump

Paul Brierley
Lifelong Active Republican
Yuma, Arizona

About Letter to the Editor 171 Articles
Under the leadership of Editor in Chief Huey Freeman, the Editorial Board of the Arizona Daily Independent offers readers an opportunity to comment on current events and the pressing issues of the day. Occasionally, the Board weighs-in on issues of concern for the residents of Arizona and the US.