Thank you, Sens. Mitt Romney and Mike Lee, for acting with integrity in regards to your vote to overturn President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration at the border. While I am not from Utah, your vote affects all Americans and, indeed, generations of Americans to come, as it helps to establish a precedent for just what is — and isn’t — acceptable use of presidential power.
You will get flack over this from partisan Republicans, die-hard Trump supporters, and people more concerned with present exigencies at the border than with making reasoned, principle-based, long-term decisions. Please ignore them. Know that there is a large cross-section of conservatives whose principles guide them toward ensuring that our American institutions and balanced governmental structures are retained, even at short-term political cost if necessary.
We must not upend the essential balance of powers that has protected our nation from tyranny and despotism for almost a quarter of a millennium.
Michael Ames, Centennial, Colo.