I have spent most of my life uninvolved in politics. I actually have intentionally avoided any thoughts in that arena. But as I have matured, I have realized that avoiding politics is to only allow other people to make my decisions for me.
Some of those people don't have the same values or ideas of right and wrong as I do. So if I want things to go in the direction I choose, I better pick up a bat and step to the plate.
Let's talk about trust. When we elect someone to represent us in any elected position, they are essentially being hired by us — the voters. We are bombarded with campaign promises, and the candidates are essentially asking us to trust them to take our values and ideals with them when they go to Olympia and Washington, D.C.
It seems that trust is a precious commodity when we are speaking of politicians. Unfortunately some of them treat our trust as just a load of manure. Maybe that is because they are so accustomed to giving us empty promises when they campaign that nothing they say is really any more worthy than that load of manure?
As I have learned, there are two main groups of politicians: Democrats and Republicans. One group believes in bigger government while the other just wants to be left alone to live our lives. Republicans seem to prefer the government stay out of our lives while the Democrats want to have more and more control over the people.
The problem with simply wanting to be left alone allows the group of bigger government followers to take charge. Edmund Burke once said, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." So if higher taxes, late-term abortions and open borders are something that is acceptable to you, then maybe the Democrats are OK with you? I wonder how many recently unemployed oil workers and United Auto Workers are still satisfied with their vote for the Democrats?
I spent 30 years of my life as a firefighter AND paramedic. My job was to do everything I could to save lives, even at the risk of my own. My values and beliefs simply cannot approve of the ideas of allowing a baby to die much less intentionally causing the death of a baby.
The group of people who approve of this are in complete opposition to my beliefs. So when a elected representative as Jaime Herrara Beutler votes with the group of people who accept the idea of abortion, I just couldn't sit on the sidelines anymore.
I realize this issue was not one of abortion, but nevertheless, she stood with the people who proudly approve of abortion as one of their platform tenets. This time it was about impeaching our elected president, the man whose first tenet was America First. Who knows what Jaime's next position will be? How far will she fall from the beliefs and values of the people of Southwest Washington? We trusted her.
I trusted her.
For me, my stance is that I will never trust her again.
I was one of the voters who hired her and I know I won't ever do that again. As a former firefighter and paramedic, I know how truly important it is to trust the members of your team. It is time to put her back on the sidelines and elect someone we can count on to stand with us.
Dave Germain
Toledo
