Liz Cheney, not Blackburn and McCarthy, should be the soul of the GOP | Opinion

Rep. Liz Cheney or Sen. Marsha Blackburn – who is the soul of the GOP?

“I cannot in good conscience turn a blind eye to the countless allegations of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election. On January 6, I will vote in favor of objecting to the certification of the electoral college results.” – Blackburn, Jan. 2, 2021

"Tonight, I say this to my Republican colleagues who are defending the indefensible: There will come a day when Donald Trump is gone, but your dishonor will remain." – Cheney, June 9, 2022.

Democrats want democracy preserved, even when they lose. It’s the GOP that has changed its approach and inclusiveness.

With a few exceptions, like Cheney, the GOP of Blackburn is the party advocating the overthrow of free and fair elections. Even though after the Jan. 6 insurrection she changed course and ultimately voted to certify Joe Biden’s electoral votes, Blackburn encouraged the rebellion by her words on Jan. 2.

In addition, she refused to vote to convict Trump for his outrageous conduct, stating, “The House Impeachment Managers launched an unconstitutional show trial to humiliate the former President and his supporters.”

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Back when I was an elected official and chairman of a rural county Republican Party in Georgia, I was very conservative fiscally but liberal on social issues. Even though I recently changed parties to become a Democrat, my political views are still the same. I still believe that elected officials must spend the taxpayers' money carefully, based on quantitative cost-benefit analysis (which is why I was elected twice). But I also still advocate for progressive positions on things like voter registration, redistricting, gun control and abortion.

I did not care for Vice President Dick Cheney back then, and do not today. Rep. Liz Cheney is Dick’s kid, so I automatically disliked her, a fault on my part. At least until the Jan. 6 riot.

Even though we still disagree on virtually all social issues, conservative Liz Cheney has become one of my heroes. The “why” is obvious: she has the guts to stand up for democracy, even at great personal expense to herself. Blackburn is the exact opposite, following the herd mentality in the GOP regarding impeachment and (prior to the riot) supporting Trump’s “big lie," regardless of facts.

Before the insurrection, Cheney was No. 3 in the House leadership. Simply for exposing the truth about the insurrection, she was purged from all leadership positions by Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, an even less admirable character than Blackburn.

Here is what McCarthy said immediately after the Jan. 6 riot: “The president bears responsibility for Wednesday’s attack on Congress by mob rioters. He should have immediately denounced the mob when he saw what was unfolding.” And when asked about Trump resigning, he said, "That would be my recommendation.''

But here is what McCarthy said just a week later, when he realized the GOP base was buying Trump’s lies: “I don’t believe he provoked it, if you listen to what he said at the rally.”

McCarthy (and Blackburn) then proceeded to oppose what should have been bipartisan efforts to impeach Trump. He then attempted to put obvious Trump apologists/obstructionists on the House Select Committee on the Jan. 6 Attack to investigate the insurrection, a move blocked by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who, appointed Cheney and GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger.

Cheney has proceeded to acquit herself admirably, as has Kinzinger. They have put their nation and democracy above personal ambition. But Cheney has received no support from Blackburn or any other GOP stalwart in the Senate.

McCarthy, like Blackburn, is playing the rubes for all he can get. Unfortunately, his strategy is working. The chances are that, due to inflation and unethical GOP redistricting on the state level, the House will turn red in November. The soulless, spineless McCarthy will become majority leader of the House. And courageous Liz Cheney will lose her House seat, being primaried by yet another Trump apologist.

What has this nation come to when gutless people like McCarthy are elevated to positions of great authority and heroes like Cheney are out of power? And why isn’t Blackburn, as well as other GOP politicians, condemning this sorry state of affairs?

Jack Bernard was the first director of health planning for Georgia. As a corporate executive with health care corporations, he did planning and/or cost containment for many hospitals in Tennessee.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Opinion: Cheney, not Blackburn and McCarthy, should be soul of GOP