As a lifelong Democrat, I would like to congratulate Sen. Daines on his reelection. Although I did not vote for him and have fundamental differences of opinion on policy, I recognize that the people of Montana voted him into another six-year term in the U.S. Senate.
It is the fact that we have free and fair elections in this country that make us exceptional and separate us from the dictatorships and authoritarian rule that are commonplace throughout the world.
Democracy is strongest when we can look at our ideological differences and then find ways to compromise and come to reasonable solutions, even if imperfect.
That is why I am so concerned that Sen. Daines has chosen to succumb to President Trump’s campaign of misinformation about the election process in our country. Just as Sen. Daines was elected
fairly to his office, so was President-elect Biden. It is the foundation of our democracy that we uphold the rule of law and respect the outcomes of our elections. In his refusal to accept the election results (and additionally asking for money to support unfounded lawsuits), Sen. Daines threatens to undermine the bedrock of this nation’s principles.
I am asking our senator and all of our elected officials to stand up to the false accusations of election fraud and help usher in a peaceful transfer of power from one administration to the next.
There is much work to do to keep our fragile democracy intact, we cannot lose another moment to unsubstantiated claims of fraud. Nothing has ever been more important. We the people of Montana expect much more of our senators.
Susan Neubauer
Bozeman
Bozeman Daily Chronicle Letter to the Editor 11/25/20