Memo to J. Peder Zane: We ‘Never Trumpers’ have chosen country over party

J. Peder Zane’s recent column calling out we “Never Trump” Republicans and focusing on former Republican Gov. Jim Martin in particular is just another myopic “Fox News” diatribe trying to justify a vote for Trump. It not only misses the mark. It’s disengaged from the truth.

In his column Zane notes that “Never Trumpers” focus on character. You bet we do. Speaking of character, let’s reflect for a moment on Jim Martin. When it comes to faith, his life and career have reflected his strong grounding in the Presbyterian Church. As the son of a minister, he never needed to stage “faith scenes” holding a Bible in front of a church while riot police pounded demonstrators for his benefit.

Zane claims that it’s Biden who is dividing our country along racial lines, astoundingly ignoring Trump’s support for racist groups and individuals. Martin sought to bring people together during his time as county commissioner, congressman and governor. That’s character.

While we’re comparing Trump to Martin, let me add that Martin always has believed in science. He has a PhD in chemistry from Princeton University and was a distinguished professor at Davidson College. Trump ignores science whether on his abysmal handling of the COVID-19 crisis or belittling climate change. Zane’s assertion that Trump’s response to COVID-19 “has been far better than his critics allow” is not only ludicrous but totally unsupported by facts. It didn’t take the Bob Woodward book to tell us that Trump was far less concerned about the safety and well-being of the American public than about his poll numbers and re-election efforts. Two hundred thousand deaths and still climbing equals “far better than his critics allow”?

Russia and Trump

Another delusional statement in Zane’s piece contends that Trump’s involvement with Russia and Russian interference in the 2016 election was a “hoax.” I suppose “Mr. Conservative” Zane is one of those who doesn’t believe our intelligence agencies or the recent Senate Foreign Affairs Committee report with Richard Burr as chair calling out Trump world’s knee-deep involvement with Putin and his cronies.

The rhetorical question Zane ask of Martin and those of us who have worked building the Republican Party over the years is how we could allow ourselves to “be used” by Democrats in opposing Trump? The legions of Republicans in North Carolina and around the country who have rejected the hate-filled Tweets, trampling of constitutional principles and gross incompetence of Donald Trump can give you more answers than space allows.

Turning away

Across the country Republicans, former Republicans who’ve left the party and conservative leaning voters have simply been sickened by the unethical, disgraceful and harmful conduct of Trump. As Trump now aggressively lies about voting by mail alternatives in the upcoming election, he refuses to acknowledge the fundamental concept of the peaceful transfer of power after an election. It’s overt threats to the underpinnings of our democratic system like that, that result in so many Republicans and former Republicans making the decision to support Joe Biden - not Trump.

The choice for Republicans like Martin isn’t easy. In his case, he has not expressed support for Trump but has not yet decided to say he’s voting for Joe Biden. You can put former President George W. Bush in that same category. I personally know lots of long-time Republicans who have simply had it with Trump and the dangerous mindset that he brings to the presidency. They haven’t stepped up to say whether they’ll vote for Biden or not but then, after all, that’s what secret ballots are all about.

Those of us dismissed by Zane as “former Republican poohbahs” who are openly and assertively denouncing Trump and supporting Joe Biden are reaching out to like-minded fellow North Carolinians. We sincerely believe that Donald Trump is destroying the very fundamental constitutional principles that this country was founded on. In 2020, the choice really is country over party.