Mitt Romney was the first senator in history to vote against his party on impeachment.
Mitt Romney is a rare man. In the 14 Senate impeachment trials in the history of the United States, he is the first senator ever to vote against his party on the matter of an impeachment. As true leaders often do, Mitt Romney stands alone in following his moral compass, and this is an act of patriotism and selflessness that has earned him my respect.
But what does Mitt Romney’s first-in-history act say about the United States as a nation? We all hear the talking points about patriotism, make our country great, democracy is important, blah, blah, and we hear it even more frequently within an election year.
What does the fact that Mitt Romney made history by voting his convictions instead of his party say about our nation?
To me, it says what a lot of activists have been saying for a long time: the United States kind of sucks at impartial justice. Now, maybe that’s because Americans haven’t made it a priority to examine just how well our society actually functions instead of consuming more screen time. Maybe it’s because, even though our reputation as hard workers is well-earned and something to respect, taking the time to honestly assess our adherence to our own stated values isn’t something we typically feel we have time to do.
But the fact remains that Mitt Romney’s vote having been the first in history insinuates that we as Americans kind of suck at impartial justice. At the very least, it demonstrates that Congress has almost no history of it. It’s very important, as we watch this president attempt to seize power, that we reckon with this fact.
Does this mean that the values of justice, rule of law, and impartiality should be abandoned as hopeless? Absolutely not. If anything, Romney should inspire us with the hope that Congress and we as a nation can do better. History was made, precedent was set, and we have a role model now for living loyalty to country over party. This is a momentous occasion in our history.
Let’s keep it going.
This is a great time to be expecting more of our politicians than talking points that even they forget the next day in favor of the next paid statement. This is a great time to raise the bar for conduct on the campaign trail from empty promises and showmanship to real action that can improve lives. This is a great time to expect our politicians to live the values they spout trying to vie for your vote. And this is a great time for Americans to evaluate how much we value democracy, and how hard we’re willing to work to keep it.
Democracy is valuable far beyond the ability to measure it in money.
The principles laid out in the Constitution all are. Freedom. Pursuit of happiness. Representative democracy. Fundamental human rights. Money can’t replace these things. Nothing does. These things are worth fighting for, and their value is being eroded in public opinion. We talk a lot about the economy, and jobs, and prosperity. We should be talking more about all the things that money can’t buy. You probably won’t miss them until they’re gone, but once they’re gone they’re almost impossible to get back.
Please vote this November.
