Billy Long: President Trump, Republicans fighting for patriotism, our American values

(From Seventh District Congressman Billy Long)

Patriotism used to be a shared American experience; members of both political parties would set their differences aside, temporarily reminded of our founding values and shared pride in our nation. 

We’d all wave our American flags or proudly display them on our lapels, physical reminders that we are lucky enough to call a nation that celebrates our differences and gives us the freedom to express them home. 

Unfortunately, the principles we value are under attack by the self-righteous and self-proclaimed “woke”, bound and determined to ignore what makes our country great and fixated on their desire to transform the United States into a socialist nation none of us would recognize. 

We are truly in a fight for America, and the contrast between our parties’ respective agendas is crystal clear: Republicans will bring safety and security to our communities, defeat the virus, and restore our economy, while Democrats openly embrace socialism, appease and accept the violent riots happening in our cities, and encourage defunding our police departments.

From the start, Democrats have been transparent about their desire to capitalize on the Coronavirus and have used pandemic relief packages to push their partisan agendas through Congress. Unfortunately, their political pork and wasteful, unrelated spending is derailing critical relief when Americans need it most. They appear bound and determined to push their socialist agendas at any cost, as if the livelihoods of millions of Americans are acceptable collateral damage. 

Meanwhile, Republicans have been unwilling to play their partisan games and have opted for clean bills that prioritize getting rapid support and relief to suffering Americans that are living paycheck to paycheck. 

Likewise, President Trump has made multiple attempts to negotiate additional relief packages, but Speaker Pelosi and Senator Schumer refuse to abandon their outlandish wish lists.

For months we have seen unrest transform into violent riots, yet Democrats at every level refuse to condemn or address the unruly mobs threatening the safety of their fellow citizens across the nation and have repeatedly refused President Trump’s attempts to restore order in our cities. Last weekend, even as violent riots erupted in several Democrat-controlled cities, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler not only pointedly refused President Trump’s offer to send federal assistance into the city to curtail the violence, he openly criticized President Trump and continued to speak in favor of defunding the police. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she will not allow “Donald Trump’s troops” to come to Chicago, even though she has no problem accepting billions of dollars in federal funds. 

Whereas President Trump remains committed to the safety of all American citizens, Democrats do not support sending the National Guard in to control unruly and dangerous left-wing mobs; they actually have called them “peaceful protesters” and have encouraged supporters to donate bail money for the demonstrators who have been arrested for breaking the law.

What President Trump has been able to accomplish in the last three years by building one of the strongest economies in our nation’s history is irrefutable, and the Democrat Party knows it. 

Even with the economic impact of a global pandemic, President Trump has been able to quickly right the ship and consistently produce record-breaking job numbers thanks to his decisive actions. 

Through his business mind and steady leadership, President Trump has successfully navigated this storm and is leading us into calmer waters where the Great American Comeback he’s promised is visibly on the horizon. 

Our founding fathers envisioned a government that safeguards individual freedoms and promotes prosperity; they did not envision a lawless or socialist nation where only certain political ideologies are accepted and others shamed into silence. I am proud to live in a country that celebrates freedom, and I remain committed to protecting it.