Barry F. Bauchwitz: An independent Cheney gives hope for stamping of the ‘Big Lie’

By Barry F. Bauchwitz

Last month, I wrote a letter to Rep. Liz Cheney, and it seems others have some of the same ideas.

I wrote to her as a concerned American. While I do not support all of her political views, I have enormous respect for her continued effort to speak with honesty, integrity and truthfulness, regardless of the personal consequences.

I urged her to seek the presidency as an independent, reaching across the aisle to a Democrat as a running mate. It’s time the country stopped the divisiveness and act as civil Americans who accept compromise and the overall best interest of the country.

It is crystal clear that the “Big Lie” is still in play and the current plan is to gain legislative leverage in many swing states as well as the congress. I fear that the former president will in fact be correct in the claim of election fraud. The fraud that I am talking about is not the results of the 2020 election but rather the upcoming elections. For example, if a “Trumplican” is elected governor in Pennsylvania he then can pick the secretary of state who oversees and certifies elections. The Trump-endorsed candidate is a believer and supporter of the Big Lie.

The legislation passed by several swing states is a blatant attempt to suppress the vote. Any by rare coincidence that suppressed vote appears to be against those who are in opposition to the Big Lie. If this is unchecked and in fact happens we can kiss our democracy goodbye. If Trump had his way, he would ignore the Constitution and would have the backing of the now pro-Trump Supreme Court.

This has become nothing like the country in which I grew up. We trusted our government to always do “the right thing.” We remained a steadfast supporter of what’s “right and just” for the world to see. We were the leader of all countries who shared that vision. NATO is a perfect example of that. Trump did irreparable damage to NATO and luckily the Ukrainian War (unlucky for the Ukrainians) has driven NATO closer together again. But NATO has kept the world safe from tyranny for nearly 75 years. I needn’t go into the issues that were created during the last administration. Suffice it to say that bullying our “allies” publicly on the world stage, because of their contributions to defense, is not what international diplomacy is all about.

At any rate, I am pleading with Cheney to throw her hat in the ring as an independent candidate for the presidency of the United States. As I said before, I don’t agree with many of her conservative views, but I trust her to be honest, fair, just and to do the “right thing.” In the spirit of bipartisanship, I would respectfully suggest that she reach across the “continental divide” and approach Sen. Joe Manchin to join her in that effort. He is a Democrat, but again he is honest, respected, principled and trusted to do what’s best for America.

At the very least, this would ensure that the votes would be split nationally, and the likes of Trump, Ron DeSantis, Ted Cruz and Marjorie Taylor-Green would not be the new norm in this country. I live only 100 miles from the Canadian border and hope that I don’t have to consider relocating if the country and its principles that we know and love are trashed by those that want to cling to power for power’s sake or worse – support those who do just so they can receive the blessing by “kissing the ring” of the boss.

Barry F. Bauchwitz lives in Spokane Valley.