A very dear friend of mine, (bright, witty, charming and GORGEOUS), with whom I discuss matters both political and motorcycle, sent this to me. I’m putting it here in it’s entirety. You NEED to read this!

Oh No You Didn’t ~ Claire T. Peterson

I was never a very political person. My dad never announced how he voted and
although he was prone to be a bit preachy, one of his perhaps not so endearing
legacies to moi, my formative years were not filled with party affiliations, or political
slogans, etc. I did grow up with a deep, abiding love of God, flag and country
however, and still tear up every time I hear our national anthem.
I was a child of the 60’s and was pretty clueless as to what all of the hubbub was
about. I didn’t understand the racial issues; the Vietnam War was a mystery; the
assassination of the Kennedy’s and Dr. King were horrors, to be sure, but I still was
dancing on the outside of the bubble. I think I was like most young people
concentrating on job, career, home, kids, whatever.
That has all changed. I am heavily invested in what happens in our world. I believe
in personal endeavor, reward for accomplishment, saving for big purchases, smaller
government, and the idea that each of us steer our own ship. I refuse to vote for
criminals and know the national debt is an abomination. Thus, I am a Conservative
American. Having little choice, I checked the “Republican” box when registering to
vote and although I have voted “the other” party from time to time, I paid a
membership in 2013 to attend the Republican Women’s chapter in the city where I
had recently located just to get involved.
I’d like to share a letter I felt compelled to write recently regarding an envelope I
retrieved from my mailbox with a large red stamp: NOTICE OF DELINQUENCY.
Upon further inspection, I noticed it was from the Office of Records, Kentucky Area
Assessment. I immediately thought I had failed to pay my property taxes or some
other such calamity. (I told you I was a child of the 60’s when people cared about
those kinds of things.)
When I opened it I was completely thrown for it was from the Republican Party,
signed by Reince Priebus, reminding me that I have not renewed my Republican
Party “membership”. My first reaction was “Are you flippin’ kidding me?” My
second reaction was to write the following letter:
Reince Priebus
Chairman, Republican National Committee
310 First Street, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Dear Mr. Priebus,
Imagine my reaction when I received a letter with a big red NOTICE OF DELINQUENCY stamp
on the envelope. The return address was Office of Records, Kentucky Area Assessment. Oh my!
What is this? Did my property taxes not get paid? What could this be? I opened it and read the
letter with your signature at the bottom excoriating me for not sending membership dues to the
Republican Party.
How dare you, sir! Under what premise do you presume the authority over me to declare me
delinquent in pledging my money to support the Republican Party?
I am NOT a Republican! I AM a Conservative American. If I chose to align myself with the GOP it
was from a conservative point of view and has been left in the dust along with the bones of the
dinosaurs that run the party and have abdicated their responsibilities of principle and supporting
the will of the people.
You guys just don’t get it! You, McConnell, the late, un-great John Boehner, and all the crony
good old-boys can kiss my grits. You’re done! You overplayed your hand with vaporized
promises, outright lies and years of sub-standard candidates who were incapable of being the
change in a changing world. You need to get out of the way.
I pray America doesn’t fall with the Republican Party. I love my country but you and your grand
strategies have utterly failed for lack of conviction and adherence to conservative values upon
which the party/country was based. You sold out: the values, the people, THE COUNTRY.
So, go away. Leave me alone. I will decide for myself for whom to vote and/or support financially.
I suggest you inflate your life vest: your boat is sinking.
Sincerely,etc., etc.
I will discuss my politics anytime, anyplace. If I’ve learned anything at all it’s that
keeping silent is not the answer. I firmly believe that we’ve never, in our entire
history as a country, had an honest election. Too much is at stake for the moneygrubbers in Congress and the power grabbers that surround them. We’re going
down a dark path and it may lead to our destruction if we don’t get our heads out of
our butts. The change starts with us, you and me. If we don’t do it we fall prey to
those who will.

Thank you, Claire! I am in your shadow.