First Draft of Letter to POTUS from (White Moderate) GOP Senators

Hey team! When we spoke earlier — we didn’t really know how to get started on this letter to POTUS. But I found a good template, and made some edits to get us started. I left in the original language and just crossed it out because I wanted you to see how good the original was. These guys were great writers AND made good points. I took out all the stuff about race because that didn’t seem relevant. Let me know what you think!

-Susan

A̶l̶a̶b̶a̶m̶a̶ ̶C̶l̶e̶r̶g̶y̶m̶e̶n̶’̶s̶ ̶L̶e̶t̶t̶e̶r̶ ̶T̶o̶ ̶D̶r̶.̶ ̶M̶a̶r̶t̶i̶n̶ ̶L̶u̶t̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶K̶i̶n̶g̶,̶ ̶J̶r̶.̶

Letter to POTUS re: COVID Relief (DRAFT)

A̶p̶r̶i̶l̶ ̶1̶2̶,̶ ̶1̶9̶6̶3̶ January 31, 2021

We the undersigned c̶l̶e̶r̶g̶y̶m̶e̶n̶ Senators are among those who in January, i̶s̶s̶u̶e̶d̶ ̶”̶A̶n̶ ̶A̶p̶p̶e̶a̶l̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶L̶a̶w̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶O̶r̶d̶e̶r̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶C̶o̶m̶m̶o̶n̶ ̶S̶e̶n̶s̶e̶,̶”̶ didn’t say the election was stolen and therefore showed unprecedented moral courage and willingness to deal with i̶n̶ ̶d̶e̶a̶l̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶r̶a̶c̶i̶a̶l̶ problems in A̶l̶a̶b̶a̶m̶a̶ The United States. We expressed understanding that honest convictions in r̶a̶c̶i̶a̶l̶ matters could properly be pursued in t̶h̶e̶ ̶c̶o̶u̶r̶t̶s̶ Congress, if we wanted to, but urged that lack of decisions of t̶h̶o̶s̶e̶ ̶c̶o̶u̶r̶t̶s̶ Congress should in the meantime be peacefully o̶b̶e̶y̶e̶d̶ understood.

Since that time there had been some evidence of increased forbearance and a willingness to face facts. R̶e̶s̶p̶o̶n̶s̶i̶b̶l̶e̶ ̶c̶i̶t̶i̶z̶e̶n̶s̶ Democratic lawmakers have undertaken to work on various problems, and their work has w̶h̶i̶c̶h̶ caused r̶a̶c̶i̶a̶l̶ friction and unrest. In B̶i̶r̶m̶i̶n̶g̶h̶a̶m̶ The United States, recent public events- such as the insurrection at the Capitol that almost got our coworkers killed, but really was not a big deal, followed by President Biden’s call for unity- have given indication that we all have opportunity for a new constructive and realistic approach to r̶a̶c̶i̶a̶l̶ our many national problems, but we are only going to talk about COVID.

However, we are now confronted by a series of d̶e̶m̶o̶n̶s̶t̶r̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶s̶ calls to action by some of our N̶e̶g̶r̶o̶ ̶c̶i̶t̶i̶z̶e̶n̶s̶ Democratic Members of Congress and the President directed and led in part by o̶u̶t̶s̶i̶d̶e̶r̶s̶̶̶socialists. We recognize the natural impatience of poor people who feel that their hopes of being able to pay rent and buy food are slow in being realized. But we are convinced that these d̶e̶m̶o̶n̶s̶t̶r̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶s̶ attempts at passing far reaching legislation that supports our citizens who are struggling are unwise and untimely because someone who doesn’t deserve the money might get some by accident.

We agree rather with c̶e̶r̶t̶a̶i̶n̶ ̶l̶̶̶o̶̶̶c̶̶̶a̶̶̶l̶̶̶ ̶̶̶N̶̶̶e̶̶̶g̶̶̶r̶̶̶o̶̶̶ ̶̶̶l̶̶̶e̶̶̶a̶̶̶d̶̶̶e̶̶̶r̶̶̶s̶̶̶h̶̶̶i̶̶̶p̶̶̶ ̶̶̶w̶̶̶h̶̶̶i̶̶̶c̶̶̶h̶̶̶ each other, the undersigned, who h̶a̶s̶ called for honest and open and never-ending negotiation of r̶a̶c̶i̶a̶l̶ issues in o̶u̶r̶ ̶a̶r̶e̶a̶ Congress. And we believe this kind of facing of issues can best be accomplished b̶y̶ ̶c̶i̶t̶i̶z̶e̶n̶s̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶o̶u̶r̶ ̶o̶w̶n̶ ̶m̶e̶t̶r̶o̶p̶o̶l̶i̶t̶a̶n̶ ̶a̶r̶e̶a̶ ̶w̶h̶i̶t̶e̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶N̶e̶g̶r̶o̶,̶ ̶m̶e̶e̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶i̶r̶ ̶k̶n̶o̶w̶l̶e̶d̶g̶e̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶e̶x̶p̶e̶r̶i̶e̶n̶c̶e̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶l̶o̶c̶a̶l̶ ̶s̶i̶t̶u̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ using our less expensive plan and generally letting us, the GOP, take the lead on things. All of us need to face that responsibility and find proper channels for its accomplishment.

Just as we formerly pointed out that “hatred and violence have no sanction in our religious and political tradition” by supporting the election results, we also point out that such actions -like trying to give poor people money and trying to hold the former President responsible for inciting an insurrection and implying that we had anything to do with that insurrection- as incite to hatred and violence, however t̶e̶c̶h̶n̶i̶c̶a̶l̶l̶y̶ ̶p̶e̶a̶c̶e̶f̶u̶l̶ included in our job description those actions may be, have not contributed to the resolution of our l̶o̶c̶a̶l̶ problems. We do not believe that these days of new hope are days when extreme measures are justified in B̶i̶r̶m̶i̶n̶g̶h̶a̶m̶ The United States.

We commend t̶h̶e̶ ̶c̶o̶m̶m̶u̶n̶i̶t̶y̶ ̶a̶s̶ ̶a̶ ̶w̶h̶o̶l̶e̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶l̶o̶c̶a̶l̶ ̶n̶e̶w̶s̶ ̶m̶e̶d̶i̶a̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶l̶a̶w̶ ̶e̶n̶f̶o̶r̶c̶e̶m̶e̶n̶t̶ ̶o̶f̶f̶i̶c̶i̶a̶l̶s̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶p̶a̶r̶t̶i̶c̶u̶l̶a̶r̶, ourselves on the calm manner in which these d̶e̶m̶o̶n̶s̶t̶r̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶s̶ issues- especially COVID- have been handled. We urge the p̶u̶b̶l̶i̶c̶ Democrats to continue to show restraint s̶h̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶d̶e̶m̶o̶n̶s̶t̶r̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶s̶ ̶c̶o̶n̶t̶i̶n̶u̶e̶ and try not to get too much accomplished, and the law enforcement officials to remain calm and continue to protect our city from violence, even if a lot of the violence was caused by off-duty law enforcement officers. But again, we only want to talk about COVID.

We further strongly urge o̶u̶r̶ ̶o̶w̶n̶ ̶N̶e̶g̶r̶o̶ ̶c̶o̶m̶m̶u̶n̶i̶t̶y̶ Members of Congress to withdraw support from these d̶e̶m̶o̶n̶s̶t̶r̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶s̶ socialist pieces of legislation and instead support our paltry proposal, and to unite l̶o̶c̶a̶l̶l̶y̶ in working peacefully for a better B̶i̶r̶m̶i̶n̶g̶h̶a̶m̶ United States. When rights are consistently denied, be it rights to food and housing, or to health care, or to equality in front of the law, or to not be tortured by the state, or to be able to vote without suppression, a cause should be pressed in the c̶o̶u̶r̶t̶s̶ hallowed halls of Congress and in negotiations among l̶o̶c̶a̶l̶ Republican leaders, and not i̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶s̶t̶r̶e̶e̶t̶s̶ unilaterally by the party that won the House, Senate, and Presidency. We appeal to both our w̶h̶i̶t̶e̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶N̶e̶g̶r̶o̶ ̶c̶i̶t̶i̶z̶e̶n̶r̶y̶ Republican and Democrat lawmakers to observe the principles̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶l̶a̶w̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶o̶r̶d̶e̶r̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶c̶o̶m̶m̶o̶n̶ ̶s̶e̶n̶s̶e of letting Republicans continue to set the agenda and hold the country hostage.

Sincerely,

Senators Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Bill Cassidy, Mitt Romney, Rob Portman, Shelly Moore Capito, Todd Young, Jerry Moran, M. Michael Rounds, and Thom Tillis