Will real conservatives stand up to Republican leaders?       Help Wanted: Republicans with Courage and Integrity Writing for The Atlantic, Tom Nichols makes a vital argument: if there are any Republicans left who care about the Constitution, now is the time to act. Nichols' argument starts with the usual suspects in the GOP, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar, to point out the problems that exist in the party. While we could point to any number of examples of the extremes those two will go to, they have shown who they are and who they are is dangerous for our nation. Nichols moves on to the recent news, first reported by Talking Points Memo, of the texts former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows received in the days after the 2020 election. As Nichols puts it, "The messages are alternately stomach-turning and comical, in some cases at the same time." And while the texts show a party slowly losing the thread of being a serious player in US politics, Nichols smartly argues that some can still say there are serious Republicans. Republicans who care about governing, the Constitution, and making America better for Americans and not just Donald Trump. And Nichols asks a great question: Where are they? Who is standing up to MTG and Gosar? Certainly not Kevin McCarthy, who has been courting her vote in his bid to be Speaker of the House. As noted in this newsletter, most House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump did not survive their primaries. Nichols points out that supposed centrist and moderate Gov. Glenn Youngkin was stumping for Kari Lake, who is currently doing her best Trump impression as she fights the "corrupt" election results in Arizona's governor race. The list of folks in the GOP who are supposedly for what is right while being suspiciously quiet about the lies, deceit, and conspiracies that come from many in the party could go on. Focusing too much on the list is unnecessary because Nichols' point is correct; the party needs a reckoning. But it seems that reckoning is not going to come from elected officials. This means it must come from regular people. Ordinary folks not running for office still have power through votes, donations, volunteering time, and countless other ways to say enough is enough. The recent midterm elections show that if enough conservatives speak up against candidates who care more about lies that protect a former president than actually defending our nation, Republicans with courage and integrity can take the reins. Will principled conservatives hold their elected officials to account and say, "no more"? Only time will tell. Enjoy a classic Lincoln quote (that often leaves off the last two words)... on a classic 16 oz. pint glass. All proceeds benefit AVC's vital work. Order Now 4 More Things 1) AVC's very own Austin Gravely, with Ian Harber, has a piece over at ERLC about the changing tides of social media and what shifts churches can make to stay current. 2) President Trump is again in the news because of his guests at Mar-a-Lago. This time he posed for photos with Liz Crokin, a prominent QAnon supporter after Crokin spoke at an event held at Trump's club. It seems Trump is no longer afraid of saying the quiet part out loud about who he thinks his base is. 3) Speaking of QAnon, attempted coups spurred on by the conspiracy have now gone international. The BBC reports that Germany arrested 25 members of the group Citizens of the Reich on suspicion of plotting to overthrow the government. And while the group is German, the BBC reports they appear to have bought into some of the conspiracies peddled by QAnon supporters. 4) For some good news, Andy Craig writes for The Unpopulist that a bill meant to prevent another Jan 6. type coup has bipartisan support. The Electoral Count Reform Act focuses on correcting the confusing or misleading language of the somewhat obscure Electoral Count Act. The ECA was at the heart of Trump's efforts to get Pence to throw out certain Electoral College votes and replace them with votes that favored Trump. This a promising and much-needed development, doubly so because of the bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress. Join Our CIRCLE Community Join our brand new CIRCLE group (imagine a positive Facebook-free online group experience) where we'll be sharing tools to assist folks facing the division caused by toxic politics, hosting book club events, and building community together. Join Our Free CIRCLE Community Support Our Work with Pastors     American Values Coalition | 2250 Double Creek Dr. #6661, Round Rock, TX 78683 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]