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Wishful Thinking

The recent Sept. 14 press release penned by the Chester GOP (“Republicans Nominate Two for Top Spots”) contained a repeated message beseeching voters to put party labels aside. Republican Town Committee Chairwoman Caroline Kane claimed the party’s candidates would convince voters to “look past party labels” and, “this election is about Chester, not political labels.” Candidate Ron Amara picked up the messaging and “hopes people can put party labels aside.” The press release concludes with Kane once again exhorting people for the fourth time to “put the party labels aside.”

I strongly disagree. At this time in our nation’s fight for democracy, party labels are paramount. One party mounted an insurrection, perpetuated a lie, and disrupted our tradition of a peaceful transfer of power. One party is working to degrade women’s reproductive rights, voting rights, and sensible gun laws. One party supports book bans and targets the LGBTQ community. One party is questioning the existence of climate change and science in general. One party is disrupting our military readiness and has launched a sham impeachment inquiry with no discernible evidence. One party’s 2012 presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, said “A very large portion of my party really doesn’t believe in the Constitution”.

While I live in bucolic Chester, every one of those national issues has implications for me, my family, and my community each day. I hope the Valley Courier respects its readers this election cycle and asks local candidates where they stand on these critical issues, and insists on clear answers to inform the voters.

Put party labels aside? Until there is unequivocal repudiation of what the current Republican party has become, that is wishful thinking.

Karli Gilbertson

Chester