Today Republican Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona, a staunch critic of Donald Trump, announced that he will not seek reelection next year. In a powerful speech on the Senate floor, he decried attacks on our democratic principles and institutions, and urged others to speak out: "It is time for our complicity and our accommodation of the unacceptable to end…None of these appalling features of our current politics should ever be regarded as normal… And when such behavior emanates from the top of our government, it is something else. It is dangerous to a democracy. Such behavior does not project strength because our strength comes from our values. It instead projects a corruption of the spirit and weakness. It is often said that children are watching. Well, they are. And what are we going to do about that?" "Leadership knows that most often a good place to start in assigning blame is to look somewhat closer to home. Leadership knows where the buck stops. Humility helps, character counts. Leadership does not knowingly encourage or feed ugly or debased appetites in us. Leadership lives by the American creed, E pluribus unum…We were not made great as a country by indulging in or even exalting our worst impulses, turning against ourselves, glorifying in the things that divide us, and calling fake things true and true things fake." "We must be unafraid to stand up and speak out as if our country depends on it, because it does." I appreciate Flake's call to action. More Republicans must find the political courage to put country ahead of party. The danger Trump poses to our democracy crosses party lines and strikes at the heart of our deepest values. We all have a duty to speak out.
Posted by Robert Reich on Tuesday, October 24, 2017
