We’re both lifelong Republicans. But my brother, we must reject Trump this election | Opinion
Dear Brother,
As always, it was great to visit you and the family for your recent birthday. As my older brother, you have been a role model. However, lately your example has become harder to follow. My political views seem to have come into conflict with you as you’ve continued to follow Donald Trump as the Republican candidate for president.
Our father became active in the GOP many years ago, and we followed in his footsteps as lifelong Republicans. Personally, I have participated in campaigns beginning with Richard Nixon, and after that with Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and John McCain. From this perspective and having served as an elected state senator in Missouri, I have appreciated good government, the Constitution and the rule of law — none of which do I feel the candidate that you support has any concerns for.
In fact, Trump is actively antidemocratic and appears to be a fascist, as his own chief of staff, Gen. John F. Kelly, and his chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark A. Milley, have both said specifically. Trump is certainly not an individual whom I want my children and grandchildren to have as a role model.
Trump calling McCain a “loser” and “not a war hero,” and saying dead soldiers are “suckers” was the beginning of my complete disrespect and realization that Trump is disqualified to be commander in chief of our military. By spewing hate, diversion, misinformation and lies, he has succeeded in creating a very divisive election, resulting in strife within families.
The latest confirmation and final straw is Trump’s repeatedly labeling his American critics as the “enemy within,” and his promises that if elected, he would persecute his opponents by use of the military upon our own citizens, bypassing even the courts and juries of our peers, to be tried in military courts. This is the very definition of a fascist.
After our visit, my concerns have grown. I realize that good people can be misled, and there is a great need for folks closest to the GOP and its past leaders to speak out. I have joined a large group of lifelong Republicans — numbering more than 300 and growing — who have worked in the offices and campaigns of role models, mentors and leaders. We have written an open letter opposing Trump as the greatest danger to our country, our principles, our Constitution and our national security, as we have never seen before. It begins:
“Four years ago, President George W. Bush, the late Sen. John McCain and Sen. Mitt Romney alumni came together to warn fellow Republicans that reelecting President Trump would be a disaster for our nation. In those declarations we stated the plain truth, each predicting that another four years of a Trump presidency would irreparably damage our beloved democracy.
“We reunite today, joined by new Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush alumni, to reinforce our 2020 statements and, for the first time, jointly declare that we’re voting for Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz this November.
“Of course, we have plenty of honest, ideological disagreements with Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz. That’s to be expected. The alternative, however, is simply untenable.”
Please take the time to read the whole letter here.
As we have begun in-person voting in Kansas, I will cast my vote for Kamala Harris as president and Tim Walz as vice president. And I hope that this will be the first step toward a new and fresh approach to unity for our great country.
Your younger brother,
Marvin
This story was originally published October 28, 2024 at 7:04 AM with the headline "We’re both lifelong Republicans. But my brother, we must reject Trump this election | Opinion."