Text of Open Letter to be published in local paper
Dear members of Nebraska’s Congressional delegation: (Sen. Fischer, Sen. Ricketts, and Rep. Flood)
We are a group of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, from the Lincoln area, who have become increasingly alarmed by the actions of the federal government since the start of the current administration. We fear these actions pose a threat to our constitutional order and the rule of law – the things that have truly made American democracy great.
We are particularly concerned about:
The deployment of federal troops on our cities’ streets contrary to the wishes of the elected state and local authorities.
The use of unidentified, masked, federal agents to detain, without warrants, non-violent citizens from our schools, workplaces, courts, and other public places.
The violation by the executive branch of the legislative branch’s power of the purse by ignoring duly enacted Congressional appropriations.
The Executive Order 14160 that proposes to remove birthright citizenship from future children born in the United States to non-citizen parents.
The hidden federal tax increases resulting from questionable tariff power claimed by the executive.
The lack of due process for immigrants prior to their confinement in concentration camp-type facilities and/or deportation.
The President’s pursuit of personal vendettas against law firms, universities, and government officials.
These actions, among many others, reflect an executive who seemingly has little if any regard for constitutional limits.
Additionally, it seems that the current Congress is disinterested in protecting its own proper constitutional authority. Many of our representatives appear to have abandoned their oath of office to defend the Constitution and instead have pledged themselves to a man and his policies. Both in the short and long term, these actions and inactions risk our constitutional order and the democratic principles it protects.
We ask that you be some of those few in Congress willing to stand up for the Constitution and our democracy at this perilous time, and to join us in renewing our commitment to being, in the words of John Adams, a nation “of laws, not of men.”
Sincerely,
Your name with 600-700 other Nebraskans