1. United States
2. Conn.
3. Letter

I was disappointed to read about your voting with Republicans in the House to table Representative Al Green’s resolution to impeach President Donald Trump. Representative Green is correct that President Trump has disregarded the separation of powers and abuses his presidential powers and authority. He has stolen the power of Congress to declare war, and has taken power for himself. He is singlehandedly turning American democracy into authoritarianism. You may think that voting on Representative Green’s resolution is nothing more than a show vote, that Democrats are not in power, that nothing can be done about it, but these types of votes matter. They are important to demonstrate a Democratic Party that is rising to meet the moment even when Republicans will not. If these types of votes are just show votes, if they are merely symbolic, it’s precisely for this reason that symbolic votes are important. This is how you rally people to your side, and this is how you push back against the unilateral power grab from the executive. As a constituent of yours, I am profoundly disappointed that you have voted and continue to vote with Republicans on nonsense measures simply because, I have to imagine, you believe that it somehow helps you get reelected and paints you as an evenhanded politician. You are wrong, and you are allowing the power of the legislative branch as one of the checks and balances of this nation to become powerless because you are concerned about your political lifespan rather than defending democracy from a feckless executive. You should be ashamed of yourself. I know that I am ashamed of you.