‘ No compromise and no complicity’

Though most Americans would like to trust their presidents, many Democrats already know clearly in the past four weeks there can be no trust when alternative facts replace documented evidence. A thinskinned bully sitting in the Oval Office, with a well- known alt- right messiah as his chief strategist, is now the Republican standard- bearer.

While Trump’s rich, white and wealthy good old boys’ club has already attacked Native Americans, Muslims, brown and black immigrants, women, scientists, Chicagoans, Californians and other urban dwellers, it has also promised to reward regime supporters. There can be no compromise and no complicity with this agenda.

Campaign rhetoric promised protection of Medicare and Social Security and that no one would lose health care access, but now Republicans gloat about gutting the social safety net. They lie through disingenuous messaging and a massive advertising effort about what’s really ahead for millions of Americans, among them the elderly and the sick, who absolutely will lose their health care.

Hard- fought, carefully considered regulations protecting health, safety and income are being discarded without delay under the guise of freeing American industry to create jobs in regions and states to be rewarded for their election performance. People in professions vital to our democracy, such as judges and reporters, have been mocked, criticized and bullied.

There can be no compromise with this regime, because compromise with injustice is impossible and indefensible. The Democrats must not compromise with this regime lest they be complicit in the demise of many human rights both domestically and abroad.

Political differences are to be expected, but moral, ethical and constitutional compromise with Trump amounts to irreparably damaging the nation, millions of our citizens and our standing in the world.

Policy squabbles are part of progress unless and until America stops being the nation where the ideal of freedom and justice for all rings true as the shared goal for all elected to serve. This regime does not share this goal.