Today, I read of the final day or hours leading up to what would be a vote to eliminate the filibuster from the US Senate. There are two Senators that are standing up to that effort, Senator Joe Manchin and Senator Kyrsten Sinema. This week, the entire Progressive wing of the Democrat party has gone into meltdown mode and have especially targeted Sinema, supposedly because her Senate seat is somewhat less sure than Manchin’s. A major pro-choice group is pulling their funding from her campaign. In response, I made a contribution and then sent the following text to her office:
This evening I contributed to your campaign as a thank you for your crucial part in basically saving America over the matter of the filibuster. When I read today that a major prochoice group was going to cut your funding, I made the decision to pitch in a small amount to make up the difference. I’m from [redacted], I’m an Independent (former Republican), but most of all, I’m conservative. I probably would not support most of your positions, but all of that pales in consideration of the threat of the United States becoming a one party autocracy. While there are other legislators that are far closer to me ideologically, I can’t express how grateful I am for you to stand up to what I’d consider the equivalent of a coup. Thank you.
I‘m not in the political contribution class and I’m far more inclined to focus on local elections. The notion of sending money to a candidate, even an ally, that may ultimately betray your trust once they get to the land of high-pressure party compromise, DC, is unseemly to me. To see someone that is not really in my camp then stand in the gap and prevent the takeover of the United States is a very special exception that by far transcends any ideological differences. Sinema and Manchin went to Washington to accomplish a lot of things that I’d not approve of, but once there, presented with what has to be overwhelming pressure and hate to fold in their principles, they stood fast for what matters most. You can’t ask anything more from a legislator. Thank you Senator Joe Manchin and Senator Kyrsten Sinema.