I cannot pretend any longer.
The GOP cares nothing for decency, civil rights, nor anything else but their power, and that of their patrons. They are bought and paid for by oligarchs, and wish nothing more than to create in the United States a reprise of all the worst traits of the Persian Gulf states: Helotry and poverty for the masses, and massive wealth for the privileged few. They prioritize the profits of investors over the education of students. They prioritize a narrow religious intolerance over mercy. And they enshrine sexual abusers as being above the law.
I will no longer vote in any coming election for any candidate aligned with the Republican Party. Nor will any candidate on the Republican ticket be considered for an off-party vote here in NY state (i.e. Independence, Constitutional Party, or the like.)
In support of that I have sent two letters this morning:
To the campaign for Dr Maxwell here in my local US House race:
Dear Dr. Maxwell,
I am a veteran. I am an American. I am concerned about the direction this nation is taking. I'm also completely and utterly disgusted by the direction the GOP has chosen these past two years in particular.
You have made your campaign a quiet endorsement of the policies and behaviors of the blight currently infesting The People's House. By doing so you have shown me that you believe American Values include:
- Concentration Camps on the Border
- Removing Children From their Parents - With no Plan and Less Concern for their Reunification
- Attacking Sexual Assault Victims
- Prioritizing Profits Above Civil Rights
- Bankrupting the Federal Government in the Name of Rewarding Wealthy Donors
- Criminalizing Pregnancy Outcomes in Spite of Credible Medical Testimony that no Proof of Wrongdoing Exists
- Placing Artificial Barriers Against Voting for People in Poverty
- Mocking Allied Governments
- Admiring Dictators for their Wontan Use of Extra-Legal Killings as a Sign of Strength
I realize this is going to come as a shock to you, but none of these things are the American Values I signed up to defend when I put my life on the line in the US Navy. If you wish to claim that while I was in the Navy I saw no risk to my life because I never saw combat, I'd like to remind you of the casualties aboard the USS Dhalgren and the USS Iwo Jima that occurred without any enemy action, either. Steam plans are inherently dangerous environments, as are ships.
Your alignment with privilege and the shifting goalposts that Senator Mitch McConnell has chosen to embrace in his goal of remaking the United States into a Persian Gulf style oligarchy is absolutely disgusting to me. After this week's latest proof that the GOP, the part of Lincoln, no longer has any moral compass but privilege and wealth - I can no longer consider voting for anyone who feels that these are American Values.
It is my dearest hope that your campaign fails miserable and is part of many campaigns across these United States where the People speak up and tell you and your corporate masters what we think of your vision.
Wishing you all personal well-being and health, but absolutely no success, I remain:
Michael D. Taub, formerly MM3(SW)
And then to the author of this lickspittle OP-Ed piece in the local paper: https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/opinion/guest-column/2018/10/02/can-we-find-common-ground-kavanaugh/1499270002/
Dear Ms. Valeria-Iseman,
I believe that your reduction of the opposition to Judge Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court to simply the conflict between his testimony and Dr. Ford's testimony is an inherently dishonest position. Your implication that the only reason people have for believing Dr. Ford's testimony is a desire to show solidarity based solely upon gender identity is frankly disgusting.
Judge Kavanaugh's public record is such that even before Dr. Ford came forward there were many people who had serious questions about his position towards women's rights. I suspect you and I would disagree sharply about the importance and justice of Roe v. Wade, so let's shelve that particular issue. Judge Kavanaugh's recent decision to try to bar a refugee from getting an abortion for no reason other than his personal view that abortion is wrong, while the law of the land is defined by Roe v. Wade, however shows a disregard for everything I understand about the law and judicial temperament.
Then there's Judge Kavanaugh's relationship and testimony regarding former Federal Judge Alex Kozinski. If you have managed to avoid this particular information in your bubble, let me remind you that Alex Kozinski was removed from the bench pending an investigation into his constant disgusting, abusive, and sexually harassing behavior towards his staff in his courtroom. Including during the time while Brett Kavanaugh was working for the judge. Among other behaviors Kozinski would ask of his female staff whether this, or that pornographic clip he'd found on the web was titillating to them. According to Wikipedia at least fifteen women have accused the former judge of this behavior. In the end, facing a full fledged, and long-overdue, investigation Kozinski chose to resign. The charges are not proven in a court of law, but neither are they refuted. I choose to believe that no one would agree to endure the abuse that public accusers like Dr. Ford are traditionally subjected to in the court of public opinion without having endured an unspeakable provocation.
Now, I grant you that Brett Kavanaugh is not responsible for Kozinski's behavior. However, he is accused of having been present while Kozinski would confront at least one of his former staff. Not only did Brett Kavanaugh fail to intercede with his mentor's disgusting behavior, but he later said he never saw the judge behave in any way that was improper. I could accept that he hadn't recognized the behavior as improper, but once it was being called out for investigation - one would trust a legal scholar of Kavanaugh's stature to be able to reach the standard of 2.8 knowledge: Can recognize correct answer when given. In short, Kavanaugh does not come into the recent allegations without stains on his reputation, nor questions about his views of the rights of women as full fledged individuals.
Then you reduce the current allegations against Kavanaugh to simply those of Dr. Ford. Which is also not the case. A total of three women have now come forward. Each with different stories, but each of the stories fit a picture of a young man so protected by his privilege that he felt no need to accord women whom he had no emotional relationship with the courtesy you provide even to those people coming to the Open Door Mission.
The FBI investigation was a face-saving sham, and to pretend it could have been anything else is simply a slap in the face for the courage that Dr. Ford showed coming forward.
Until you and other defenders of Brett Kavanaugh accept that there's more here than one woman's unsubstantiated accusations against your man, I'm afraid there's no common ground to be found.
Sincerely,
Michael D. Taub.
May the current plague infesting the White House suffer a mischief. Preferably involving a heart attack while in a compromising position.
