It is with great interest and admiration that the nation watched Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) stand before the nation and declare that “I will do everything that I can to make sure the former President (Trump) never goes anywhere near the Oval Office again.” Wow!

Kevin McCarthy and Mitch McConnell should have such courage! Any Republican worth his or her salt ought to pay attention and begin to do some “soul-searching” as time moves relentlessly toward 2022 and the mid-term elections. This woman stands for SOMETHING.

If nothing else is evident in the aftermath of the Trump Presidency, it is clear HE WAS IN IT FOR HIMSELF. Unfortunately, for the likes of McCarthy and McConnell, the party can only handle one such aberration in leadership in generation. The futile attempts of the “leaders” of the Republican Party to replicate Trump-like fervor among their constituents will prove to be baseless in the long run. Democrats are already planning to use the Republican Party’s stubborn adherence to baseless lies against them in future elections.

Americans are not stupid. They may be swayed by shiny objects and lose their senses for a while but eventually shiny fades and even Republicans have to face REALITY. Trump is yesterday’s news. History will record his presidency as an experiment that did not go well, for anyone. Ms. Cheney is correct to point this out and to keep reminding her fellow Republicans of this fact. The question is, “Will they listen?”

Republicans have had other profiles in courage in the recent past: John McCain when he stood up to Trump on the Healthcare vote in the Senate, Mitt Romney when he voted to remove Trump from office and Republicans across the country who voted to replace Trump with Joe Biden. The country needs the Republican Party but not the current version that has abandoned principles of balanced spending, foreign policy leadership and support for the rule of Law.

As Ms. Cheney said so well in her remarks, a President who tramples on the Constitution for his own personal gain has no place in the White House. What she left unsaid is that McCarthy and McConnell have no place in Washington either.

Teresa R. Porter

Marietta