Future President Theodore Roosevelt gave a speech in 1886 wherein he said, “like all Americans, I like big things; big prairies, big forests and mountains, big wheat-fields … and herds of cattle, too … But we must keep steadily in mind that no people were ever yet benefited by riches if their prosperity corrupted their virtue … each one must do his part if we wish to show that the nation is worthy of its good fortune. Here we are not ruled over by others ... we rule ourselves … When we thus rule ourselves, we have the responsibilities of sovereigns, not subjects. We must never exercise our rights either wickedly or thoughtlessly; we can continue to preserve them in but one possible way, by making the proper use of them.”
For the last four years, we have watched as a powerful political con man has corrupted our country with incessant lies. Our elected representatives in the Republican Party have stood by in silence as Trump has led this mendacious assault on our institutions and we have now witnessed the effects of that carnage which culminated in an armed attack on the Capitol with our elected officials inside.
Next week a trial in the U.S Senate will occur wherein the Republican senators (including our own Sen. Mike Lee) will vote to either excuse Trump’s criminal acts or, hopefully, vote to find him guilty of inciting insurrection. By so doing they will in essence be taking a small step in restoring some sense of virtue to the Republican Party.
Kirt Williamson, Saratoga Springs