Checks and balances and the lack there of; an open letter to Congressman Gus Bilirakis

To tthe Honorable  Representative Gus Bilirakis,

It’s too easy for words posed toward one’s own elected congressional representative to be brushed off or outright dismissed with no true response or acknowledgment. This writer has experienced that too many times over the years, if not from your office then from that of Florida’s elected Senators. This writing is not aimed at those senators though. This writing is aimed at you, sir.

Let me be direct, sir: You and your colleagues, the members of the House of Representatives, are being complacent in your position as helping manage and oversee the welfare of these United States. That is playing out far, far too often under the Presidency of Donald J. Trump. Representation of the citizens of your district is not on the agenda as-so-much political party solidarity and loyalty toward the agenda – as erratic as it is – of the Trump Administration.

Sir, I don’t know the history of the Republican Party and its behind-the-scenes agenda that turned politics into warfare, which turned unity of the party into the priority above the operation of the country. Whatever that history is, sir, it’s a failing in 2018. It’s a failure because you and your congressional colleagues have a responsibility of a grander scale that is not party or ideologically driven for the sake and welfare of America.

The United States government is three branches as you should very well already know. They are not to stand together because of political party affiliation over the American society, sir. They’re supposed to keep each other in check. Do you understand that, sir? The fact that the Legislative Branch is not supposed to kneel down before the Executive Branch and accept any and all choices and decisions made by the branch? You and your colleagues surely do not seem to be aware of this. Instead of holding the Executive Branch in check, party solidarity has reigned in congressional action. It’s turned into partisan drivel that has undermined democracy itself.

You, sir, are part of that.

Checks and balances are part of this government and are not simply to be enforced when someone of the opposite party is in office. They are not simply to be enforced when political party ideology is crossed too narrowly… And yet, sir, you and your Republican colleagues act that way. Under the Executive Branch leadership that started in January 2017, it is leading to the well being of the United States crumbling and falling on a national and geopolitical level. And for what reasons, sir? All too often it seems done for personal gain, arrogance, bigotry, greed, and racism.

Sir, you and your colleagues can’t continue tolerating and enabling the carte blanche expenditures and unethical actions of the Trump Administration. Why do you think there is looming elected action against your party? This blind-eye acceptance of every action by Current Occupant for the sake of loyalty or some unstated reason is working against yourselves as well as the American citizenry you are supposed to represent!

One level of moderation or another is not a crime of action, sir, even if former and current congressional representatives believe it is (and their voting history reflects it as such). For the welfare of this society, sir, a degree of moderation is necessary instead of further allowing the unchecked, unethical and corrupt actions to rule the agenda of United States Government. Moderation is simply saying “no” to some of the actions and choices of the Trump Administration. That “no” statement is not just to be verbalized but shown through legislative action by sitting members of Congress – to hold the Executive Branch in check.

While readers – be they members of your staff or citizens of your district or general readers from elsewhere in Tampa Bay or the United States – might see these words as just a partisan critique or attack from a guy who is politically on the left, it’s not. It’s an attempt by a U.S. citizen, one of the people you’re supposed to represent in government, telling you that you’re working against yourself by only operating with your party and its ideology,, especially now when the United States is in a tailspin under guidance from the Executive Branch and inaction by the Legislative Branch.

Party loyalty and party unity is not American loyalty and American unity. For the sake of American society, sir, please cease the general acceptance of action and choices by the Executive Branch. I assume you and your colleagues may voice discontent and criticism about one thing or another out of the public eye, but that amounts to nothing with continued inaction and tolerance on the record on Capitol Hill.

Your responsibility, sir, is not to represent your party alone and allow whatever. Your responsibility is to the citizens of the United States and to uphold the Constitution and laws of this nation.

You, sir, are failing at this by standing firm with “The Donald” and standing idle for America.