Editor:

I am compelled to write today because what is happening in our country is truly frightening. Our president has a nasty habit of firing anyone who investigates ties between his associates and Russia. And, unfortunately, many of our members of Congress have decided to ignore all of this because they are obviously more interested in themselves, their political party and achieving legislative “victories” than actually preserving our democracy. 

If there was one thing we should all be able to agree upon, it’s that our Founders absolutely feared power being consolidated in the executive branch of government. They went to great lengths to devise a system of government that avoided this. 

Yet here we are with a president who has openly advocated limiting the freedom of speech enshrined in the First Amendment, changing the rules of the Senate such that the moderating nature of that chamber is irrevocably altered, and changing the Constitution, and then goes about firing anyone who dares do their job if doing so means they challenge his authority. 

It is now well established that Russia meddled in our electoral process. Any contacts between presidential associates and Russia have to be investigated. This is not a partisan, Democrat or Republican, liberal or conservative issue. This is something that every American should be concerned about. 

I call on Senators Barrasso and Enzi and Representative Cheney to do the jobs they were elected to do. That means standing up for what’s right even when it’s not easy; that means saying “No” to the leader of their own party and even the President of the United States when that is what’s necessary; that means putting Americans and our democracy before their own political gain. 

I implore them not to let temporary political victories blind them to grave circumstances. What’s wrong is wrong, no matter who does it and no matter which party that person belongs to. 

I urge all citizens to contact their legislators, remind them who they work for, and tell them to do their jobs. Democracy only works when we’re all involved — our apathy has brought us perilously close to losing it.  

Sheila McGuire

Evanston