Surrendering our values

I’m Thomas Mills for PoliticsNC. Today is Tuesday, February 25, 2025 and the Republic is still standing–but it’s wobbly. Ronald Reagan’s shining city on a hill has gone dark. Donald Trump is siding Putin and other authoritarians against Ukraine and western democracies. Yesterday, the United States voted with Russia, North Korea, and other dictatorships against a UN Resolution holding Russia accountable for their invasion of Ukraine.Trump is surrendering the values that made our country great in pursuit of power and profit. Members of the Greatest Generation are rolling over in the graves. They fought for freedom and democracy over authoritarianism and tyranny. Trump is disrespecting their sacrifice and squandering their legacy.Here at home, Trump appointed conspiracy theorist and podcaster Dan Bongino to serve as Deputy Director of the FBI. He’s spread the Big Lie and has been called one of the most pervasive voices of disinformation on the internet.FBI Director Kash Patel pledged that he would appoint a career special agent to the position. Patel lied to Congress during his confirmation hearing so I guess we shouldn’t expect better of him as the nation’s top cop.Trump is also continuing to ban the Associated Press from White House briefings in a blatant violation of the First Amendment. The AP is suing for access and Trump’s recently appointed US Attorney for the District of Columbia released a statement calling his office “Trump’s lawyers” and pledged to stand against entities like the AP that refuse to put America first. The US Attorney, a guy named Edward Martin, seems to have forgotten that he swore an oath to defend the Constitution, not the President of the United States.On bright side, federal courts held off the firing of Special Counsel and North Carolina native Hampton Dellinger. Dellinger oversees an office to protect whistleblowers from retribution. Dellinger found that the firing of a number of probationary employees was illegal. Thanks, Hampton for pushing back on the authoritarians.In more good news, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro successfully sued the government to release funds that Musk and company tried to freeze. The governor says the federal government released $2.1 billion in money that was appropriated for environmental and energy projects.Finally, a Republican Congressman who met the resistance at a town meeting has called on Donald Trump to slow things down. That’s what pressure can do.Republicans in Congress need to fear the people they represent more than they fear Donald Trump. Republicans have shown us their weakness. They are cowards who care more about their political careers than they do about freedom or democracy.Make them afraid. Let them know that if they bend over for Donald Trump, they’ll face the wrath of the voters in the next election.Keep writing those letters. Keep making the calls. And above all keep showing up at the town halls.Remember, the GOP is a party of cowards and, together, we have the strength to intimidate them.I’m Thomas Mills, signing off for PoliticsNC. Keep up the good fight. Get full access to PoliticsNC at www.politicsnc.com/subscribe