Dan Sullivan

I’ve become increasingly more engaged in politics over the last year due to a combination of finishing my university schooling and the frenzy that has been the current national presidential administration. I’ve also become increasingly concerned and alarmed at the policies and actions that this administration has taken. While some are a matter of difference of opinion, others are atrocities.

Deporting immigrants is a difference of policy; rounding people up based on the color of their skin and detaining them in concentration camps with poor conditions is an atrocity. The death of civilians at the hands of the government can be construed as an error; lying about the character of these civilians and the danger they posed to federal officers is an atrocity. Shrinking the size of the federal government is a difference of policy; firing people on the basis of race and sex is an atrocity. Whether we capture the leader of a foreign country is a difference of policy; abusing executive power to do so is an atrocity. Starting another war in the Middle East is a difference of policy; abusing executive power again to do so, murdering schoolchildren and other civilians, and threatening the genocide of a nation are all atrocities.

I have written many messages to all my representatives in the federal government: Sen. Dan Sullivan, Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Rep. Nick Begich. I’ve expressed my desire for them to do something about these atrocities; to do as they are constitutionally required and limit the power of the executive; to do as they are humanly obligated and limit these atrocities.

After Donald Trump’s April 7 Truth Social post stating, “A whole nation will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” I wrote to all of them expressing my desire that Donald Trump be removed from office. I believe anyone who threatens genocide should be removed from office, no matter how good their other policies might be. I don’t believe I am exaggerating the issue of this message, and I am not alone.

This Monday, June 1, I finally received a response from Dan Sullivan, something I appreciated as I have yet to hear from my other congressional delegates. What I did not appreciate was his response. He started by thanking me for contacting him. He explained the impeachment process, that the role of the Senate is to try the impeachment and does not start the impeachment process. He then went on to say, “The impeachment power should not be considered lightly by the people and their Congressional representatives and must be limited to serious offences — not policy disagreements. I remain focused on working with President Trump (...)” He then went on to explain the Trump administration’s policies that he believes are good for Alaskans.

For Dan Sullivan, threats of genocide aren’t cause for removal from office; they are a “policy disagreement.” This gives the impression that Sen. Sullivan cares more about the MAGA agenda than what is humane, what is best for the world, our nation or even our state. He supports and is complicit in these atrocities. I sincerely hope that this fall we elect someone who will care about these atrocities and be active in fighting against them.

Branson Lee is an Anchorage resident and lifelong Alaskan.