My mother dedicated her entire life to the Republican Party, the party of John Calvin Coolidge, Dwight David Eisenhower, Henry Cabot Lodge and Margaret Chase Smith (the latter two she counted among her friends). That party, composed of honest, decent and traditionally conservative Americans, no longer exists.

Today’s GOP is made up of Mitch McConnell, Kevin McCarthy, Jim Jordan, and yes, Mark Meadows, men intent on retaining power no matter the cost. If that means ignoring long established law and precedent, if it means disregarding the Constitution, even if it means violating their oaths of office, most of today’s Republicans consider all those things a small price to pay for access to unlimited wealth, power and influence.

During the two impeachments of the former president I wrote to every Republican United States senator twice, several Republican representatives (twice) and other Republicans, asking them, begging them, imploring them, pleading with their better selves to put partisan politics aside and do the right thing. I didn’t change a single mind — and of that (regrettably) I have no doubt.

I did receive three responses, one each from North Carolina senators (Richard Burr and Thom Tillis), who offered substantively nothing, and one from Mark Meadows, who wrote the following: “I am committed to working on your behalf to hold the President accountable and maintain the Constitutional balance of power between Congress and the President.” I don’t know if I’m more angry that he told me a bald-faced lie or that he thinks I’m ignorant enough to believe it.

I truly believe that the present-day Republican Party is purposefully rigging the political system in its favor through gerrymandering and controlling the vote count. This will render majority rule and our democratic form of government effectively obsolete. It deeply concerns me that neither Democrats or the average citizen seem willing, able, or even remotely intent on stopping them. Is it possible this is what it looks like when a democracy dies and nobody cares?

David L. Snell 

Franklin