Debbie Dooley: Once in a Lifetime Opportunity to Drain the D.C. Swamp

I have been politically active for 40 years and during this time I have watched as many Republicans made campaign promise after campaign promise as candidates, then once elected they made grand excuses on why they couldn’t keep their promises. Case in point, the GOP controlled the White House, Senate, and House from January of 2003 until January of 2007. We were disappointed to find that the Republicans passed no meaningful reforms that conservatives clamored for, but instead were mired in corruption scandals. K Street lobbyists had their hooks into elected Republican Leadership and prevented them from passing meaningful change. This was never more evident then when T.A.R.P, aka “Wall Street Bailout”, passed with the support of Democrats, President George W. Bush, and some Republicans in Congress. There were many Republicans opposed to TARP and fought it, but Republican Leadership beat the opposition back. Conservatives were infuriated by this and rightly so. That was one of the catalysts for the Tea Party Movement that was founded in February of 2009. 

Make no mistake about it, the ruling elite in both the Republican and Democrat parties have been corrupted for decades by deep pocketed special interests like big banks, Wall Street and the military industrial complex. The grassroots in both major political  parties have been overpowered for decades by the big bucks of these special interests. I have witnessed many liberty minded warriors promising to fight the corrupt system be elected to Congress, only to be co-opted by the special interests that troll the halls of the U.S. Capitol after only a few short years. For decades, the big money of special interests have successfully entrenched corruption in our nation’s Capitol. There are some Republicans that stand with the conservative grassroots to fight this corrupt system, but they are vastly outnumbered by those more concerned about getting elected than working in the best interests of their constituents. Jack Abramoff once told me something chilling. He said it would be just a matter of time before lobbyists had their hooks into even the best intentioned Congressman and Congresswoman.

I often reach across the aisle and work with activists on the left on issues we agree on. I have found that many of my friends on the progressive side are as sick of the entrenched corruption that oozes through Washington, D.C. as conservatives are.

I supported Donald Trump from the beginning of his campaign because my experience has shown me that he presented a once in the lifetime chance for the grassroots of both major political parties to clean out the cesspool known as Washington, D.C. Trump doesn’t need the money of K Street and he has proven he doesn’t back down. I don’t agree with everything Trump has said or done, but one thing is unmistakable, and that is he will fight to drain the swamp in D.C. and make real changes. He is a champion for Main Street voters of both parties sick of the corruption. One only has to look at the way the ruling elite of the Republican party, corrupt main stream media, and special interests are opposing Trump with all their might to show just how much they are fighting to hang on to their corrupt system. 

Trump going after the corruption has also awakened voters into being politically active that have normally shunned the political process in their lifetimes. Despite my longtime political activism, my 36 year old daughter Ashley has never cared about the political process and has infrequently voted. Trump has changed all that. She is now fully engaged in the political process and it is because of Trump. She even sent me a text yesterday morning apprehensive about whether or not WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was still alive. She is excited to be able to vote for someone that is willing to take on the corrupt system and bring about needed change. I spoke to a friend of hers this past weekend named Justin. Justin told me that he is 40 years old and has never at one time voted because he felt that all politicians were crooks and the process was corrupt. He will cast his first ballot for Donald Trump and has become fully engaged in the political process. He has become obsessed with electing Trump President and has even began to read conservative blogs everyday like Breitbart. 

I have no doubt that there are millions of others like my daughter and her friend Justin that aren’t being polled because they aren’t listed as likely voters. I also believe strongly that there will be some on the left, concerned about corruption, that will cast their vote for Donald Trump once they get in the voting booth. I have personally talked to some Democrats that will. This election is like no other in my lifetime and it is impossible to correctly gauge the electorate, because many first time or infrequent voters aren’t being polled. 

Donald Trump presents us with a once in a lifetime opportunity to drain the D.C. swamp. I hope we don’t blow it. 

Debbie Dooley is a national founder of the tea party movement and currently serves on the Board of Directors of Tea Party Patriots. She is President of Green Tea Coalition and Conservatives for Energy Freedom. Her opinions are her own and do not represent a group. @crimsontider on Twitter