Response to Sam Graves column

In his recent Straight Talk with Sam, Representative Graves disagrees with President Biden’s actions. An excerpt:

“The hallmark of the first month of the Biden Administration has been promises made, promises broken. We were promised unity.” The rest is on the Forum website.

As an Independent since resigning as a Republican in the nineties, I agree he makes a valid point, but his view of unity seems at odds with President Biden’s who is reuniting America with the world and quickly activated FEMA to assist the Texas emergency.

Unity? Has Mr. Graves forgotten the role he and other Republicans played in denying the 2020 election results being certified? Few elected Republicans accepted the final vote, a denial which precipitated the Capitol insurrection on the January sixth counting of Electoral College votes.

While I don’t like to take or give advice I encourage Republicans to consider their situation. There is a fissure in Republicanism. America needs Republicans who are focused on “forming a more perfect union” as they have in the past.

It has been reported recently that there are more than one hundred bills in state legislatures intent on limiting voter access. Anyone who saw the long lines in the Georgia Senate races, won decisively by two Democrats defeating incumbent Republicans, should see this as a failed effort.

Unity means everyone gets to participate – voters, Democrats, Republicans, Independents – everyone. I hope the Republicans get the message, soon. We need their help, but unity doesn’t mean they rule.

–– Gordon Hill

Maryville