“Here’s the thing. We’re in the fight of our lives right now. Donald Trump and his allies have made it abundantly clear that they will stop at nothing, not even foreign interference, to hold onto power. They’ve already put together more than 300 million dollars. This is our chance. This is our only chance to defeat Donald Trump. And we shouldn’t try to do it with one hand tied behind our back.” — Mayor Pete Buttigieg

The above quote is Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s justification for running a traditionally corrupt campaign. He could’ve said, “Yes, it is messed up, but I promise not to give anyone that has donated to me an Ambassadorship.” He could’ve offered to give the millionaires and billionaires their money back. He could’ve proposed a solution to the campaign finance problem. Instead, he effectively said, “The end justifies the means.” Unfortunately, many American people don’t agree. Many of us would’ve preferred Mayor Buttigieg take the high road.

“When they go low, we go high.” — First Lady Michelle Obama

If we start down this path of using any means necessary to defeat our opponents, what does that say about the character of our country. Mayor Buttigieg’s rhetoric is very Pelosian. This demeanor isn’t good for the country. It doesn’t encourage conversation between people with different political views. In Mayor Buttigieg’s statement he says, “This is our chance. This is our only chance to defeat Donald Trump.” This is of course not true. We have elections in this country every two years. We get to overthrow the government every two years. And, we get to do so by voting.

The way us normal decent Americans convince people to vote with us is through conversation, not corruption. We use our voice, not our wallet. And we don’t vilify people for voting for the candidate we disagree with. Mayor Buttigieg seems less like a leader of a divided nation and more like a perpetuator of divisive behavior. Perhaps Mayor Buttigieg needs to revisit his Profiles in Courage essay that he wrote in 2000 for the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. Below are three quotes from that essay.

“As it stands, our future is at risk due to a troubling tendency towards cynicism among voters and elected officials. The successful resolution of every issue before us depends on the fundamental question of public integrity.” — Mayor Peter Buttigieg “Cynical candidates have developed an ability to outgrow their convictions in order to win power.” — Mayor Peter Buttigieg “Sanders’ positions on many difficult issues are commendable, but his real impact has been as a reaction to the cynical climate which threatens the effectiveness of the democratic system. His energy, candor, conviction, and ability to bring people together stand against the current of opportunism, moral compromise, and partisanship, which runs rampant on the American political scene. He and few others like him have the power to restore principle and leadership in Congress and to win back the faith of a voting public weary and wary of political opportunism. Above all, I commend Bernie Sanders for giving me an answer to those who say American young people see politics as a cesspool of corruption, beyond redemption.” — Mayor Peter Buttigieg

Mayor Buttigieg, if you want to try to justify accepting donations from the 1%, that’s fine. But, don’t expect supporters of Senator Sanders and Senator Warren to follow you into November 2020 while you reinforce our cynicism and perpetuate the divide in America. Republicans are not our enemy. The cesspool of corruption is what we want to change, and you are not beyond redemption. Return the millionaires’ money. Be a leader.