Republicans controlling Congress have been instrumental in transitioning the world’s greatest democracy into a nation governed of, by, and for the rich and privileged — steamrolling tax cuts primarily for corporations and the rich and especially the super rich; jamming through confirmations of right-wing judges; making it harder for poor people and minorities to vote; undercutting access to health care under the Affordable Care Act; failing to provide oversight and investigate corruption of Trump and his appointees; undermining Congressional and Special Counsel investigations of Russian interference in our elections; and acquiescing in Trump’s habitual lying, appeals to prejudice, praise of dictators, denigration of allies, attacks on the free press, and cruel treatment of children in families applying for refugee status.

We had intimations that Republicans seek permanent control of our government when Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that his top priority was to make Obama’s presidency a failure, disregarding whether that would be good for the country; then, contrary to the intent of the Constitution, prevented Obama’s Supreme Court nominee from even getting a hearing. Most recently, Republicans took a big step toward making the Supreme Court their political weapon by confirming a nominee who exhibited extreme bias against Democrats and holds a disturbingly expansive view of presidential immunity from legal process.

Democracy is in peril, and only voters can save it.

Edward Packard

Durango