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Letter: CPAC event shows our democratic republic remains imperiled

Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Fla., on Friday, Feb. 26, 2021. For the potential presidential hopefuls, the annual CPAC gathering represents a first chance to test their political messages and their appeal in a post-Trump era. (Erin Schaff/The New York Times)

Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Fla., on Friday, Feb. 26, 2021. For the potential presidential hopefuls, the annual CPAC gathering represents a first chance to test their political messages and their appeal in a post-Trump era. (Erin Schaff/The New York Times)

Can the Republican Party reform itself or will its return to conservative principles — to principles as basic as “no person is above the law” and “character counts” — occur solely in response to external pressures?

The main event at the recent Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) indicated the Big Liar still dominates the American conservative movement.The seditionist Big Lie that the Democrats stole the 2020 election still finds a responsive audience on the populist right. Many prominent conservative politicians continue both to support the Big Liar and promulgate his Big Lie. Enablers and supporters continue to play their assigned roles in the Big Liar’s confabulated dream play.

Our nation’s democratic republic remains imperiled — imperiled by members of the anti-democracy personality cult that was once the Republican Party.

Andrew G. Bjelland, Salt Lake City

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